The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-29
AT THE GUNS POINT

30 small, indeed, that II 1t had mot bee
for her marvelously nice proportion
people would have called her a dwar
Anyhow, small though she was. ther
never beat drawer heart than the on
beneath the plain bodice Of Jeann
Dupree.
This fact her husband discovered on
day, to his everlasting shame, in
manner altogether startling and un
expected.
Philip Dupree had been a heav
Dragon, and maybe it was his grea
stature or his bombast flor he coul
bragg or his bright blue eyes, or posi-
bly, these taken altogether, had en-
deared him to Jeanne in the days gon
by.
1t was an amusing, yet withal pa
thetic sight In the early days Of theil
married life to see how much the tin!
woman made Of the great, Dragging, in
dolent soldier-great in everything ex
cept soul; yet with all his faults sh'
loved him even now.
Notwithstanding her diminutive size
the petite Jeanne" managed her home
to perfection; her brain had not stopped
growing with her body.
With their two children they lived In
house such as one often sees in the
towns and cities Of Normandy-high
and narrow, with fantastic gables and
a deep stone parapet running along
the roof; in fact, the house was old
fashioned but picturesque, but it prov
ed godsend to Jeanne. 1t was left
her by an old aunt with whom she
lived as child.
The ex-cavalryman was considered
fortunate to have secured two such
tasty dots" at one venture, but he on
ly looked on 1t as happy provision
OF providence to save him from work.
which he abhorred.
Great numbers of English tourists
had at last discovered Normandy, with
Its peaceful homesteads, it's fruits and
flowers and old-world inhabitants, so
that Jeanne found an easy way to make
a living by letting the lower and bet
ter part of her house.
This necessitated them being salts
fed with the top floor for themselves,
an arrangement which was the subject
of endless complaint from her lord and
master.
She argued that as he did nothing to
swell the exchequer, he had no reason
to complain, and" she continued COM
placently, "he ought to think of the
children; they must be clothed and ed
ucated; but he never did; even as ba-
bies they were always a nuisance and
in the way"
Still this selfish dragon was dear to
her. He was the father of the bold and
handsome Gilbert, eight years old to-
morrow, and the little fairy Louise, the
apple Of her eye. She blessed the good
Virgin she had still much to be thank
full for.
But there came day when his dis
content became open mutiny. HE
wouldn't stand 1t any longer. Con-
found the dodgers, what right had they
to live In a garnet when they could
have the best rooms in the house?"
Some such arrangement would have
suited the old bold warrior; there he
could have posed in all the glory Of an
white waistcoat (Jeanne's
handiwork), gorgeous necktie and
elegant stockings. He was never salts
fed; men who dislike honest work
never are.
That night Jeanne went to bed thor
oughly disguised with her lot in par
ticular, and the world in general.
In the middle of the night she awoke
with tickling sensation in her throat;
she smelt the smoke, and knew the
house must be on fire.
Rousing Philippe, she rushed out on
the landing, thinking only of her chill
dren. To her horror, she could not
open the door to their room; 1t was not
locked, but the house was very old,
and in some mysterious manner the
plastered wall had given out, and
strained and jammed the door.
She exerted all her puny strength to
burst 1t open, but without avail; she
called their names, but with the sleep
of healthy and happy childhood they
slept on regardless Of danger.
Shrieking in frenzy, Philippe, for
Gods sake come quickly" she rushed
back to her own room just in time to
see the braggart dragon basely de-
serting her at this moment of her
need.
He had already mounted a chair, and
with shaking hands was unfastening
he easement so as to make his escape
IN to the roof.
Almost speechless with his callous !
Indifference, the poor little woman !
paused for an instant-then rushed |
over and pulled the chair from under
lin.
The collapse was instantaneous.
Down he fell with crash and lay
slaring in paroxysm Of fear at the
ragile creature who had 80 effectually
topped his cowardly flight. She saw
n his eyes the madness of absolute
ear, and would fain have let him 60,
'ut in the room beyond lay her two
recious darlings. He must save them
his great strength could shatter that
DOR to splinters.
Quick as thought Jeanne darted
cross the room and took from the
able by the side of the bed revolver
,hich he had boastingly provided for
urglars, should and dare to cross his
threshold. Oh, he was brave man!
Very we'll" she said calmly, though
er heart was faint at her children's
eril, IF soldier of France can for
ct his honor and basely desert his
ost in time of danger, his wife shall
how him how to die.
UNLESS you try to save the children
Q will die together, and may Jesus
ave mercy on u.s."
This man had faced the fanatical
ordes of Algiers and fought CALAMITY
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