The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-10
N. Salvage replied,
EheI are worse than the heaa&a

another fish, declared:
land to think that this sort Of thing
will continue as long as there are gov
crnments'
NJ. Salvage stopped him.
1.-The republic would not have de
clared war" but NJ. Morissot inter.
-upted him, saying:
with kings you have external war;
with republics you have internal vars
And then they began n tranq uil dis.
ittcal problems with the limited reason
or peaceful, quiet men who agree upon
the one point that they will ncvcr en-
JOY true liberty.
Meanwhile the thunder of Mount
Vs!arien continued necessarily, at
each discharge dcmolis.,ing many
French homes and lives, rudely dis.
pellinE SO many happy dreams, so
many anticipated pleasures, and OPEN
ing in the hearts of women and tnoth-
ers in this and other countries wounds
which will never heal.
''Such is life" declared Nj. Savage.
''Say rather such is DEATH" lightly
replied Morissot.
Suddenly they trembled with fear,
| realizing that some one marched be-
hlnd them. and. turning their heads,
they saw four German soldiers cover
ing them with their muskets.
Their lines slipped from their hands
few moments they were seized, bound,
thrown INTO a boat and carried to the
island
Behind the house which they thought
deserted they found a squad Of German
soldiers.
chair and smoking a huge pipe with
porcelain bowl asked of them, in ex-
cellent French:
"Well, gentlemen, have you ad good
luc,<?''
BY way of reply enc of the soldiers
deposited at the officers feet the
basketfrl of fish which he had taken
care to bring with him.
The Prrssian smiled.
An! that's not bad. But anotke:
thing first. Listen:
'T" me yon are two spies sent to
watch me. ] take You. and I shall
shoot you. You pretend to be fishing
il order to observe me the better. You
have fallen into my hands--so much
the worse for You. such is war.
''Int as you passed the advance posts
you surely have the pass word with
which TO return. Tell it to me and
will release you"
The two friends, pale and emht.og,
their hands agitated by a slight. ner>-
Gus trembling, remained silent.
he officer continued:
NO one will ever know it. You viii
return in peace. The secret will dis
appear with you To refuse is im,neai-
ate death. Choose"
The two friends made no reply.
The Frussian calmly said while point
ing towards the river:
Think that in five minutes y on will
be at the bottom of that stream. In
five minutes. You hare families?''
The two friends stood rigidlv erect
and made 10 reply. The German gave
a fe," order. in his own language, and
then moved his chair in order not to be
too near the prisoners. Twelve men
with loaded muskets then placed them
selves at a distance of twenty feet.
The officer continued:
II will give you one ninute-not a
second more
He arose and brusquely approached
the two Frenchmcn. Taking Morissot
by the arm he led him a short distance
away and said in low voice:
"Quick, the pass word. Your COM
raclc will never know"
Morissot made no reply.
The Prussian then took Sau-age
aside and made the same proposal to
him.
NJ. Savage made no reply.
They again found themselves side by
side.
The officer gave a command, and the
soldiers raised their arms.
BY chance. Morissot's glance fell upon
the basket of fish lying on the ground
a few PAGES away. The shining scales
of the still living fish sparkled in the
sunlight. In spite Of himself his eyes
filled with tears and he stammered:
''Good-by, NJ. Sauvage.'
NJ. Salvage responded:
:Good-by, NJ. Morissot.'
They sh oolx hands. The officer cried:
Fire
The twelve reports rang out like one.
NJ Suuvage fell like block. Morissot,
who was taller, wavered; turned and
fell across his companion, face up
wards, food of blood rushing from
his breast.
The German gave a new order,
whereupon his men marched away,
but re- tn rned presently with cords and
stones, which they attached to the
feet of the corpses.
Two soldiers took Morissot by the
head and feet and bore him to the
river, and two others followed with
Savage. The bodies, poised for an in
slant, were thrown into the stream
and, describing a curve they fell,
plunged feet foremost into the current.
The water foamed and boiled and
then became calm, while a few little
waves reached as far as the shore. The
surface was slightly stained with blood
The officer. still serene and unru fled,
quietly remarked:
Nov it is the turn of the fishes
Then. turning toward the house. he
noticed the basket of fish on the grass
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