Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-01-22
The Story Tfller.
HIS WORD OF HONOR.
FROM THE FRENCH OF JEAN DU REBRAc

He was only boy, not yet 16, but
they were going to shoot him, never
theless.
The band of insurgents to which be
belonged had been routed by the army
of Versailles, and, taken red-handed
with some 10 of his comrades, he had
been conducted to the Marie OF the
Eleventh ACCOMPLISHMENT.
Struck by his youthful appearance,
and also astonished at the boys cool
ness in this hour of extreme peril, the
commandant had ordered that the
fatal verdict should, so far as be was
concerned, be suspended for the mo-
ment, and that he should be kept a
prisoner until his companions had met
their fate at the neighboring barrl'
cade.
Apparently quite calm and resigned, :,
his great eyes and his face-the pale
face of Partisan child-showed neith-
er emotion nor anxiety. He seemed
to watch all that was passing around
him as though they held no concern
for him. He heard the sinister report
of the fusillade which hurled his COM
panions into eternity without moving
a muscle; his calm, fixed gaze seemed
to be looking into the great "After-
wards" which was soon to become
the "Present" to him also. Perhaps
he was thinking of his happy, careless
childhood-he had hardly outgrown
it; perhaps, of his relations and their
sorrow when they heard of the chain
of fatality which had made him father
less and had tossed him into the seeth-
ing turmoil of civil war, and now
demanded his life at the hands of
fellow-countrymen and, perhaps, he
wondered why such things were.
At the time war was declared and
he was living happily with his father
and mother, honest working folk who
had apprenticed him to a printer {;
politics never troubled that little
household.
1t was not long, however, before the
Prussians had slain the head OF the
family. The privations of the siege,
the long and weary waiting at the
butchers and bakers shops when the
scanty dole of food was distributed in
the rigor of that terrible winter, had
stretched his mother on the bed Of
suffering, where she lay slowly dying.
One day when he had gone with
others to dig for potatoes in the frost
bound plain of St. Denis, Prussian
bullet broke his shoulder, and after
ward, driven partly by hunger, partly
by fear of his companions threats,
he had enrolled himself in the army
of the Commune. Like many anoth-
er, fear and fear only had led him into
and kept him in the ranks; he had no
heart for war of brothers, and now
that his life was about to pay the pen
atty he was glad that he could lay no
mans death to his charge. He was
innocent of that, at any rate.
The things he had seen and suffered
during the last few months had given
him a dread of life. He hated to
think of leaving his mother in this ter
rihle world-his mother whom he
loved so dearly, who had always been
so inexpressibly good to him but he
comforted himself with the thought
that before long she would come, too
she could not have much more suf-
fering to undergo, she was so weak
when he last saw her, four days ago.
kiss me again, dear-again," she
had said, "for I feel that I may never
see you more"
"Ah," he thought, sadly, if they
would only trust him-would give
him only one hour of liberty-how he
would run to her and then come back
and give himself up to the hand that
hungered for his life. He would give
his word, and he would keepit. Why
not? Save his mother-and she, too.
was dying-he had no one to regret.
To see her again, to kiss her dear lips
once more, console, encourage her,
and leave her hopeful-then he could
face death bravely."
He was in the midst of these sad
reflections when the commandent fol-
lowed by several officers, approached
him.
"Now, my fine fellow, you and l
have score to settle; you know what
awaits you ?"
ayes, mon commandant, I am
ready"
"Really? So ready as all that ?
You are not afraid of death ?"
"Less than of life. I have seen so
much the last six months-such awful
things-death seems better than such
a life"
81 wager you would not hesitate if
I gave you your choice. If | said,
Put your best foot foremost and show
me how soon you can be out of sight,
YOU would soon be off. I'll warrant" "
"Try me, mon commandant, try me
Put me to the proof; it's worth trial.
One more or less for your men to
shoot, what does it matter? One hour
of freedom only, not more; you shall
see whether will keep my word, and
whether I am afraid to die"
"Oh! da! you're no fool, but you
.,,,ot ,,l,o MN Gov ona Opna frae and