Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-07-29
GASPARD, L'IMBECILE.
BY JOHN lie BRETON

iitot tut iuil puIt VI ltl eyes OF ma
tired, of savage agony and savage love,
and he flung down his rife with
clatter and marched on.
'Prisate Meudon, whatmeans this?r
shonted Sergeant Croix. "Go, pick
up your rider'
Il shall not use II again, sergeant.
Look at that womanf'
"What have the black cattle TO do
with you? You have done your duty;
ii is enough. Pick up your rifief'
Gaspard~strode on aud never an
swered, aud so the sergeant picked up
] the rife himself aud rercrtel rli.ate
Meudon to the lieutenant, and the
culprit was sent for,
''Do you know vhat you deserveg'
asked Lieutenant vallon, who was a
kindly man, although severe disci-
plinatiHn, and who hal no wish to be
severe with man who had fought his
first battle gallantly,
Gaspard was silent
death is the punishment" haz-
arded the lieutenant. He had no exact
knowledge Of what the punishment
was for such unprecedented behavior
Clearly, however. Gaspard had been
guilty Of disob 5ienee Of orders while
in an enemy's country.
Gaspard was uumoved. Ii was evil
dent 10 the officer that this man was
no coward, aud to ho tried to reason
with him.
"You must have had some motive
for throwing away your rifle. Come,
out with il, my lad.'
II have killed men," The words
came out slowly, reluctantly, and Lieu
tenant Vallon laughed outright at the
answer.
"And what do you suppose yonr
rife wns given to you, forf To light
fire with, eh?"
They are murderedl Their wives
and childron are broken-hearted, /
know itp'
''You know nothing, you foofi
These black pigs do not value your
life SO much as yoa value your cigar.
If you hadn't killed them they'd have
killed you"
"rhen l would have died without
being murderer In taking the lives
of men 1 have lost my own soul"
''Poufl I'll absolse you, mon en-
fantr'
1T is impossible, lieuienanti''
"What2"--thc officer was angry at
the mans obstinacy now. ''What?
Speak to your officer like thatl Here,
sergeant, put this imbecile under ar.
restl We haven't any cells, but do
your best to make him feel what a
fool he is.
The sergeant grinned intelligently
aud marched the prisoner off TO hut
aud placed d guard at the door The
hut was filthy and the air foul, but
there Gaspard had to remain, thirsty
and restless and silent, until the guard
was relieved, and then he asked for
water.
''.Sergeant'r orders are that you are
to have none until you recover your
senses, comrade. Come, be man, +"
was the seatinel's reply.
81 am amant' Guspafd said proud
~, aud be waited without complaint
until morning, when the sergeant
fetched him AMI marched him to the
lieutenant.
| "Well, prisoner, are you going to
do your dutyf' asked the officer
II cannot kill, = was the hoarse re-
ply, aud the swollen tongre and the
cracked purple lips told what agony Of
thirst the man had endured.
every well, (" said the lieutenant,
"do with him as you suggest, ser
geant."
Prisoneri Right about facei
march," cried the sergear t. aud, Joined
by the guard at the door, they marched
to stake that had been set up In the
village street, and Gaspard was boand
to it.
There, in the burning rays OF tho
sun, half-crazed with the heat and the
longing for water, Gaspard remained
until late in the afternoon. Then the
sergeant approached him, bearing in
his haud flask of water and cup,
into which he poured some Of the
cool liquid, raising the flask high SO
that the water fell into the cup with
the sound that there is no forgetting.
Gaspard's eyes glared at it woltishly,
but his lips and tongue were so swollen
that he could not utter a sound.
Private Meudon, will you obey or
ders?h asked the sergeant.
4 The poor scorehed head nodded as,
seut and the mouth moved feebly; the
sergeant poured a little of the water
between Gaspard's lips, and he tried
TO swallow it. Then, in moment,
his eyes frightened, aud he opened
his mouth for more and swallowed il
and mumbled that he wanted still
more.
| So, having surrendered, he was cast
loose and carried TO hut, where be
lay for week between life and death;
aud when three weeks had passed he
came again upon a parade, hollow.
checked, sunken-eyed wreck, hardly
able TO stand.
Next day some OF the soldiers went,
as was their daily custom, to bathe in
the river, and while there they were sur.
prised by body Of Mandingoes, who
killed ten or twelve of them before
help could arrive. There was fort
just outside the village, aud the gar
rison, 20 in all. had rushed ont 20 the
rescue; but they, too, were SO far out
numbered that they could only show 4
bold front aud retreat TO their fortress
with the rescued men in their midst
By the time they had reached theiI
mud fort they we're almost surrounded
by ferocious horde, mad with til.
lust for blood, aud only one person a
time could pass in through the small
door to safety. The fort was pierced
for musketry above the line of thu
door, and those who were within free
down into the black crowd, keeping
them somewhat at bay.
Still the enemy fired and advanced
and Frenehmen fell dead aud wound