Griggs courier., 1898-08-18
dAsPARD, L'lMBEcILE.
By JOHN Le BRETON.
\ h! THOSE were happy days when

A h! THOSE were happy days when
~ Gaspard Meudon was a fisher
man! From the peaceful village of
Bizon the fishing fleet sailed, to re-
turn loaded with the syoil of the sea
which the good God had 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 it was as much
as they could 60 to get in the nets and
clear them. So many lives ended. and
yet no one gave them a thought; the
fish are the fruit of the sea, to be gath
cred by the fishers, and they risk their
lives in reaping the harvest.
When summer came, and the sea,
like the skies, was Haunting it's royal
tints Of deepest, brightest blue, and
the lazy wind would not lift the sails,
It seemed dreamy life to Gaspard;
the older hands would tell the young
ones tales of countries 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.
But when winter came, and the great
waves threatened to swallow up the
little fisher boats, there was no leisure
for recounting stories while at sea,
for each one had to strive and heed
for the safety IF all, and to pray to the
saints that they might be guided out
of troublous waters, and home again
to dear Bizon. Sometimes, while in
their midst. one of the feet would
stagger and disappear, and the white
crested waves would surge and toss
where it had been, and gallant COM
rades would be lost forever. All! it
was a sorrowful life in the winter
cold and wretched, and full of hard
ships. Days there were when it was
too rough and dangerous to venture
out to sea at all, and then the tales of
summer would be repeated at the fire.
sides by the graybeards, and those who
listened would sit round. open
mouthed, scarcely hearing the wind
as it howled round the cottages and
carried the rain with such force and
swiftness that It dashed like spent shot
against the windows.
They were q brave and generous
race. the fishers of Bizon, and courage
was born in every babe of them;
through generations they had battled
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 day came when Gaspard
had to leave home and kindred to join
the Marine depot. and all his dreams
of mermaids, and foreign lands, and
wealth, and power were sunk in the
sorrow of parting from all he held
dear. 1t seemed to him that when he
left Bizon he would go from the world
into utter darkness. q.
At the depot he found many who,
like himself, were lonely, and so. each
telling the other of his troubles, they
became friends, and eased their sor-
row. and turned their thoughts to the
new life that stretched before them.
Gaspard was to join the marine SOL
diery, 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 flotilla ly-
Ing off Goree.
At that time France, wishing to ex-
tend her African dominions, and ready
to avail herself of any excuse for so
doing, had threatened the Daniel, or
monarch of Gayor, who reigned over
large territory, the possession of
which would enable her to connect St.
Louis and Goree.
Reenforcements had been sent from
Algeria, native volunteers were enlist
ed. and $50 marines were added to give
solidity to the expedition, which was
to start in two parties, one from Co
rec, and the other from ST. Louis.
The Senegal column, to which the
marines were attached-and among
them Gaspard Meudon-set out for
Gaudiole on January 2, 1861, whence it
proceeded to Benon-M'bro on the 9Th,
the road lying by fresh and briny
lakes, and through marshes, by well
come cases, where slender 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
takes rose pestilent fever-laden mists,
striking down many 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 it seemed
void of benefit, and every hour was diff
dcult to live through. AS the column
advanced the Daniel Macodon re-
treated, and on January 12 the French
decided to march on Mekhey, where
was the kings palace. The Daniel sent
messengers asking for pardon. and Of
fering 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 to his colnrade, Francois Bearne,
"w'hy do we go on marching through
this terrible country, where we lose SO
mary of our brave fellows?'
why, man, we have had no fighting
yet," said Francois; 1--WE should be
laughed at if we returned without de.
III