Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-26

| to a stake that Dad been set mp in the
village street, and Gaspard was bound
| to IT,
There, in the burning rays Of the
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 hand flask OF water and cup,
into which he poured some OF the
cool liquid, raising the flask high 80
that the water fell into the cup with
the sound that there is no forgetting.
Gaspard's eyes glared ut IL wolfshly,
but his lips and tongue were so swollen
that he could not utter sound.
'Private Meuaon, will you obey or
ders?" asked the sergeant
The poor scorched head nodded as
sent, and the month moved feebly; the
sergeant poured little OF the water
between Gaspard's lips, and he tried
to swallow it. Then, in q 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 10 q hut, where he
lay for week between life and death;
and when three Weeks had passed he
came again upon n parade, a hollow
checked, sunken>eSed wreck, hardly
able to stand.
Next day some Of the soldiers went,
as was their daily custom, to battle 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 O fort
just outside the village, and the gar
rison, 20 in all, bad rushed out to the
rescue; but they, too, were so far out
numbered that they could only show
bold front and retreat to their fortress
with the rescued Hen In their midst.
By the time they had reached their
mud fort they were almost surrounded
by ferocious horde, mad with the
lust for blood, and only one person at
time could pass In through the small
door to safety. The fort was pierced
for musketry above the line OF the
door, and those who were within fred
down into the black crowd, keeping
them somewhat at bay.
Still the enemy fred and advanced,
and Frenchmen fell sdead aud wound
ed, and those who we're able to stand
struggled among themselves to gain
access, until at last the inevitable re-
suit arrived, and the door was blocked.
Gaspard never looked at the door,
but faced the foe with q calm and res
olute courage that moved the sergeant,
who was near him, 70 admiration, so
that he cried out words of encourage
ment to him. Every time the foe
made rush he pOipted his rife, and
they fell back before the determined
looking soldier and fred at him in
stead. They were bad enough shots,
those dark-skinned warriors, aud yet
Gaspard was bleeding from half
dozen wounds when the sergeant
shouted to him, You've done your
share, mon bravel Run in"
Gaspard would pot move. but stood
there few PAGES in front Of the door
through which the last OF his comrades
were retreating until only he and the
sergeant were left.
'Now, Private Meudon, I'll cover
you," cried the sergeant.
~ wait for you, sergeant" and the
sergeant, seeing bow determined he
was, made rush aud got through the
door in safety.
Then Gaspard turned his head
toward the door, bat in that moment
the enemy rushed ih upon him with
yells Of triumph, and he was lost to
sight; only struggling mass of black
warriors was to be seen, hacking and
hewing at something in their midst
Just an hour later reinforcements
came from the village, and the Man
dingoes we're driven away with heavy
loss, and then they found what was
Gaspard.
The sergeant took mp rife from
the clinched hand Of dead native; he
knew 1t had belonged to Gaspard, and
he looked into the barrel. It was
bright and had not been fred: The
sergeant mused for moment.
"Ahl the poor Guspard Meudon,"
he said; che was aa imbecile, look
you, but he was also man and &
brave man"