Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-13

a rough side to my tongue, and there
was not hard word that had learned
in fourteen campaigns which did not
let fly at him, but he sat with the ham
die of his pen tapping against his fore
head and his eyes squirting up at the
roof as if he had conceived the idea Of
some new stanza. 1t was this occupa-
ton of his which showed me how
might get my point into him. "You
spawn" said /, 'you think that you are
safe here, but your life may be Us short
as that of your absurd verses, and God
knows it could not be shorter than
that"
Oh, you should havo seen him bound
from his chair when / had said the
words. This vile monster, who dis
pensed death and torture as grocer
serves out figs, had one raw nerve
which l could prod ut pleasure. His
lace now grew livid and those little
bourgeois side whislSers quivered and
thrilled with his passion.
very good, colonel. You have said
enough" he cried, in a choking voice.
You say that you have had a very dis
tinguished career; promise you also
very distinguished ending. Col. Eth
enne Gerard, of the Third hussars.
shall have death of his own" 81
And l only beg" said /, "that YOU
do not commemorate it in verse;" I
had one or two other little ironies to
utter. but he cut me short with fu-
rious gesture which caused my three
guards to drag me FROM the cave.
Our interview, which have told YOU
as nearly as | can remember it, must
have lasted some tinc, for it was quite
dark when we came out, and the moon
was shining very clearly in the heav-
ems. The brigands had lighted great
fire of the dried branches of the fir
trees; not of course for warmth, since
the night was already very sultry, but
to cook their evening meal. A huge
copper pot hung over the blaze, and
the rascals were lying all around in
the yellow glare, SO that the scene
looked like one of those pictures which
Junot sto,c out of Madrid. There are
some soldiers who profess to care moth
ing for art and the like, but have al
ways been drawn toward it myself, in
which respect l show my good taste
and my breeding. / remember, for ex.
ample, that when they were selling the
plumber after the fall of Danzig,
bought very fine picture called
"Nymphs Surprised in Wood" and I
carried it with me through two cam
paigns until my charger had the mis-
fortune to put his hoof through it.
only tell you this, however, to show
you that was never mere rough SOL
der like Rapp or Lefebvre. As Law
in that brigands' camp had little time
or inclination to think about such mat
tiers. They had thrown me down un-
der tree, the three villains squatting
round and smoking their cigarettes
within hands touch of me. What to
do could not imagine. In my whole
career l do not suppose that have ten
times been in as hopeless situation.
but courage" thought i, courage,
my brave boy, YOU were not made a
colonel of hussars at twenty-eight be-
cause you could dance cotillon. You
are picked man, Etienne, a man who
has come through more than two hun
dred affairs and this little one is surely
not going to be the last" / began
eagerly to glance about for some
chance of escape, and as did SO / saw
which filled me with great
l have already told you that large
r. hlr IN,
glade. What with it's glare and what
with its moonlight everything was as
clear as possible. On the other side of
lhe glade there was u single tall fir tree
which attracted my attention because
It's trunk and lower branches were dis
,olored, as if large fire had recently
been lit underneath it. A clump Of
bushes grew in front of it which
the base. Well, as I
oolled towards it was surprised to see
projecting above the bush, and fastened
to the tree, n pair of fine
riding boots with the toes upwards. At
irst l thought that they were tied
here, but rs l looked harder 1 saw
hat tkcy were secured by great nail
which was hammered through the foot
If each. And then suddenly, with a
brill of horror, l understood that thew
we're not empty boots, and, moving my
lead little to the right, l was able to
zee who it was that had been fastened
here and why fire had been lit be-
leath the tree. 1t is not pleasant to
speak or think of horrors, my friends,
md | do not wish to give any of you
Dad dreams tonight, but cannot tako
1ou among the Spanish guerrillas With
nut showing you what kind of men
hey were and the sort of warfare that
hey waged. will only say that un-
lcrstood why Monsieur Vidal's horse
vas waiting rHastcrlcss in the grove,
md that hoped that he had met this
erriblc fate with sprightliress and
courage, as good Frcnchman ought.
1t was not very cheering sight for
ne, as you can imagine. When lad
'ecn with their chief in the grottoI
lad been so carried away by my rage
It the ci7lcl death of young Soubiron,
Who was one of the brightest lads who
'ver threw his thigh over charger,
hat / had never given thought to my
r,pCitin,, "a