Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-07-20

| PruSSlan6 are up there, ana vague
sense OF uneasiness siezed upon the
two friends.
The Prussiansl They had never
set eyes upon them, but for months
past they had felt their presence near,
encircling their beloved Paris, running
their beloved France, pillaging, mas
sacring, Unsuitable, invincible, invisible,
all-powerful, and as they thought on
them a sort OF superstitious terror
seemed to mingle with the hate they
bore their unknown conquerors.
Morisot murmured; Suppose We
were to meet them?" and Salvage
replied, with the instructive gallantry
of the Partisan; "Well, We would ofer
them some OF our fish for supper"
All the same they hesitated before
venturing into the country, intimidat-
ed as they were by the all-pervading
silence.
Eventually NJ. Savage plucked up
courage: "COme along; let's make a
start But we must be cautious.
They went through the vineyard,
bent double, crawling along from bush
to bush, ears and eyes upon the alert.
Only one strip OF ground lay be-
tween them and the river. They began
to run, and when they reached the
bank they crouched down among the
dry weeds for shelter.
Morisot laid his ear to the ground
to listen tor the sound OF footsteps,
but he could hear nothing. They were
alone; gradually they felt treasured
and began to fish
The deserted island OF Marantheh hid
them from the opposite shore. The
little restaurant was closed, and
looked as if it had been neglected for
years.
NJ. Savage caught, the first gud-
geon, NJ Morisot the second. And
every minute they pulled up their
lines with little silver object dangl-
ing and struggling on the hook. Truly,
miraculous draught OF fishes. AS
the fish were caught they put them in
a net which foated in the water at
their feet. They positively reveled in
enjoyment OF long-for. hidden port.
The sun shone warm upon their backs
They heard nothing-they thought OF
nothing-the rest OF the world was as
nothing to them. They simply fished.
Suddenly a smothered sound, as it
were underground, made the earth
tremble. The guns had commenced
firing. Morisot turned his head and
saw above the bank; far away to the
left the vast Shadow of Mont Valer-
len, and over it the white wreath of
smoke from the gun which had lust
been fired. Then Jet of flame burst
forth from the fortress in an
swer, a moment later followed by
another explosion. Then others, till
every second, as it seemed, the noun
tain breathed out death and the
white smoke formed a funeral pail
above it.
NJ. Salvage shrugged his shoulders.
1hey are beginning again, he said
NJ. Morisot, anxiously watching his
float bob up and down, was suddenly
seized with rage against the belliger-
ents and growled out: "How idiotic
to kill one another like that"
NJ. Sauvage-It's worse than the
brute beasts.
NJ. Morisot, who had Just hooked a
bleak, said "And to think that it
will always be thus, so long as there
are such things as governments"
NJ. Salvage stopped him: "The Re-
public would not have declared war"
NJ. Morisot, in his turn: with
kings we have foreign wars, with the
republic we have civil wars. F."
Then in friendly way they began
to discuss politics with the calm, com
mon sense Of reasonable and peace
loving men, agreeing on the one point
that no one would ever be free. And
Mont Valerien Numbered INCREASINGLY.
demolishing with its cannon-balls
French houses, crushing out French
lives, running many a dream, many a
Joy, many hope deferred, Wreckirr
much happiness, and bringing to the
hearts OF women, girls, and mothers
In France and elsewhere sorrow and
suffering which would never have an
end.
"It's life" said NJ. Morisot.
"Say rather that It'll death, ;" said NJ.
Salvage.
They started, scared out Of their
lives, as they felt that some one was
walking close behind them. Turning
around they saw four men-four tall.
bearded men-dressed as servants in
livery and wearing fiat caps upon
their heads. These men were covering
the two fishermen with rifles.
The rods dropped from their fright
sned hands and foated aimlessly
down the river. In an instant the |
trenchmen were seized, bound. thrown
INTO boat, and ferried over to the
sland.
Behind the house they had thought |
lninhabited was a picket of Prussian
soldiers. A hairy giant, who was sit
astrlde a chair and smoking a porce-
ain pipe asked them in excellent
French # they had had good sport.
A soldier placed at the feet Of the
officer the net full Of fish, which he had
brought away with him.
Not bad, | see but we have other
lsh to fry. Listen, and don't alarm
yourselves. You are a couple of
French spies sent out to watch INV
movements, disguised as fishermen.
take you prisoners and order Won
20 be shot. You have fallen into NV
lands-so much the worse for Won
t Is the fortune OF war. Inasmuch,
however, as you came through the
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