The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-04-20

wish to have a.better set Of bins to
pick from. Chambertin, Graves, Ali
cant, white wine and red, sparkling
and still, they lay in pyramids peeping
coyly out of the sawdust. Old Bouvet
stood with his candle, looking here and
peeping there, purring in his throat
like a cat before a milkpail. He had
picked upon a Burgundy at last, and
had his hand outstretched to the bot
tie, when there came q roar of mus
kerry from above US, a rush of feet, and
such yelping and a screaming as
have never listened to. The Prussians
were upon us.
Bouvet is brave man; will say that
for him. He flashed out his sword and
away he clattered up the stone steps,
his spurs clinking as he ran. followed
him, but just as we came out into the
kitchen passage a tremendous shout
told us that the house had been recap
tured.
1T is all over" l cried, grasping at
Bouvet's sleeve.
There is one more to die" he shout
ed, and away he went like a mailman
up the second stair. In effect should
have gone to my death also had I been
in his place, for he had done very wrong
in not throwing out his scouts to warn
him ii the Germans advanced upon him.
For an instant was about to rush up
with him, and then bethought myself
that after all had my own mission to
think of, and that if l We're taken the
important letter of the emperor would
be sacrificed. 1 let Bouvet die alone,
therefore, and I went down into the
cellar again, closing the door behind
me.
Well, it was not very rosy prospect
down there, either. Bouvet had
dropped the candle when the alarm
came, and /, paving about in the dark
ness, could find nothing but broken
bottles. At last I came upon the can
die, which had rolled under the curve of
cask, but try as would with my tin
der box could not light it. The reason
was that the wick had been wet in a
puddle of wine, so, suspecting that this
might be the case, cut the end off with
my sword. Then found that it light
ed easily enough. But what to do l
could not imagine. The scoundrels up
stairs were shouting themselves hoarse,
several hundred of them from the
sound, and it was clear that some OF
them would soon want to moisten their
threats. There would be an end Of a
dashing soldier, and of the mission and
of the medal. I thought of my mother
and thought of the emperor. It made
me weep to think that the one would
lose SO excellent son and the other
the best light cavalry officer he ever
had since La Sales time But present.
ly I dashed the tears from my eyes.
''Courage!" I cried, striking myself
upon the chest. Courage, my brave
boy! Is it possible that one who has
come safely from Moscow without SO
much as a frost bite will die in
French wine CELLAR" At the
thought l was up on my feet
and clutching at the letter in my tunic
for the crackle Of it gave me courage.
My first plan was to set fire to the
house, in the hope of escaping in the
confusion. My second to get into an
empty wine cask. I was looking round
to see i'll could find one, when sud
denly in the corner I espied. a little,
low door, painted of the same gray
color as the wall, so that it was only a
man with quick sight who would have
noticed it. I pushed against it and at
first ! imagined that it was locked.
Presently, however, it gave a little,
and then understood that it was held
by the pressure Of something upon the
other side. l put my feet against a
hogshead of wine and gave such push