Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-23

began to sail over the Seine and knock
houses and churches into kidding wood
the Mouse intended to do a little exploring
on his private account. and he acknowl-
edged with enthusiasm that IL would be
degenerate knight of leisure who should
fail to amass a pretty competency.
So the Mouse lay musing and eBsoking
in the warm September sun. one eye half
closed, but still fixed the yellow road
which crawled across the plain at his feet.
He was absolutely contented: he had tobac-
CO, sunshine-and fifty centimes in silver in
his pocket, to spend on food or drink. as
he chose. Once he thought Of the lion and
shuddered at the thought. Some day when
he had time he would find wey to poison
the creature, he hoped, and incidentally TO
rob the bird store.
AS he lay diverted by these pleasant
thoughts he became aware of a cloud of
dust on the road below. He watched ii; II
came nearer and nearer: he could sdistin-
guish the red trousers of French infantry:
a gun doomed from some distant bastion;
arcther. still more distant, answered the
signal. The Mouse sat up. He could see
that the dust cloud enveloped heavy NOV
Ing columns of troops moving slowly to-
ward the walls of Paris. At the Porte
Rouge drums were beating.
The Mouse rose, stretched. yawned and
siouched Off down the embankment TO the
street. AS he passed the bird store Yolette
and Hide came to the door gazing anxious
ly toward the Notifications.
The Mouse leered at them. removed his
cap. laying a dirty hand on his heart. AL
| ways the ladies' slave" he called across
the street. and shuffled on toward the Porte
Rouge.
At the gate he showed and elbowed his
| way through the increasing throng until
he reach I'd the pont-levis. The line sentfnels
drove him back again. but he managed to
crawl up to the grille and hang on to the
steel bars. Here he found himself in com
pany with two bosom friends, Bib la
Goutte and Mon Oncle.
"Mince," observed Bib. az column OF
dusty hussars galloped up to the draw
bridge and drew bride, they've seen UNI
comfortable things out yonder. those nus
sars. It's Ninoy's 18th Corps back from
Badinguete's fete champetre.'
Mon Oncle sneered and mimicked the Of
ficers commands as a close column OF in
fsntry came plodding through the gate
haggard. CHASTITY. beneath their coat of tan
and dust.
"Bigre"' observed Bib. under his breath
but the Mouse climbed up on the grille and
hurled insults at tine exhausted troops
'Malheur. ST ca fait pas gueler. On dirait
des chaouchs de Biribi, All, mince, or
prend des airs dejai Mort aux cretins! On
nest pus SUI rpave de Badniguet. tas dc
sergots,'
Then he spat upon the ground. shook his
| fist at the sky, shrugged and slouched out
of the crowd, followed closely by Bib la
Goutte and Mon Oncle.
The latter was somewhat puzzled at the
Mouse's sudden outburst and looked doubt.
fully at Bib.
The Mouse is capricious." he observed.
Mo- said Bib. scornfuly. THE Mouse
doesn't care, except that there's another
army corps in Paris now. and when the
hour comes to do a little pillaging these i'm.
beetle soldiers may annoy us
The Mouse remained mute, but as he
trudged over the glacs he cast a glance OF
horrible malignity al the battered sun.
scorched soldiers toling across the draw
bridge below
Then with a gesture he turned his back
closed his sightless eye. and sat down or
the grass. Bib regarded him i'm breathless
admiration. his lean Jaws working with
emotion.
What a general he would make" he
whispered to Mon Oncle.
Or what an assassin replied Mon OncIe
aloud. moppin2 his fat face.
The Mouse felt the compliment. but said
nothing. The drums beat continuously
down by the gate, the dun cries of the Off
GERS came up to them from below mingled
with the murmur of the throng al tho
pont-levis.
Bib, sitting on the grass, nodded drow-
silly in the hot sunshine. Mon Oncie
stretched his short, handy legs out under
an acacia bush and presently fell asleep
The Mouse, too, appeared TO slumber, ex-
cept when breeze moved the brim of his
cap and stray spot of sunlight glim-
mered on the iris of his sightless eye
ha