The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-09-16
HIS WORD OF HONOR.


urchin talks of my word as though he
were Knight of the Round Table!'
He stopped abruptly in front Of his
prisoner and asked, in a severe tone,
"Your nameT'
"victor Oury."
~AgeT"
sixteen on the 18th Of July next"
"Where does your mother live?"
"At Belleville.'
"What made you to leave her to fol-
low the Commune~
''For the thirty sous chiefly; one must
eat! Then the neighbors and my COM
rades threatened to shoot me If I did
not march with them They said was
tall enough to carry a musket My
mother was afraid of them, and wept
and prayed"
"You have no father, thenr'
"He was killed"
"And wherew
"At Bourget, fighting for his coun-
try"
The commandant turned toward his
staff as though he would consult them
at glance. All seemed to interest and
pity.
"Well, then, It Is understood" the Of
ficer said, gravely, after moments
reflection. You can go and see your
mother. You have given me your word
Of honor to come back in an hour. C'est
bien. l shall know then whether you
are a man Of character or simply q
cowardly boy. l give you until even
ing. If you are not here at o'clock
shall say that you are braggart, and
care more for life than honor. Allonsl
Quick marchr'
II thank you, mon commandant. At
eight will be here"
you are sure?"
Certain"
I'VE shall see when the time comes"
The boy would have thrown his arms
about the officer in his wild Joy and
gratitude, but the latter repelled him
gently.
mo, not now," he said. '"This even
ing, if you return, will embrace you
in front Of the firing party" he added,
grimly. "Off with you!"
Victor ran like a hare The officers
smiled as they watched him disapp ear.
Twenty minutes later he knocked at
his mothers door, and the neighbor
who was tending her opened 1t to him.
She started and exclaimed when she
saw him, for like every one else, she
believed him dead. He would have
rushed to his mothers room, but the
woman stopped him.
600 IN che coiA In, low,
voice; "she Is asleep. She has been very
Ill since you went away, but she is lit
tie better now. The doctor said yes
terday that If she could sleep she would
soon get stronger; she must not be
awakened. Poor thing! she will be glad
to see you, for she has asked for you
so often. When she was not calling
you she was praying the bon Dieu to
preserve you and to restore peace In the
land. Helas! one would say He had
abandoned US, the bon Dieu, and let
men do just as they like. 1t Is awfulw
But Victor, impatient, thought he
heard his name called in a faint voice.
He moved on tip-toe toward his moth
er's bed. He had not been deceived-the
sick woman's eyes were opened wide.
"Victor! my boyp' she cried, in her
thin, weak voice. Without a word he
lay down beside her, and her arms
closed round him hungrily.
And now the boy who had faced
death so impassively could DO naught
but sob. Now, In his mothers arms, he
became child once more, timid. de-
spairing.
The sick woman, who seemed to gain
strength from his presence, sought in
vain to console him.
"Why do you distress yourself so, my
child, my best belovedT she asked.
you shall never leave me again. We
will throw that hateful uniform away;
never want to see 1t more. I will make
haste and get well; feel 30 much
stronger since you came. Soon you will
60 to work again, and you viii grow
up and marry some good girl. The past
will only look like q bad dream then.
and we will forget 1t completely; COM
pletely, dear"
Poor soul, how should she know that
her picture of a bright future only
deepened her boys anguish? She was
silent telling herself that the best way
to dry tears Is to let them flow freely.
She kissed him and let his weary head
fall back on the pillow. and then she
ES9lZGY45.