The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-09-15
he saw
DREYFUS.

HESAW NTHEF0cHE uND KELLER, an Euor can mag
oaEnus. %. .,1. N"' w, wsro o o@ .... COOK o. ,, e the '''sos'ia'a
Our ship the Np,nermd STEAMSHIP AndaIusia, was anchored on Deyls
Island, April l. after visit to Cayenne, where ws were hailed from shore.
"oussuo ~ ask the captain for the loan or cook while te Andalu STA was
waiting fer freight The cook Of tile Hge garrison had broken hi arm,
1ay soId, and our cook was % teach one Of their men, 50 that he mi ght be
ao' to attend to the kitchen until another wassent by the commau der
The captain sent me to the island, and while busy in the little kitchen
tnstucdng soldier in the mysteries Of brohng lamb chops and cooking
pork, Ihad plenty Of opportunity 10 question Capt Dreyfus' gr uta The
awhile "He' was not So i'll treated as those iu the world seem % think:
che" is not confined; she" can 90 everywhere on the island. OF ,opp q two
men. are always at his heels "TIc' gets up between six and sew n In the
morning and his first breakfast consists OF cup Of chocolate. n the We attn
ars good "hc" goes for walk soon aftorward apd winds up his promen AIDE
by q bath.
"But are you not afraid lie might swim away or commit suIcldo?o i
asked.
"Not atauo said the soldiers, "Ur a rope IS fastened to both Of nr
wrists and the ends are in thehaads Of the guard. After the bath he take s
Ills second breaEtst-buttor Dread, eggs, ham ANA a bottle or beer Then
he go9s in for study. lie reads ana writes for several hous"'
"Wtat kind OF books has lie gm?" The soldiers looked at each other.
After awhile one Of them said: He is only allowed TO read tech meal works.
Bat he can write whatever be please. He's now writing aa account Of
oMust he show what be writaY2
no we reld only ae electors he desires to lave urwaiedg These are
sent to the commander in Cayenne"
"And dgs the commander send them of as received"
"No; they are copied and the originals are retained at c ayenae"
"What does he do be7ide reading and wrtug?"
"rwo weesa ago we received permission from the conn nadcr to play
After dlnncr-lo has always soup roast ann dcscrt-aboul two o'clock 10
the afternoon we always play bacclrat together"
"Wnat are the stakcs?H
The sodor laughed oHe has not COCA sou, and there A e probably not
three francs on the whole island We play I'd. shells The prisoner gets
Ihs supper at six IN the cvening-roast Or ham and q lue O. beer soon
aftcrward he goes to bed. Tie not allowed to have bght, yL know. Only
The guard 40 tile door keeps upo wood fire. lie sagbt the hours from seven
to ten are his worst lie cannot go to sleep before ta ocbr X and tile
guard s not allowed to answer and questions hb may pat Ia the daytime
we may talk to him, but only on The most ttnlng subjects, ths weather, his
health, etc oar own country Is not to be mentioned"
us he allowed TO smoker
aNoi thatis Itliak NOT pr the commander does not fuu sh him to-
baccn
MAY Ilaye some cigars for llm?H
The soldier did not answer Tempted my tobacco pouch and cigar
ease 90 the table Hope be got what LEFT for him. As was about To-
return to my ship su" amaar ploSci By tao soldiers approa, hing from
tie strand Dryfu! Heseened to have heard Of my presence and meas
.ured me with questioning looks. His Fps moved. but he did not peak, HeI
lisa mIddlc*zcd mar, cad Ycfous and Of q yellow complexion. Ills egsl
arc deep in their sockets. he walks With a stooD and his forehead IS b nTOw-I
led, Tie IS growing DID rapids, no Doubt
Drgfus whispered Win IBIS guard and when tile latter nodded : assent
walked up 70 quo and shook ms bY the hand aBrDg my good wII estO the
vide wodd he sad. ih voice qurcrlng uWi emotion Them e walked
slowly toward bis hut where Ac remained standing ~ the door. va wing btsf,
band as my baat dashed iatoth pillows Half az hour later We were on
tbo way home 10