The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-10-09
THE CHILD SPY
us name was stenne; little stenne,

OF rams, pale and tnlns VINO might nave
been 10 years old, perhaps IS; one can
never tell the age of these children.
His mother was dead; his father, an old
soldier, patrolled a square in the
neighborhood of the Temple. Babies,
nurses, old women, all those helpless
persons who ran the risk of being
trampled on in the crowded streets,
knew Pere Stenne, and loved him, too.
They knew that that fierce mustache,
the terror Of dogs and pickpockets, con-
cealed lips that could smile, and that to
provoke that smile one had only to say:
"How is your little boy to-day?"
And how he loved that little boyi
How proud he was when in the evening
the little fellow came to join him and
the two made the rounds together,
greeting everyone they met
With the siege, everything was
changed. Pere Stenne's square was
closed to the public. He was com
PEELED to keep a constant lookout, with
out his pipe or his son. When bespoke
of the Prussians his mustache was a
sight to see. Little Stenne did not find
the new life so disagreeable, however
A siegel That meant fun for gamins.
No school, no duties; vacation all the
time, and the streets as lively as on
gala days. The boy stayed out of doors,
running about until night. He fol-
lowed the detachments of troops to
the Notifications, choosing those which
had good music; he was very particu-
L. hot ~ l.
watched them at their drill.
The most interesting of all. though,
were the games of chance the Breton
troops made popular at this time.
When little Stenne was not at the ram
parts or at the shops you would be
sure to find him watching a crowd play
garoche at the Place du Chateau d'Eau
He never played it; it took too much
money. He contented himself with
watching the others, and with such ex.
pressionl One in particular, great
fellow with blue coat, who staked
only 1oO-sou pieces, excited his admira.
ton
One day, as little Stenne was stoop-
ing down to pick up piece which had
rolled under his feet, the fellow said, in
low voice:
THAT makes you squirt, hey? Well
If you want me to, will tell you where
to get plenty of them"
The offer was accepted, and, leading
Stenne aside, he asked the boy to &c
with him to sell French newspapers &c
the Russians, adding that they could
make 30 francs a trip. Stenue indig
nantly refused, and for three days he
remained away from the place. Thre,
dreadful days: he could neither eat moi
sleep. At night he seemed to see tn.
| pile of galoches at the foot of his bed
and the 100-sou pieces cleaning in tn,
faint light. The temptation proved to,
strong. The fourth day he returned
to the gaming place, saw the big fel
low, and agreed to go with him.
They set out one snowy morning will
sacks on their shoulders, and the pa
pers hidden under their jackets. Whel
they reached the Flanders gate it wa
scarcely daylight. The large boy tool
little Sterne's hand, and, approaching
the guard, who had a red nose and {
kindly manner, he said, in a whining
tone: please let us pass, kind sir
Our mother is sick and our father il
dead. We are going to see if we car
find some potatoes in the field outside
Confusedly, as in a dream, littl
| Stenne saw the factories Transformed
into barracks, the tall chimneys, pierre
ing the fog, partially broken off. From
time to time they came upon sentinels
officers who were securing the horizon
with field glasses. and little tents, we
with snow, standing before dying fires
The large boy knew the way, and wen
across the fields, being careful to avoi,
the military outposts. Notwithstand
ing his precautions, they suddenl,
came upon a squad of riflemen. Tn
troops were partly hidden in a ditcl
which bordered the scissors railroad
This time they were not allowed t
pass so readily, though the large bo
told his story in the most pathetic man
ner. While he was weeping, an ole
white-haired sergeant came out of on
of the little tents and said:
Don't cry, little fellow; we will lie
you go to hunt for your potatoes. Blu
come in first and warm yourselves
bit; the little one looks frozen"
Alas! it was not the cold that mad
little Stenne SILVER so. 1t was fear an
shame. Inside the tent they found so
diers huddled together around littl
fire, baking biscuits on the points O
their bayonets. They made room 70
the children, and gave them a drop Q
their warm coffee; while they wer
drinking it an officer appeared at tn
door, called the sergeant and, after
few words with him in a low tone, wen
quickly away.
Boys" said the sergeant, on reer
tering, there will be fun tonight. W
have found out the Prussian counter
sign. believe at last we are to captur
that cursed Bourget."
Then followed an explosion of bravo
and shouts. The soldiers danced an
fiourished their bayonets. Taking ad
vantage of the tumult the boys slippe
away. On leaving the trench they sa,
before them plain. bordered one sid
by a long, white wall. defacsd by bul