Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-06
THE RED FIFER.


going to the neighboring village TO seek
pork roast for the colonel's 'sreveiIlon. -
This is it, Monsieur Sergeant replied
the little iifer. 'His majesty the king be-
ing III urgent need of money and wishing
to make a present of a brand new castle to
his Belle Annie, it has been decided by
the court Of affairs that the regiment mu-
sicians and soldiers shall not touch cent
of their pay this month So as grandrnoth-
or is very poor, and have not a sou. have
come out to break the ice in the pond and
see if l can catch a mess of frogs for din
ner'
Don't count on that" said La Rance.
1.-The frogs sleep in WINTER.
II know that" replied the little fifer,
"but the sky is so blue today I thought
perhaps the sun would awaken them. -
So as Sergeant La Rance passed on.
grumbling, the little fellow set to work
again trying to break the ice
He proceeded in his frog fishery with as
much ardor as ne gave to his warlikc mu-
sic When the ice was broken. the hole
cleared Of rubbish ana a clear round spot
of water shono forth he improvised fish
ing tackle with bit of thread and the
long thorn from a rosebush. All was
not usually have caused our fisher the least
anxiety. A scarlet poppy would have scrv
ed, but poppies do not flourish under the
snow, and he looked in vain for bit OF
red to attract the frogs.
He was about to turn away in disgust
when suddenly frog showed its head
above the water. Sleepily lazily he put
his fore legs in the bank, opened his golden
In ~,
sun, then, swelling out his white throat,
gave utterance to quick, hoarse ''croak, "
to which, down in the water under the ice
through the great body of the pond, re-
sponded at once other croaks from far
and near.
"That must be the mother of the frogs"
said the little fifer to himself He had
never seen such a big frog. What a chance,
and what q shame if he let him escape
Suddenly he had an inspiration. "Why
not use for Is bait piece of the red belt
that holds up my breechcs? 1t is of red
ordnance cloth and surely the frogs will
bite"
No sooner said than DONE and soon the
piece of red flannel danced over the clear
water, lit up by a joyous sunbeam right
over the frogs nose. He bit; the fisher
pulled in his line; the thread broke, and
the frog plunged into the water, carrying
the bait with him. Fortunately there was
more. One could try again. The frog
reappeared at the surface, bit again. Again
the line broke, and the second piece joined
the first.
"Bah!' thought the fisher. "What
harm to take II piece of the back of my
trousers? No one will look under the
back of my coat" Drawing out his knife,
he cut out a little piece of cloth that, alas,
the frog ca}ried off again as the others,
| and still another and another till to his
CONSERVATION he beheld the tail of his shirt
through the enormous hole that he had
| made little by little.
Sergeant Ia Rance, returning with q
| load of yictuals, bchold the little fifcr sit
ting down on the ground weeping bitterly.
"What is tho matter? A soldier weep
| ingr'
| For a reply the little fifer rose and turn
ed his back to the sergeant.
"a bad business, " murmurcd old La
| Rance after looking long and carefully at
| the disaster. "Abuso of goods, equipment
or clothing furnished by the government
is case for court martial" Then having
| pronounced these words he walked of pull
| ling his mustache.
The little iifcr wcpt still harder. Tie be
held himself already in arrest as he passed
the bridge, carried off to Il dark Dungeon
| between two Ecndarmes, who should be his
| judges. He tried i'll vain to move them,
saying; "It was not for myself 1t was to
provide q dish for mypoor old grandmoth-
er, who has nothing for supper Tho
military code was in1cxiblc. They dis
graced him, broke his fife, his lttlo sword.
led him off in disgrace to place he had
but two minutes before marched bravoly
past at the head OF the soldiers.
Then, thinking of his grandmother stiff
with cold ne lost his consciousness and
/ wishing to die at once drew his body pain
| fully over the frazcn ground toward the
| pond of black water where already the
stars were reflected.
In what II marvellous country did the
littlo ffcr find himself! Softly tho bril-
liant light was reflected into the icy vaults.
Long grass covered with crystal rose in
fino columns and mingled with tho MOSES
| on the borders like fino silvcry boards
| forming thousand promenadcs and tie
most magnificent architecture he had ever
seen. To the right and left along the
rocks in little grottoes-the homes of the
| the water the valleys Of the subterranean
world-slcpt innumorable frogs of all
| kinds and sizes.
He filled an immense basket with them
to take TO his grandmother The council
of war alarmed him no longer He re-
membered the disaster TO his brooches but
vaguely. Only one thing surprised him
| to find it so warm under the ice. Then
he felt very happy and went to sleep with
| the frogs The little fifer slept a long time
| Suddenly well known voice awakened
| him-his grandmother's voice. "Chut,"
she said, and he opened his eyes. ooh,
| you bad boy to brighten US sou
The little fifcr shook with fear when he
beheld La Rance standing at the foot of
his bed with his deep set eyes, his long
mustache. 1.-THE breeches! The court mar
tial Don't let them carry me away"
And he grasped his grandmother's gown
| in despair But his grandmother rcaSsur-
ed him. The good La Rance had drawn
him half dead from the water, frozen and
feverish. Then he had related the adven-
ture to the colonel. and the colonel, much
moved, had instantly sent off an orderly
Stp q