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

TO stake that had been set up in the
village street, and Gaspard was bound
TO IL.
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 so
that the water fell into the cup with
the sound that there is no forgetting.
Gaspard's eyes glared at it wolfshly,
but slips and tongue were so swollen
that he could not utter q sound.
Private Meudon, 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 moment,
his eyes frightened, and 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 to hut, where he
lay for week between life and death;
and when three weeks had passed he
came again upon parade, hollow.
checked, sunken.eyed 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 fort
just outside the village, and the gar
rison, 20 in all, had 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 men 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 fellsdead aud wound
ed, and those who were 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 calm and res.
olute courage that moved the sergeant,
who was near him, to admiration, so
that he cried out words of encourage
ment to him. Every time the foe
made a rush he pointed 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 a
dozen wounds when the sergeant
shouted to him, you've done your
share, mon brave! Run in."
Gaspard would not 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.
81 wait for you, sergeant" and the
sergeant, seeing how determined he
was, made rush and got through the
door in safety.
Then Gaspard turned his head
toward the door, but in that moment
the enemy rushed in upon him with
yels 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 were driven away with heavy
loss, and then they found what was
Gaspard.
The sergeant took up rifle from
the clinched hand Of dead native; he
knew it had belonged to Gaspard, and
he looked into the barrel. 1t was
bright aud had not been fired. The
sergeant unused for moment.
"Ah the poor Gaspard Meudon,"
he said; che was an imbecile, look
you, but he was also man and &
brave MANI