The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-06

Rataplan! R-r-rataplan" rang the drum
sticks
">ame Of a chicken! we have found our
drummer Halt"
The Erun tones broke in upon Jacquots
drum-taps Ike Farmer Ganots tick upon
his morning dreams. He started, looked
up. and saw, in tae broad roadway below a
troop Of cavalry coming TO the halt It
was the man at the soldiers head, fine.
white mous;ached cid officer, who had
spoken. In the twilight Jaequot could not
RIGHTLY -tineuisn - what branch Of the
cavalry ,crv Ce 1tey lcllnsod-
"Mho IS mp there In the summer house
sounding drum-caus2' demanded the colo
uei-such was tie old ltIIeI's IA Ak.
Ja,qurt was too frightened 80 answer.
..sb,ak up. drummer called the colonel
again. "Unly5s you're an infantry drum
ncr and tuon Doc silent. VINO are you:
Come forward.
rrempunIly srasplng his liable drum
sticks the boy stepped from the arbor.
through the hedge ana into tnc road. Ills
head only reached to the cUioneis dropping
snanlcre.n.
why. it's a child" cried that gallant
campaignor "Was It you who played
those drum-calls mon p'utY'
YES, monsieur mean rnohSlshor'
stammercd Jacquot. who knew no; 10y what
name 20 address this great parsonage. 4Iy
uncle taught me. Hes an old soldier.
"Ah" said the enlightened colonel i
perceive. Your uncle taught you wei. Now
tell me something about yourself anC con
Lc afraid"
Jacquot. plucking up courage. revealed
his sad history in simple bat effective Ian
guagc, while the colonel and some of tie
other officers listened attentively. When he
had finished a young lieutenant oNclaimed'
Mon colonel. he's the very one lie IS
sent by providence"
Name Of q chicken" answered the colo
mel Il believe you're right, No father or
mother. no relatives or friends! The very
one surely Tell me, mon pin.
how would you like TO take service with
the Is ieme Hussards. and beat the drum
fur us I'm Alg!crs?'
Jacquot nearly leaped for Joy. "oh,
u-mons. gnor.' he cr.ed-"the beautiful
iGoar
can you ride?'
81 have ridden bareback FOR years, mon
signor'
'Thcn you'n do. Two OF our drummers
are down with typhoid fever at Nosgent
barracks. and we are Off 70 Algiers without
our fun complement The dignity of the
regiment cannot be compromised. . can
you come as you are, boy?'
Eyes, mons,gnor," said Jacquot, fearing
lest delay NJ. Ganot. the farmer, might
prevent him from going to the wars.
'"Then jump on the horse in front OF the
dr1Im-serEcant- Wen give you a uniform
when we reach our stop for the night"
Jacquct kicked Off his sabots. threw
away his ''kettle-drum." and, with one
naked foot on the boot OF the drum-ser-
geant clamhcred to the Group of that
worthys saddle.
I'm avant," cried the colonel-and they
were off.
For two years they never knew in
! sleepy Cadillac what had become Of Jac-
/ quot. Farmer Ganot az FIRST thought that
/ the boy was a thief and had run away
with some OF his property. Indeed the
farmer was even somewhat disappointed
/ when he found that this was not so-rSs
/ boy having even left his wooden shoes be-
i hind him. AS for the children they soon
! forgot the little COW herd, save TO recall
| him now and again as 1.-THE fellow who had
no story to tell" Only tho cure mourned
/ IN any way for Jacquot, and often won
dered what had become of the wanderer
one fine day the children. an two years
/ older, but all sim addicted to storytelling
were sitting under the cures hedge listen
ing to the good pastor telling about his
! faVorit3 hcro-fcarless, reproacnless Bay-
ard They were lust in the MIDDLE Of
chevaliers adventures when the cures
servant Clemente, followed by two wish
tors came down the path. Strange WISH
! tors thcse,-the first a tail man in the uni
form OF the Is ieme Hussards, the second
a boy dressed as a drummer of that fa-
nous fighting regiment The soldiers
right arm was in a sling, and the drum
mer boy seemed pale. as though recently
recovered from grave illness.
The cure and all the children arose at
! their approach, and the pastor removed
! his black skull-cap in acknowledgement OF
! the soldiers awkward left-handed salute
! How can we serve You. messieurs?'
/ asked the cure.
/ Then occurred something which the peo-
| pie of Cadillac are never tired talking OF
! to this day. The little. paie-faced drum
mer boy ran quickly forward with arms