Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-10-25
THE BLUE HUSSARS.
From Romance.

a VOLTS. He lived with his of
ficers at the Mayors house and
called himself proudly, "Baron Won
Krappenfels." He secured the coun-
try night and day, sending his men
spying to the right and left for recruits
and supplies to be sent to the rear OF
their army in the interior. Not con-
tent with that, this savage wished to
give orders in my school, and was not
afraid to say to me one evening that, If
/ delayed opening my classes and al
lowed my pupils to struggle over the
village, he would hang me to my own
door. Judging by his face that he was
capable of executing such an atrocity,
Ireplied that | protested, but | would
submit, to spare him the crime.
~ will permit you to protest, said
he, ''even in writing, since it is the
custom to protest in France. l consent
to that, and see no inconvenience in it.
But, first of all, go and obey. l will
see that you are paid as usual, and
when l have time outside of my mill
tary duties, / shall come to inspect
your school, and see if you give good
instruction to your pupils. We will
also converse while, and | shall find
out whether you know your business.
If you do, you shall be left; if not,
will replace you"
was going to say to him that he
had no right in my school, that l was
regularly appointed and that would
not be treated like soldier, but at that
moment the trumpet sounded, for it
was December, and therefore dark at
five O'Clock. The notes were tremulous
and hoarse, instead of three clear ones,
the first high, the second lower, and
the third lower still and prolonged after
the manner of the Germans.
out in fury. | followed him into the
alley, my hat in my hand. There l
saw him spring upon the trumpeter,
who was covered with snow, and give
him two terrible blows. Then he called
to the guard "Come and tie this
beast,-he is drunk He has drunk
like beast, and he shall be treated like
beast"
The soldiers came running with a
cord, which they had used in foraging,
and tied the unfortunate man. The
Colonel looked on with fercely spark
ling eyes. When the trumpeter lay on
the floor, bound hand and foot, he
pointed to the wood-house, saying
"Throw him in there. That will settle
his wine"
This they did without daring to say
a word. Then, thinking that it was
cruelty cold and that the poor fellow
might perish, / ventured to plead fol
mercy for him. The Colonel turned
upon me furiously, with:
"Be quiet Attend to your own af
fairs and remember my orders"
He went away to take his ease at the
Mayors, dragging his sword behind
Ln hi
denied themselves nothing in the way
of good living
/ knew that the trumpeter had drunk
too much, but that was no excuse fol
treating him inhumanly. Rejecting
thus upon what l had seen, l went int
our little room, where our pot of THU
cabbage soup was cooking, and l crieC
aloud "GOd in heaven God in heav
en- to what have we become reduced
Oh, what wretchedness ~
My wife, who was crying, said to me
1--WE must obey. Unless we do, il
this terrible winter when there is mis-
cry everywhere, these savages will turn
us out of door, and then what woult
become of us and our children?"
/ walked up and down without reply
ing. Indignation possessed me, bu
what could do?
A half hour later, the night being
very dark, l went out into the alley, t,
see what had become of the unfortunate
trumpeter. l looked carefully through
the snowy streets. The windows wer
covered with frost, and l approached
cautiously the wood-house, when
guard concealed by a post called out
aver da ?"
This made me go into the hous
quickly. But for that sentinel | SHOULD
have united the poor fellow. Thos
Germans see everything.
1t is difficult to believe, but that un
fortunate man stayed there without at
tention until five o'clock the next after
noon. All, the tendency to drink ant
to bugle falsely ought to have passe,
away by that time The German
know nothing but the orders of thei
superiors and obedience.
All night | dreamed only of our mis-
cries. The wind blew. The snow fiey
against the windows like dust Tn
sentinels cried, and from time to tim
could be heard the sound of feet stamp
ing on the ice for warmth. The ide
of obeying the Colonel came back t
me, and | composed protests of al
sorts, declaring that French teacher