The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-17
THE LITTLE FIFER.

' Ht
ingf'' called our Sergeant La Ramss, who
was on his way 10 the nsishboring town
In quest OF a pork frioassee for the oolonsl's
supper.
II will tell you how 10 10, M. Sergeant"
replied the little flfer. His majesty the
king being in great need Of money and
wishing to give new chateau 10 relative,
1t has been decided by the Cour des Complies
that the regiment, musicians and soldiers.
shall not be paid this month; 30, as my
grandmother Is poor and have not cent
In my pocket to buy her supper, have
come out here by the wall to break tho Ice
on the trench and see II can't fish out q
few frogs"
"Don't count on that, said La Rance.
"In winter frogs Sleep"
~ know that. But the sky Ia SO blue
thought perhaps they might wake up"
Sergeant La Rance went on his way,
and the little t1fer hacked away courageous
ly at the ioe
This little soldier, who loved bis grand
mother so much, was indeed as pretty fell
low as one would wish to see Not much
higher than o mans knee and dressed all
Ill ENuy uo Wbl6 ulA III hi5 AU6ihOhVy hO
played his fife go finely as be marked the
time for the whiskered balberdiers that on
their entry into town the ladies at the
windows forgot to look at the drum major.
The ilfer understood frog fishing almost
as well as he did playing martial airs.
When the ice was cut out and thrown aside
SO that little round spot Of water appear
ed, he soon improvised line and rod of q
piece Of string he had with him and dry
reed which he cut, Bait only was lacking
Usually this would not have worried our
fisherman, for he would have used red
poppy for the purpose, as frogs are so
greedy that anything red attracts them.
But peoples do not flourish under the
snow, and hunt as he might nothing red
could be found.
He was about to give up In despair and
60 away, when just at that moment
great frog poked its head out of the water.
Lazily, as If half asleep 1t stretched out Its
legs, opened first one and then the other Of
its pretty yellow eyes to the sun, then dis
tended Its white throat and uttered gen.
tie croak to which many others responded.
"That must be the mother Of the other
frogs" thought the little ffer, who had
never before seen 60 large one. What q
chance and what pity to let 1t escape"
Then sudden idea struck him.
"What II were to take part of my
suspender strap. 1t is the regulation scar
let, and the frogs will surely bite at it."
No sooner said than done. The strap Of
regulation red soon danced merrily OH the
clear water Just in front Of the frogs nose.
1t seized tho bait, the fisherman jorked,
the line broke and the frog darted under
the water, carrying the cloth with 1t.
Fortunately there was the other strap.
He could try again. The frog reappeared,
bit again, the line broke, and the second
half went to join tho first.
dear mel" thought the fisherman.
"What harm would there be in cutting
little piece ont of my waistbantp No one
will ever want to look under my jacket"
Taking his knife he cut out little piece,
which the frog, alas, carried away as before,
and then another one, and another one.
On his way back with the provisions
Sergeant La Rance found the unlucky lit
Ito fellow crying bitterly.
"Whatl A soldier cryingr'
For answer the little flfer stood up.
"a bad businessp' said La Rance after
looking hard at the cut trousers. Injury
to clothes or equipments furnished by the
government Is a matter to DO tried by
court martial"
Saying this no went on his way, blow
ing out his long mustaches.
The little ffer wept all the more bitter
ly. He already saw himself arrested, shut
up in dark cell and taken between two
gendarmos before his judges. In vain he
tried to move them, saying:
1T was not for myself. 1t was to get q
dish of frogs for my grandmother, who lie
old and poor and had nothing for her din
ner."
The military code was inhexible He
was disgraced, his fife and little sword
were broken and they led him out on
plain where two months before he had
marched at the head Of the regiment past
a shot conscript.
Then, thinking of bis grandmother out
Of her bead from cold and sorrow, he
thought 1t would DO better to die right
away. So he let himself slide down on the
frozen snow toward the black hole, from
which the stars were already reflected.
But in what wonderful land the little
flfer suddenly found himself. As far rs he
could see there were great shining arches
through which the soft light filtered, and
long plants covered with sparkling crystals
rising from below like delicate columns.
These mingling with the silyery moses
on the banks ressmbled the most magnifl-
cent architecture. On the right, on the
left, In these little grottoes, and the crew.
ices made by the roots and loose earth,
slept frogs of every species in numberless
quantities He filled great baskets with
them to carry to his grandmother. The
court martial no longer frightened him.
He only vaguely remembered the damage
to bis brooches. Only one thing aston
ished him. That was that he was SO warm
in the water under the Ice. Then he felt
very happy and understood TINT he was
going to sleep among the frogs.
He slept long time. Suddenly voice
awakened him. 1t was his grandmothei's.
"Hush!" she said. "He Is opening his
eyes Oh, the naughty boy to make SO
much troubleI'
The little flfer was again seized with
fear when he saw at the foot Of his bed the
shaggy eyebrows and long mustaches of
La Rance.
"The trousers! The court martial Don't
let them carry me off" And he chung in
despair to his grandmother jacket. But
she treasured him. The good La Rance
had taken him out Of the water half frozen
and trembling with fever, then he had told
Tho colonial NJ tho affair md that officer