The times., 1898-07-03
GASPARD, L'IMBECILE.


provided for man. Silvery, 1.-THE and
cleaning, the fish came into the boat,
only TO pant their little lives away, for
often the men were lucky, and 1t was as
much as they could do TO get in the nets
and clear them. So many lives enSed,
and yet no one gave them 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 its royal tints of
deepest. brightest blue and the lazy wind
would not lift the sails. 1t seemed
dreamy life TO Gaspard; the older hands
would tell the young ones tales of coun-
tries 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. Somet 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 mob away and close
his ears against them, will draw his soul
from out his body, so that he be what
men call dead
But when Winter came and the great
waves threatened to swallow up the lit
iIS IliAiISHtA-bOdlS, lHeTS Was HO ltiSdiC
for recounting stories while at sea, for
each one had to strive and heed for the
safety OF all, and to pray TO the saints
that they might be guided out of troub-
lous waters, and home again TO dear
Bizon Sometimes while in their midst
one of the fleet would stagger and dis
appear, and the white-crested waves
would surge and toss where ii had been,
and gallant comrades would be lost for
ever. All! II was sorrowful life in the
Winter-cold and wretched and full OF
hardships. Days there were when IT was
! too rough and dangerous TO venture out
| to sea at all, and then the tales Of Sum
mer would be repated at the firesides by
the graybeards, and those who listened
would SIT around open-mouthed, scarce
| ~ hearing the wind as II howled round the
cottage and carried the rain with such
force and swiftness that 1t dashed like
spent shot against the windows.
They were brave and generous race,
the fishers of Bizon, and courage was
born in every babe of them; through
generations they had battIed with the
sea, growing braver and harder, and so
the Government priced them, and always
some of the Bizon men were away in the
warships
And then a day came when Gaspard
had to leave home and kindred TO join the
Marine Depot, and all his dreams of mer-
power, were sunk in the sorrow of part
ing from all he held dear. II seemed 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 en-
| braced him heartily; they were all broth
ers in Bizon, and if some of them did
disagree at times they were always ready
10 make friends again at the very first
opportunity. 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 10 comfort
him.
Al the depot he found many who, Ike
himself were lonely. and so. each telling
the other of his troubles, they became
! friends, and eased their sorrow, and turn
ed their thoughts 10 the new life that
1 stretched before them. Gaspard 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 Dialmath, one OF the small flo
| tiha lying of Goree.
AT thar time France. wishing to ex-
/ tend her African dominions. and ready
to avail herself of any excuse for so do
ing, had threatened the Daniel or mon
arch of Gayor, who reigned over large
territory, the possession of which would
enable her TO connect St Louis and CO.
rec. f.,-- ..,,
Re-enforcements had been sent from
Algeria, native volunteers We're enlisted.
and $50 marines We're added to give solid
ity 10 the expedition. which was 10 start
III two parties, one from Goree and the
other from st. Louis.
The Senegal column. TO which the ma
rines were attached-and among them
Gaspard Meudoa-set out for Guadi e'e on
January 2 1861, whence 1t proceeded 10
'hYf Z f1,a !,
by fresh and briny lakes. and through
marshes. by welcome GASES. where sIen-
der 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 mists, striking
down many a brave fellow into his
grave; at night the raw fogs chilled to
the very marrow, while in the daytime
the blazing sun fired the air so that every
breath of II seemed void OF benefit and
every hour was difficult To live through.
AS the column advanced the Daniel Ma
codon retreated, and on January y the
French decided to march on Mekhev.
where was the kings palace. The Daniel
sent messengers asking for pardon, and
Offering terms, but they were sent back
TO him unanswered.
When the king says he Is willing TO
give us whatever we ask for" said Gas
pard 10 his comrade Francois Bearne.
why do we go on marching through this
terrible country, where we lose so many
of our brave fellows?''
Why. man. we have had no fighting
YETI! said Francois; I'VE should be
laughed at If we returned without de-
| feating the enemy
But what more can we gain by fight
ing than the king offers us freely?"
Pane, glory. honor. What else does
Frenehman ask for?' returned Fran
co.'s. and Gaspard marched on, ponder
ing over his comrades words
That night Francois was shiverin- vio-
lently. and when Gaspard lent him his
overcoat to add to his own ne soon threw
1T off. saying that he was on fire, and
yet soon again he shivered The fever
had seized upon him. and when the COL
umn marched back to Goree he was left
behind with the garrison at Mbro
But Commandant Saprade was not sat-
ished with this bloodless march upon
Mekhey, and so, on February 5. he lert
Goree with small ffotflla of four dis
patch ships cutter and other small yes
sells, and the marines. commanded by
Lieut.. Fallon, of the Dialmath. disem-
oarked Immediately on Sardinieri
Inc village was strongly held by the
natives, every mud hut was pierced for
the guns, and as the column advanced a
heavy fire was poured upon It. The
french commander sent on the native
volunteers first. then the Spahis, from AL
geria. to see that the volunteers did not
run away, and then, in reserve. came the
marines.
from every hut came flashes of light
and puffs of smoke which hardly floefed
away, but hung about on the still air
ana presently concealed the village and