The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-03-25

the bad habits of the African solder;
brave as bayonet, with cold, steel
blue eyes and rough red beard on his
tanned cheeks. When l entered the
regiment, Dry-Jean had just reenlist-
ed. He drew his pay and went on a
three days spree. He and two compan-
ions of the same kidney rolled through
the low quarters Of Algiers in a cab,
flying tricolor bearing the words:
1t won't last forever 1t did wind up
with knock-down fight at a Moor
ish woman's dive. She got kick that
did her up, Dry-Jean cut on the head
from tringlo that nearly finished him,
fortnight in the guardroom, and the
loss of his stripes-the second time he
had lost them.
"Of well-to-do parents and with some
education, he would have risen to be an
officer long before Il it had not been
for his conduct. Eighteen months later
he got his stripes back again, thanks
to the indulgence of the old African
captain who had seen him under fire
in Kabylie. Herupon our old captain
is promoted chief of battalion, and they
send us out a captain of rs, Corsican
named Gentili just out of school, a
cold ambitious, clever fellow, very ex-
acting, hard on his men, giving you
eight days for speck of rust on your
gun or button off your CATERS; more
over, never having served in Algeria,
not tolerating fantasia or the slightest
want of discipline. The two took a
hatred to each other from the first;
result, the guardroom for Dry-Jean
after every drinking bout. When the
captain, blackavised little fellow, as
stiff as bristle, with the mustaches of
an angry cat, flung his punishment at
Dry-Jean's head, adding, CURLY: 4
know you, my man, and I'll bring you
to order!' Dry-Jean answered never a
word and walked away quietly to do
pack-drill. But, all the same, the cap.
tain might have come off his high-horse
bit had he seen the rage that Redeemed
the sergeant's face as soon as he turned
his head and the hatred that flashed
through his terrible blue eyes.
"Hereupon the emperor declares war
against the Austrians, and we are
shipped off to Italy. But let me come
at once to the day before the battle OF
Melegnano-where left my arm, you
know. Our battalion was camped in a
little village, and before breaking the
ranks the captain had made us speech
rightly enough-to remind us that
we were in a friendly country, and that
the slightest injury done to the in.
habitants would be punished in an ex
emplary way. During the speech, Dry.
Jean, little shaky on his pins that
morning, and for the best of reasons
shrugged his shoulders slightly. Luck
lily the captain didn't see it.
AT midnight noise woke me. ]
sprang from my heap of straw into the
farmyard, and in the moonlight / saw
group of comrades and peasants
wrestling from the arms of Dry-Jean
| raging like lion,' handsome wench
| disheveled and balf-dressed, who was
calling loudly on the Madonna and al
the saints. I was Fastening to help
when Capt. Gentili arrived. With one
look-the little Corsican had a par
alyzing wayne cowed the terrified
sergeant; then reassuring the Lom
bard girl by few words in Italian, he
held up trembling finger before the
scoundrel and said:
dogs like you deserve to have thei
brains blown out; as soon as can Sc,
the colonel, you lose your stripes again
this time for good. There's to b.
fighting tomorrow; try to get killed
"Sure enough, at dawn the cannonad
awoke us. The column formed, ant
Dry-Jean-never had his cursed blu
eyes glittering more ominously--placet
himself beside me. The battalion move,
forward; we were to dislodge the whit
coats, who, with their cannon, occupied
Melegnano. Forward, march! At tn
second kilometer the Austrians' grape
shot cut down Is of our company's men
Then our officers, waiting for the or
der to charge, made us lie down in tn
grainfield, sharf-shooterwise; they re
manned standing naturally, and our cap
tain wasn't the least straight of tn
lot. Kneeling in the rye, we kept Of
firing at the battery, which lay within
range. Suddenly some one logged m
elbow. l turned and saw Dry-Jear
who was looking at me, the corner o
his lips raised leeringly, lifting hi
gun.
"'Do you see the captain? he said
nodhing in that direction.
eyes, what of it?' said I, glancin
at the officer, 20 PAGES off.
"'He was foolish to speak to me q
he did last night
with swift, precise gesture, h
shouldered his arm and fired. ] SAY
the captain-his body bent backward
his head thrown up, his hands beatin
the air for an instant-drop his swor
and fall heavily on his back.
'Murderer!' l cried, selling tn
sergeant's arm. But he struck me wit
the butt of his rifle, rolling me ovel
and exclaimed:
Fool! prove that did it,
81 rose in rage, just as all the SHARP
, shooters rose likewise. Our colone
bareheaded, on his smoking horse, poin
, Oh his Saher at the Austrian batter,