Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-09-09

~ suCpS DeIWeona Military
ochool where his regiment is quarter
ed and the other And he must have
passed by here and must have recoo-
nlzed it. Oh! it is like SEEING .
ghost!" :
''See here Father Vidal said r
really interested by this time. syou
are not going to go on in this way.
talking in riddles; you must tell me
why the sight of that riddled coat
affects you so.'
really believe that without the two
drinks l should have learned nothing
after all, for Vidal looked at me sus-
plclously almost, then, regaining cour-
age, he said, in firm voice:
Well, yes. I will tell you. You are
an honest, well-educated young man.
l have confidence in you, and when I
am through I want You to tell me with
your hand upon your heart whether I
did right in acting as I did. Let me
think where to commence.
| can not tell You his name, for he is
still living, but will call him by the
nickname we gave him in the regiment
La Soft THIRSTY. Yes, we called him
La Soft, and he did not steal the
name; it belonged to him, for he was
not one of those to run away from the
canteen, and he could drink twelve
little glasses for the twelve strokes of
noon. He was sergeant in the
second regiment, and he marched be-
side me. A good soldier, too; very
good soldier, and drunkard, loving
fights and all the bad practices of the
soldier in Africa. He was as brave as
a lion. His eyes were as blue and as
cold as steel in his bronzed, red
bearded face, and looking into them
one could see that he was hard to
manage.
When I joined the battalion La
Soif's time had just expired, he re-en-
listed, took his bounty money, and
went on three days debauch. With
four or five boon companions in car
riage with him he rode about the low
est quarters of Algiers, carrying a tri-
colored flag bearing the inscription,
enjoy yourself while you may" He
was brought back to the barracks with
his head cut open by sabre stroke.
He had been in drunken row, where
one of the party had been killed.
He recovered, was put in the guard
house for fifteen days, and lost his
sergeant's stripes. It was the second
time they had been taken away from
himi If he had behaved himself he
would have been an officer long be-
fore, for he came of good family and
was we'll educated After this affair
however, he lost his decorations, and
did not get them ba elk until eighteen
months later, through the indulgence
of our Captain, who was old in the
African service, and had been an eye
witness of La Soif's bravery.
After a time our Captain was pro-
NOTED to chief of battalion, and new
one was put over us, Corsican,
named Gentle. He was only twenty
eight years old, fresh from school, cold
and ambitious, full of merit, it was
said, but very exacting in mat
ter of discipline, giving a
man severe punishment for
rusty spot on his gun, or missing
button on his uniform. He knew
nothing of service in Algiers, and
he would not tolerate a particle Of
irregularity or lax discipline. At the
very first, Captain Gentle and La
Soft came into conflict. It could not
be otherwise. The first time the
sergeant failed to respond to evening
ll-call, eight days in the guard
house; the first time he was tipsy, ff-
teen days. When the Captain, a
swarthy fellow, with mustache like
an angry cats, gave the sentence, add
ing, in a stern voice, II knew you,
sir, and I will conquer YOU La Soft
said nothing, but walked quietly off
beside the guard; but the captain
would not have felt very comfortable,
Just the same, if he had seen the blood
surge into the sergeant's face, as soon
as his head was turned, and the light
ming flash of his steely-blue eyes.
About this time the Emperor de-
elared war with Austria, and we en-
barked for Italy. It is not necessary
to speak of the campaign, so | will
keep to my story. The night before
the battle of Melegnano, where [ lost
my arm, you AHo", Vaa 49,,
camped in the heart OF little
village, and, before breaking ranks,
our captain gave us a little falkland
he was right to remind US that we
were i'm a friendly community, that 1t
was QUA honorable duty to conduct
ourselves well, and that if any soldier
should in any way disturb the peace,
ful inhabitants around us he would
be punished as an example. While
he was talking La Soft, who could not
stand straight without the aid OF his
gun, shrugged his shoulders; forfu-
nately the captain did not see the ges-
ture.
In the middle of the night l was
awakened by a tuarnlt. | sprang
CO., tho lann,adle of STRAW on which 1