The morning times., 1895-07-21
Sergk. GhoSQUi8r0.

open the windows and doors which give
on to the garden, my darlings, and allow
the scent of the lilies of the valley and the
tilacs to enter. Let my little ones in their
fresh spring toilets take wing to the trees
and flowers and let them salute and welcome
with their joyous cries the festival OF youth
and nope! For it is Easter Day-Easter the
vertable opening OF the year.
SO spoke au old retired officer of the
empire on Easter Sunday, in the year
1850, in his villa at LouyeeieDnes, where
he had reunited, according to custom
an exclusively family party around his
luncheon table consisting of his children and
his numerous grandchildren.
Aud now tell us a history OF your
battles, father" said one OF his sons
did 1 ever tell you that it was at this
period of the year, at Easter, 1910. that
l exchanged with your mother the first
tender words of love-"
Never, father" said the son.
with your mother, the vivaudiere?"
I'VE do not blush on account OF thatl"
You would indeed be wrong if you did
SO, my children, She loved you all so
much-you-aud me also u little" added
the old soldier, with moist eyes.
the vacant place at the table and TO the
unoccupied chair which Il pious custom
marked a the place Of the dead mother,
then all eyes passed on TO the little tri-
colored barrel which was carefully sus-
pended above the high chimney piece
a military relic, on which piece or sapcti-
fled palm had been placed the preceding
Sunday.
II ba Of riH ha
OF April, 1910, Easter Day, as l have told
you, and the day previous TO the battle on
which we gained the victory over the troops
of O'DonneIl The inpregnable town of
Lerlda. as it had been called under the great
| Conde, but which, nevertheless, was taken
by the suchet Sappers, is built on the side
of an emnence, and its castle is fortified
| like a second Gibrltar
The Arrogau garrison installed there
| tormented US with their rapid firing To
| avoid their guns we lived i'll trenches which
the waters Of the Segre took session Of
and transformed into marshes. 1t was in
one OF these trenches that Mere Cardot
lad Installed her Rieager canteen, scarcely
| sheter red by floating tent cloth
| Five or SIX comrades, lieUtenants like
| myself, and sergeant OF whom VIII speak
| later on, were seated under this canva s,
| trying To make believe to celebrate Easter
| by means OF little extra gastronOmic
| indulgence
| If the paschaI lamb were wanting
| some eggs stained yellow by the process of
| onion peelings being flying into hot water,
| custom in use in Flanders, two bottle
| of Catalogue wine, with an onllette au
lard, formed the menu OF feast, which,
though the balls were whizzing over our
| heads, seemed regal fare.
a m r,arlla fgg
absent dishes by mat frank, careless humor
| which Creeps on every Frenchnian at the
eve of battle.
| ITO wait upon us aud attend TO our wants
| naturally there was the cautiniere, with
her daughter, MdlIe, Reine-your mother,
my children-who, with her sixteen sum
| mers, was delicious to contemplat9ein the
| uniform of q viyandiere.
| I'VE were all OF us II love with this young
| girl, who was not bold, as might have been
| expected, but on the contrary, seefped TO be
| second Joan of Arc. Yes, from the colonel
| down 10 the youngest drummer boy, every
| one was in love with her. one man alone did
| not pay her any attention, the Sergt GheS
| quieTe, aud it was precisely this one man
| who pleased herl To us only conventional
| smiles, to him all the rhetoric of loving
looks
"Ghesquiere, although so young, possessed
| the decoration of the Legion of Honor: il was
| this distinction that qualified him TO be
on a Level with lis Officers. He had come
from the corps Of occupation in Portugal
where he had been wounded by an English
| ball When he quilted the ambulance lie
was at once incorporated and placed in our
| regiment Although but recently arrived,
lie was asalreadymuch beloved We calledhim
I the pretty sergeant for he really was a
pretty youth-fair, quite beardlesS, gentle,
/ amiable His voice had the hedelicatevibration
| of that Of woman.
The cross oa his breast was great con :
| trast to the fragile appearance of this
| ainIesceat However. FOR this Eou have
but TO look back into the pages of history
! for the account Of the famous Sergt. Ghes-
| qlIiere, who was at the same time the
personificatiou Of fraternal love and
| of love of his country!
My good friends, said l to my com
panions, as we are to fight tomorrow
some of US tomorrow evening viii be
absent at the Rappel it may be that we
shall all be absent. So / propose that we
should put an end to this state of un-
certainty and that Mdlle. Refine should be