The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-06-01


/ ne was cut OF. To the right, 10 the
left. in front. behind-they were there.
these men with guns who fred and ian
forward. and fred and ran forward
again.
The picture of the faraway hut on
the hillside. the women and the vine
yards came once more. and the man in
the tree bowed his head and wept.
It passed He looked again down the
hillside. Not alone on the trail. but in
many other places the figures moved
now
The man in the tree frightened the
strap which passed under his arms and
around the tree. He fitted the rife
stock to his shoulder and peered out
under the leaves. There was big fell
low with something red sewed to his
shirt sleeve. Probably an officer. S-r-r-rl
That must have gone too high. S-r-r-rl
just little to the left. S-r-r-rI That
went true. He's down Very busy was
the man in the tree.
Not too busy. however, to note the
approach of little squad Of men who
stopped and looked up into the trees
and now and then fred into the dense
foliage Of the branches
The man in the tree laid his rife
across his knees and reached
into the leaves above him. He brought
down gourd water bottle. held it to
his ear AID shook it. From the pocket |
Of his blue and white cotton blouse he !
dshed out a piece Of dry black bread. !
His meal ended. he threw the empty ,
yourd from him and began to count the
cartridge ciipS still remaining in his
nat.
"Uno, dos, tres, quatro. Christi"
Only 30 more shots, and then-why,
hen the war would be at an end for
he man in the tree 1t remained but
o die. Think you, good st. Jose, who
over the vineyard folk at home
leard that prayer or did the guns make
90 much noise?
On came the squad. The leader was
all and fair. He wore blue shirt with
hevrons on the sleeve and a stripe
Vhich had once been white down the
utter trousers seam. He was making
traight for the tree in which sat the
IAN with the rife.
At distance Of 100 feet the man in
be tree had brought the pick on the
nd Of his rife down so that its top Just
cached the space between the blue eyes
the man on foot His last shot should
2 fancy one.
Two Of the squad eyed a tree to the
ght, but the rest pressed on behind
leir leader.
"At the third step will fire. decid-
the man in the tree.
At the second step the officer halted.
thick bush with briars was in his
ay. he could see over it, and peered .
Irlously into the branches Of the tree. /;
II believe that's where he is" said
: "The shots seemed to come straight
ON this direction.
mo; it was farther to the left," :,
i'd man behind him. "That's the :,
e, that tree over there. :,
"Let's try a shot or two anyway" :,
Id second. "
"What senseless chatter" thought =
. man in the tree. i"
mo; it's waste of lead, said the :,
Icer. ''Dave was right. 1t must. have r.
IN the other ONE. Come oni' He !,
pped back from the bush and started y
ward the left.
As be moved off the. man in the tree
I'D hfm through the sights. He -
Z moved half dozen PAGES before -
rife sputtered. The tall fair man -
ched heavily forward. =
He was there, blasted coward 70 said :,
} of the squad. The others said moth -
. They were shooting. K
Why don't he drop-curse him o. - -
ttered soldier after score of shots =,
raked the branches. -
or answer they saw a rife slide
IN. strike branch and bound off to
ground. The strap was doing its
L. =,
NJ.
wo women sat dry eyed, heartbro- -
and comfCYtless. One was by win "a,
against which beat the cold rain of -
ob@. The skies wept for her. The az
n stared out over sun kissed vine -.
Is, where the leaves were yellow o
brown.
he win come no more" said the
Ayt Ell no viene mast" said the
r. meaning about the same.-Sew-
ord in Short Stories
Some Mexican stupidity.