The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-05-03


punish. They might have expected it!
Carette, for numerous reasons, was greatly
beloved by all his companions. Among the
I" Joyfuls," Carette was the joyful par excel
lence. In his youth, which had been very
varied, he had first been one OF troup
of mountebanks, then he had travelled with
a dentist, and thanks to his wanderings with
this charlatan, he had made a considerable
collection of puns and jokes, which had an
enormous success in Africa. He also pre-
tended to certain surgical knowledge, and
his talent as prestidigitatOr delighted the
Zephyrs Moreover, he had fine voice, and
played the hautboy in a manner that the
"JoyfuIs" pronounced remarkable, especi-
ally when it constituted the orchestra at one
of the soldiers balls. In short, not ona
among all this undisciplined band was more
unruly than Carette. His repartee, often
clever, always saucy, enlivened the whole
battalion, and when any farce was organized
lard heaven only knows what the faTces of
the Zephyrs areD Carette was always the
author or instigator. 1t was probably for
all these reasons that the Commander hon.
ored him with his choice.
When the column began its march more
than one among these fearless men was
moved when he abandoned this gay comrade,
and each one wanted to shake his hand and
say farewell in some fogna or other. Good
by, Carette." "Good-by, old man." "You're a
sharp fellow" said another, "but keep
your eye open." Have no fear," replied
the poor boy, greatly touched by these proofs
OF sympathy, "you.will find me here when
you come back" n
But when the last wagon had passed and the
last man had disappeared in.the ravine, when
l., l. ln4 Iyy f,vy
the sheep, dreary thoughts began to assail
him. He had vague intuition of the
grandeur and sacredness of duty, and un-
derstood the necessity Of discipline, that
mystic bond which united all his compan-
ions in an invincible whole whilst he re-
manned alone, isolated, probably lost, for
having discarded, like heavy yoke, the
necessary order and discipline.
But the JoyfuPs mind could not long re-
main occupied with serious thoughts, so, rails
ing his head, he said with q smile, wont the
others be surprised if they find me here with
my sheep when they come back? And the
Commandant,o said be, laughing heartily,
chow astonished he will be.n
lie busted himself in preparing shelter
for the night, which he tried to make as
solid as possible, propping the gourbi Ia hut
made of branches and brushw0od) against
rock and strengthening it as well as he could
with the materials at his disposal.
The night had come, a calm night, silent
and serene, such as one only sees in the
desert; there was not cloud in the sky, and
the moon, which, on account of the purity
and transparency ofthe atmosphere appears
larger and more brilliant than in any other
part Of the earth, seemed enthroned in the
midst Of host of stars, also more numer-
Gus and brighter than elsewhere. Obedient
to an instinct common to all domestic ami
mails, the sheep collected for the night around
their shepherd They covered the plain for
a great distance toward the east. At the
west of the rock against which the Zephyr
had erected his gourbi, was rayine not
very large in that spot, but deepening
towards the north and south. At the north
it disappeared between slopes covered with
cactus, roses, and Barbary fig-trees, whose
interlacing branches offered to the reptiles
and animals of that region haunts impene-
trable to man. At the south the ravine
bordered upon valley, in which was estab-
lshed the douar, or Arab village, which
had furnished our latest aggressors.
The poor soldier, ignorant of the existence
of these redoubtable spots, hearing no sound,
seated himself on rock. In order to drive
away the ideas that saddened him and
weakened his courage, he took his hautboy
and prepared to give little concert.
The king of the mountain, whom the
Arabs called "Said," had just awakened in
his den, his eyelids still heavy with the
days sleep; he had had long yawn, lazily
stretched himself, rose, and went to the
entrance of the cavern to inhale the air, as
if 10 ask on which side he should direct his
steps. He was a real lion of the Atlas,
whose imposing and terrible aspect was cal
culated to weaken the stoutest courage. He
moved without haste, his head high, his
step free and sure, scenting without hesita-
ti0n or fear every obstacle on his path, ex
ploring with O tranquil air the shadows
cast by the rocks, bounding with grace over
the chasms which opened before him. On
arriving at the entrance of the rayine he
stopped, took breath, and, with the same
majestic and quiet step, turned toward the
Zephyr's encampment.
The rock upon which the soldier was
seated did not rise more than Is feet above
the bottom of the ravne, SO that with a
single bound the dion could have reached
the top. He came steadily on in the shadow
thrown by the little ehinence, raised his
head to measure the hight, crouched as if
ready to spring, but, instead of doing SO,
listen. ~
The sheep, not very intelligent, as every
one knows, reassured, as men often are by
numbers, slept quietly, suspecting no more
than their guardian the approach Of the
enemy. The Zephyr at this precise moment
was playing the most joyous waltz in his
repertory; he displayed in its execution
sentiment, sweetness of tone which ought
to have charmed the king of the mountain.
Perhaps he was not very hungry just then,
unless the proverb which says "Hungry
stomach has no ears " be false.
However that may be, after two or three
movements berraying great uncertainty the
terrible beast ended by lying down at the
foot of the hillock, supported his great head
on his outstretched paws, and, with half
closed lids, seemed to listen, which proves
that the story of Orpheus is not fable.
Now. the abandonment Of the sheep was
known to the neighboring douar. Its in
habitants, supposing that the infidels had
left a guard, or number of soldiers suffi-
cient to defend the flock, decided to await