The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-02-20
Wordsworth Dispatch,
sueLisHeo
So 90 Per Gnnum.
THE LITTLE FItER.

inc?:" called nur Sergeant Ia Rumec, who
was ON his way to the neiphboring tow
IN quest OF IA pork fiicassee for ths colone;'s
supper.
~ will tell you huw 1t Is, M. Sergeant"
replied tie little fifer. "His majesty the
king being in Rreat need Of money and
Wishing to gisea new chateau to n relative,
1t has been decided by the Cour DIES Complies
that the regiment, musicians and soldiers.
shall not DO Iaids this month";; so, as My
grandmother Is poor nn6 l have not "a cent
In my pocket Ia luy her SUPPER, l have
COME out here by the wall to break the Ice
on the trench and.see IL l can't fish out u
few frogs"
Don't count on that" said La Rance.
"In winter frogs sleep"
~ kno that. But the sky Is so blue I
thought perhaps they might wake up"
Sergeant La Rance went oil his way,
and The little fifer hacked away courageous.
ly ut the ice.
This little soldier, who loved his grind
mother so much, vas indeed as pretty a fel.
low ms one would wish to see. Net much
higher than u mans knee and dressed all
in red, as were all In his regiment, lie
played his fife SO finely MS he II arked the
time for the whiskcred halberdiers that on
their entry into town the ladies at the
windows forgot to look at the drum major.
The hfcr understood frog fishing almost
as we'll us he did laying martial airs.
When tie ice was cItout and thu W aside
so that u little round spot Of water appear
ed, he soon improvised a line and rcd Of a
piece of string ho had with him and n dry
reed which he cut. Bait only was lacking.
Usually this would not have worried our
fisherman, for lie would have used u red
poppy for tie. purpose, is frogs are SO
greedy that anything rcd attracts item.
But peoples do not flourish under the
snow, and hunt as he might nothing rcd
could be found.
He was about to give up In despair md
60 away, when just at that momen u
great frog poked its head out of the water.
LaZily, as IL half asleep, 1t stretched cut Its
legs, opened first one and then the other OF
its pretty yellow eyes to the sun, then dis
tended its " hits throat and uttered II gen.
tie crou.. to which many others responded.
THAT must LIE the mother CT the other
frogs" thought the little fifer, who had
never before seen so large a one. What a
chance and what a pity to let it escape"
Then u sudden idea struck him.
What II ! were to take n part of my
suspefider strap. 1t is the regulation scar
let, and tho frogs will surely bite at It,"
No sooner said than done. The strap Of
regulation red soon danced merrily on the
clear water just In front Of the frogs nose.
1t seized tho bait, the fisherman jerked,
the line broke ind the frog darted under
the water, carrying the cloth with IT.
Fortunately there was The other strap.
He could try again. The frog reuppeared,
| M ..,oi,, fla 1t,to kpoIo and tho connnd
half went to Join the first.
"Deur me!'' thought the fisherman.
"What harm would there to in cutting q
little piece out of my waistban6f No one
will ever want to look under my jacket."
Taking his knife he cut out u little piece,
which the frog, alas, carried away as before,
and then arol her enc, and another ole,
On his way back with the provisions
Sergeant La Rance found the unlucky lit
tie fellow crying bitterly.
"Whati A soldicr cryinR!"
For answer the little fiier stood up.
"a bad businessi'' said La Rance after
looking hard at the cut trousers. Injury
TO clothes or equipments furnished ty tho
government is u matter to be tried by n
court martial Z
Saying this, he went on his way, Low
ing out his long mustaches.
Iia I;.,Io 0t.r u.,t all Tim mora hitter.
..s,s ..ua,.od sb,4
y -. ~. 80 ,.Lon bo,u q ,wo
up a. q 49,. ~ -, ~ ,a,n hs
-.
nc y 80 7. 49,. 70 got !.
a..na,,,,h or ,yLo ID
old and poor and had nothing for her Din
.. The military code was inGexible. He
WOO "e, - ~, ut -, n
were broker ana tDey leu dill OUb VII ~