The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-04-29
CUTTING RENE FROM THE BAGASS E.

their mercy. The French were not used
to forest fighting, and instead of taking 10
the woods, they kept forming and charg-
ing up the road. only to be driven back
each time. More soldiers landed and the
negroes rolled dig stones and barrels OF
sugar down the steep, smooth roadway so
fast that no advance could be made.
sadness fell upon the group on the
manor house piazza watching the nG1t
that meant life or death-a horrible death
to them. Rene wished TO attack the ne
grOcS from the rear, but his forces re-
fused to obey him. 1t was they VINO hdd
rolled the barrels from the sugar house.
They are ready TO nsht tor the HeraultS
even against other negroes, but they VIII
not fight for French soldiers.
The stones and barrels were gone at
last and big bundles of sugar cane We're
rolled down in their stead. The French
bugle sounded Il retreat and the negroes
Cheered. but it sounded the advance again;
cannon shot swept through the woods and
the negroes rushcJ to the top of the hill,
but IS none of them were hurt most OF
them resumed their former posts.
You will be killed in a moment said
Lalemba the oversccr to Madame Her
ault Inc French viii give up in despair
before long. None of the blacks are watch
ing you, and while there is "A chance,
Tiriqu and l viii take you TO the noun
tains. The blacks have left them and 1T
will be safe there for time until you
can escape over the border into Santo
WHO is binding the bundles of cane
our people on the plantation said
Then bind US in them and roll us to
But the cane is so heavy that you
will be crushed in it when rolled down
Put us in bundles Of cane that has
gone through the press, then.
"A Stady line of women and old men
We're rolling bundles Of cane from the SUI
gar shed to the. top of the hill, where
negro soldlers. under the Inspection %. oI
Dominique himself, started them down
the hill.
dies OF bagasse? Has the unchrushed cane
given out? asked Dominique as four
awkward bundles of crushed cane were
rolled to the roadway. That light StufL
viii do nothing except 10 stiek IN Lne
road and stop the rolling OF the rest;
Here, wait and he thrust his saw-toothed
sword into one of the bundles ana twisted
viii come apart and he sawed slowly
away with his sword far in the bundle:
but it had been bound by Lalemba hmseL
and it did not come apart.
"'Well, start them if you wish to ana
before he had finished speaking the bundles
were rolling down the hill. ,-..-..-.
sword; there is blood uicking out of the
last of the four hagasse bundles Int one
Dominique had examined, the one thdt -
rolling 50 slowly, that is threatening 10
~ is rolling faster. Dominique is after
it Faster Still IL goes. Dut not 80 AdSl -
Dominique he is almost on Il, but shot
rings out from behind him, too, not
from the French at the foot of the hill,
and he falls and the bundle rolls on down
the hill into the ranks of the French. IheE
open it and find Rene Herault in Il dead
faint with mis- arm cut 10 the bone IN
half a dozen places.
I'm Spite of the terrible pain the brave
boy had not made a sound while Dominique
was decorating him, for the lives of his
mother and sisters were at stake. That is
how he won the cross of the Legion OF
Honor and lost his arm and why, in spite
of his one arm he became n captain OF
artillery at the age of twenty
W. y. CURTIS.