The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1899-07-13

word strangles me yet when 1 think of
tive were forced to surrender.
Two hours later they imprisoned us
in a farmhouse that the fires OF war
had spared. A Prussian field marshal,
followed by his chief Of staff, dis
mounted for a look at his prisoners.
His men showed in their eyes the
pleasure our capture gave them; but
their white uniforms, ~blackened with
powder and the marks of our saber
thrusts, showed the evil we had done
them.
The field marshal ordered the
wounded to be attended to, and, step
ping in front of my father, demanded
the flag. My father, whose hands we
saw were empty, declared he did not
know where 1t was. The field mar
shall turned to the officer of the post
and said:
Very well, If he does not remem-
Der by tomorrow morning, shoot
him."
When they had relieved us of our
arms I'M placed us under guard, my
father, who watched the sentinel from
the corner of his eye, told us that he
a hidden the flag; that, seeing the
day was going against us, he had torn
1T from its standard, wrenched the
eagle from its perch, flung it into a
ditch, while he had concealed the
precious silk, riddled with balls, under
his coat.
~
My father was a simple man, the
descendant of peasants, a son of the
soil; but in speaking to us of these
things the man seemed to expand and
become exalted with the words he ut
tered.
He told us this fragment of silk was
sacred, that the wind that swelled it's
folds was the breath of the nation,
and that it moved in the midst of us
on the march as the image of our
country.
Then he thrust it into my bosom,
not wishing it to be found on him
when he should be shot next day.
In the evening the Prussians sent
a flag of truce asking a suspension of
hostilities that each might bury its
dead, and asked one of our number to
act as guide to our lines. An old COM
rade, who knew the country well, Of
fered to conduct the officer, when it
was discovered that no one had a
bandage for the eyes of the bearer of
the flag of truce.
A sudden idea struck me. 1t was
running a great risk, but it was worth
the trial.
If you wish, I will bandage the
eyes of the officer with my handker-
chief" | said. l produced the flag, the
red and blue stripes of which I had
folded inside, leaving the white alone
visible.
My father instantly understood my
ruse and explained in patois to the
guide that he was to remove the
bandage, and while the preliminaries
were in progress deliver it safely into
the hands of our troops.
The lantern gave but a feeble light,
and no doubt, providence favored us,
for the thing passed, and the officer
mounted his horse and, with his eyes
bandaged, followed the lead of the
guide.
We could but accompany in thought
the enemy, who carried back himself
the flag within the lines of our own
army. The time passed. We heard
in the night the cathedral clock strike
the hours. At last we heard the SEN
tinel's challenge. The flag of truce had
returned. I rushed to the guide.
"The flag is saved!" l cried.
eyes, but we are lost" he answered.
In few words he explained that the
affair had succeeded, but that the Of
ficer had discovered too late the ruse,
and had returned furious. In fact, he
came accompanied by a superior Of
fcer, and pointed put to him the man
who had conducted the flag Of truce.
"Order out the platoon of execu-
tion," commanded the officer; "this
man shall be shot"
at was not he, captain? H 1 said, ad-
vancing in front of him; sit was l
alone who conceived the idea of this
thing"
Excuse me, officer" i~nterposed my
father. "The commander of a detach-
ment is responsible for the acts of
his men, is he not? I had given an
order; my men could only obey it."
What is your name?" the officer
demanded.
Sergeant Bigorne," answered my
father.
Very well, sergeant, you will be
shot Immediately"