The record-union., 1898-07-24
GASPARD, L'lMBEClLE.

All! those were happy days when
Gaspard Meudon was fisherman!
From the peaceful village of Bizon the
fishing fleet sailed to return loaded
with the spoil of the sea, which the
good God has provided for man. Sill
very, 1.-THE and cleaning, the fish came
into the boat, only to pant their little
lives away, for often the men We're
lucky, and it was as much as they
could do to get in the nets and clear
them. So many lives ended, and yet no
one gave them a thought; the fish are
the fruit of the sea, to be gathered by
the fishers, and they risk their lives
in reaping the harvest.
When summer came, and the sea, like
the skies, was Haunting it's royal tints
of deepest, brightest blue, and the lazy
wind would not lift the sails, it seemed
a dreamy life to Gaspard; the older
hands would tell the young ones tales
OF countries far away which they had
seen when they had been serving in
the warships, as any of the fishermen
might be called upon to do. Sometimes
they would tell of the wonders that are
far down in the sea, and of mermaids
with their golden hair streaming out
upon the free wind with strange deep
eyes of starshine and dusk, singing
wild, sweet songs, laden with the love
and sorrow of all the ages, songs that
ravish the heart Of man, and which, if
he turn not away and close his ears
against them, will draw his soul from
out his body, SO that he be what men
call dead
m hnya WI,
waves threatened to swallow up the lit :
tie fisher boats there was no leisure for
recounting stories while at sea, for each
one had to strive and heed for the safe
ty of all, and to pray to the saints hat
they might be guided out of troublous
waters and home again to iear Pizon.
Sometimes while in their midst, one of
the fleet would stagger and disappear,
and the white crested waves would
surge and toss where it had been and
gallant comrades would be lost :o-ever.
All. it was a sorrowful life in the win
ters-cold and wretched, and full of
hardships. Days there were when it
was too rough and dangerous to ven
ture out to sea at all, and ;:ien the tales
of summer would be repeated at the
firesides by the graybeards, and those
who listened would sit around, open
mouthed, scarcely hearing the wind as
It howled round the cottages and car
ried the rain with such force and swift
ness that it dashed like spent shot
against the windows.
They We're brave and generous race
the fishers of Bizon, and courage was
born in every babe Of them; through
generations they had battled With the
sea, growing Drawer and harder and
so the Government priced tlem, and al
ways some of the BiZon men were away
IN the warShipS
And then day came w1en iasporj
had TO ieave home and tinlrel % join
the marine depot, and all his dreams OF
mermaids and foreign lands and wealth
and power We're sunk in the sorrow OF
parting from all he held dear 1t seem
ed TO him that when he left Bizon he
would go from the world into utter
darkness. The good cure blessed him
the women kissed him and wept over
him, and the men embraced him heart
lily; they We're all brothers in Bizon,
and if some of them did disagree at
times they We're always ready to make
friends again at the very first oppor-
tunity. 1t was very sad when Gas
pard went away. for this time he was
the only one called from the village, so
that he had no companion to comfort
him.
AT the depot he found many who, like
himself, We're lonely, and so, each tell
ing the other of his troubles, they be-
came friends. and eased their sorrows
and turned their thoughts to the new
-
pard was to join the marine soldiery,
and after some months of drill he was
sent away to the West Coast of Africa,
there TO be drafted into the Dialma Ii,
one Of the small fiotilla off Goree
At that time France, wishing to ex-
tend her African domnions, and ready
to avail herself of any excuse for SO do
ing, had threatened the Daniel, or mon
arch OF Gayor, who reigned over a
large territory, the possession of which
would enable her to connect st. Louis
and Goree.
Reinforcements had been sent from
Algeria, native volunteers were enlist
ed, and $50 marines We're added to give
solidity to the expedition, which was
TO start in two parties, one from Goree
and the other from st. Louis.
The Senegal column, to which the
marines We're attached-and among
them Gaspard Meudon-set out for
Gaudiole on January ,, 1861, whence
it proceeded to Benon- NJ bro on the
9th, the road lying by fresh and briny
lakes, and through marshes, by well
come oases, where slender palm trees
lowered up toward the brilliant blue
of the cloudless heavens and clusters of
tiny huts lay scattered here and there.
From the marshes and from the lakes
rose pestilent fever laden msts, strik- :
ing down many a brave fellow into his
grave; at night the raw fogs chilled
to the very marrow, while in the day
time the blazing sun fired the air SO
that every breath of it seemed void OF
benefit, and every hour was difficult to
live through. AS the column advanced
the Daniel Macodon retreated, and on
January 18th the French decided to
march on Mekhey, where was the
Kings palace. The Daniel sent messen-
gers asking for pardon. and offering
terms, but they were sent back to him
unanswered.
when the King says he is willing tC
give US whatever we ask for" said Gas
pard to his comrade, Francois Bearne
why do we go on marching through
this terrible country, where we lose sc
many of our brave fellows?"
Why, man, we have had no fighting
| yet" said Francois I'VE should be
laughed at if we returned without de-
feating the enemy
But what more can we gain by fight.
iDor than tba Lyine offers ne freely