The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-13

always been excellent friends with the
Germans, and during the last six years
they had never seemed to bear MS any
malice for having made little free
with their country. We had shown
kindnesses to their men and received
them from the women, SO that good
comfortable Germany was a second
home TO all of us. But now there was
something which | could not under
stand i'm the behavior Of the people.
The travellers made no answer TO
my salute; the foresters turned
their heads away 20 avoid seeing me,
and in the villages the folk would
gather into knots in the roadway and
would scowl at me as passed. Even
women would do this, and it was some
thing new for me in those days to see
anything but n smile in IA woman's eyes
when they were turned upon me.
IL was in the hamlet OF Schmolin,
Just ten miles out of Altenburg, that
the thing became most marked. / had
stopped ut the little inn there just to
dampen my mustache and To wash the
dust out of poor Niolette's throat. 1t
was my way To give some little compli-
ment, or possibly kiss, To the maid
who served me, but this one would have
neither the one nor the other, but
darted a glance at me like bayonet
thrust. Then when | raised my glass
10 the folk who drank their beer by
the door they turned their backs on
Ine, save only one fellow, who cried:
Here's n toast for you, boys! Here's
to the letter t." At that they all
eInptied their beer mugs and laughed,
but il was not laugh that had good
fellowship in it.
l was turning this over in my head
and wondering what their boorish con-
duct could mean, when l saw, as | rode
from the village, IA great Il new-carved
upon tree. i had already seen more
than one in my mornings ride, but
1 had given no thought 10 them until
the words OF the beer drinker gave them
an importance. 1t Glanced that a re-
spectable-loolting person was riding
past me at the moment, so turned To
him for information.
"Can you tell me, sir" said l, "what
this letter T is?"
lie looked at il and then at me in the
most singular fashion. Young man."
said he, Its not the letter N" Then
before / could ask him further he
clapped his spurs into his horses ribs
and rode, stomach TO earth, upon his
way.
At first his words had no particular
significance in my mind, but as tot
ted onwards, Violette chanced to half
turn her dainty head and my eyes were
caught by the CLEAN of the brazen Ms
at-the bride chain. 1t was the en-
peror's mark. And these rs meant
something which was opposed to it.
Things had been happening in Ger
many, then, during our absence, and
the giant sleeper had begun to stir.
thought of the mutinous faces that I
had seen, and felt that if could only
have looked into the hearts Of these
people l might have had some strange
news to bring into France with me. 10
made me the more eager to get my re-
mounts and to see ten strong squadrons
behind nv kettle drums once more
While these thoughts were passing
through my head had been alternately
walking and trotting, as a man should
who has long journey before and n
willing horse beneath him. The woods
were very open at this point and beside
the road there lay great heap Of fag-
gots. AS l passed there came a sharp
sound from among them. and glancing
round, j saw face looking at me--a
hot red face, like that Of a man who il