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

II
OF them lay dead or desperately
wounded by the time the firing had
ceased. Gaspard was sick at heart as
he marched past those grooming or ST.
lent bodies; his comrades cheered and
laughed, but 1t had come home TO him
with appalling directness that he was
q murderer
As night approached the women
came from the country outside and
tried TO carry of the bodies of their
men, wailing out their death-chants
with an awful, piteous monotony that
depressed the most exuberant OF the
marines. Fascinated, yet Mortified,
Gaspard watched their 1.-the dark
forms as they tore their hair and flung
their arms above their heads in GEES
lures Of wild grief and wept over
their dead. One of the women, who
was crouched beside the bodyo nne
young warrior, turned upon Gaspard
as he passed and spat at him, uttering
words which from her manner Of de-
livefing them, seemed to be curses.
Gaspard looked Mt the woman; he
met the full gaze OF her eyes OF ha-
tired, OF savage agony and savage love,
and he flung down his rifle with O
clatter and marched on.
''Private Meudon, what means this?"
shouted Sergeant Croix. "Go, pick
up your rife"
II shall not use 1t again, sergeant.
Look at that woman!'
"What have the black cattle to do
with you? You have done your duty;
1t is enough. Pick up your rife"
Gaspard strobe on and never an
swered, and 80 the sergeant picked up
the rifle himself and reported Private
Meudon to the lieutenant, and the
culprit was sent for.
do You kaow what you deserve?"
asked Lieutenant WALTON, who was a
kindly man, although a severe disci-
plinarian, and who had no wish to be
severe with man who had fought his
first battle CALAMITY.
Gaspard was silent
Death Is the punishment, haz-
arded the lieutenant He had no exact
knowledge Of what the punishment
was for such unprecedented behavior.
Clearly, however, Gaspard had been
guilty Of disobr dience OF orders while
in an enemy's country.
Gaspard was unmoved. II was evil
dent to the officer that this man was
no coward, and to he tried to reason
with him.
''You must have had some motive
for throwing away your rifle. Come,
out with it, my ladl"
~ have killed men," The words
came out slowly reluctantly, and Lieu
tenant WALTON laughed outright at the
answer.
'And what do you suppose yonr
rifle was given to you, for? To light
fire with, eh?"
'They are murderedl Their wives
and children are broken-hearted.
know itr'
"You know nothing, you fooll
These black pigs do not value your
life SO much as you value your cigar.
II You hadn't killed them they'd have
killed you."
"rhen I would have died without
being murderer. In taking the lives
Of men / have lost my own soul"
"Pouf! I'll absolve you, mon en-
fantr
at is impossible, lieutenantp'
"What?"-the officer was angry at
the mans obstinacy now. "What?
Speak to your officer like that! Here,
sergeant, put this imbecile under ar
rest! We haven't any cells, but do
your best to make him feel what
fool he is"
The sergeant grinned intelligently
and marched the prisoner off to hut
and placed guard at the door. The
hut was filthy and the air foul, but
there Gaspard had to remain, thirsty
and restless and silent, until the guard
was relieved, and then he asked for
water.
"Sergeant's orders are that you are
to have none until you recover your
senses, comrade. Come, be man,"
was the sentinel's reply.
II am mani" Gaspard said proud
ly, and he waited without complaint
until morning, when the sergeant
fetched him and marched him to the
lieutenant.
swell, prisoner, are you going to
do your duty?" asked the officer.
II cannot kill" was the hoarse re-
ply, and the swollen tongue and tho
cracked purple lips told what agony of
thirst the man had endured
Very WE'LL" said the lieutenant,
edo with him as you suggest, SER
geant."
Prisoner Right about face!
March, cried the sergeant. and, Joined
by the guard at the door, they marched