Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-05-26
Don't go down there; you nave bean

Don't 60 down there; you have haen
betrayed" 800 o0oA
The othe.' boy had said to him. ere
you tell we shall be shot" SO he was
AFRAID. On reaching the city they went
INTO deserted house to divide their
money. This was honestly done. and
When little Stenne heard hts gold
pieces rafting in his blouse and
thought of the game and galoche in
store for him his crime did NOT Seem
very serious.
but when he was alone, poor child!
When the large boy had left him out
side his door, then his pockets began
10 Ieel heavy, and the hand which held
MS heart frightened it's grasp. Paris
no longer seemed the same place. Peo-
pie passing looked hard at him, as if
tney knew where he had been. He
heard the word "Spy" in the noises
OF the street, in the beating of the
drums along the canal. He entered
the house, and was glad that his father
had not yet returned. He went at once
to his room and hid the crowns, which
were so heavy, under his pillow.
His father had never seemed so kind
and so cheerful as on this particular
evening.
Encouraging news from the prov
inces had been received; things look
ed brighter. While eating his supper,
the old soldier looked at his gun hang
ing on the wall, and said to Stenne,
with his honest laugh: "Hey, my boy
how you would fight the Prussians il
you were only big enough"
About s o'clock they were startled by
the sound of a cannon. "That is at
Aubervillers; they are fighting at
Bourget,' said the good man, who
knew the names of all the forts. Little
Stenne grew pale, and, pretending to
be tired, went to bed, but not to sleep.
The cannonade continued. The boy pic
tured to himself the French soldiers
going at night to surprise the Prus-
slams and falling into an ambuscade.
He thought of the sergeant who had
smiled upon him, and saw him stretch
ed out dead in the snow, and many,
many others with him. The price of
all this blood was hidden there under
his pillow, and it was he, the son of a
soldier who Il = He stif1ed his
sobs. He heard his father walking
about in the next room, and, at last,
ope ma window. Down below in the
square the call to arms was sounded,
and a regiment was forming to march
to the scene of the firing. It was a
battle, then; the miserable boy could
no longer restrain his soDs.
''What is the matter?" asked Pere
Stenne, going into the room. The
child slid out of bed and threw himself
at his fathers feet. At the motion the
crowns rolled out on the floor.
What is this? Have you been steal
ing?" said the old man in a trembling
voice.
Then, in a breath, little Stenne told
camp, and that they had given him the
money. AS he talked his heart grew
lighter, and he felt comforted. His
father listened with an expression of
terror When the boy had finished the
old man hid his face in his hands and
wept aloud.
Father! Father!" exclaimed the
child.
The old man pushed the boy aside
and picked up the gold.
''Is this all?" he asked.
Little Stenne nodded his head. His
father then took down his gun, and,
putting the money in his pocket, said:
II am going to return it to the CIV
ers."
Without another word, without even
a look behind, he went out and Joined
the troops who were marching past.
He was never seen again!-Alphonse
Dandnt