Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-12-20

advise him? The thought came to
him to seek his benefactoT, Jeanne de
Sicard, at the castle in Palifcat, but
he dared not do so. What would she
think of his decision? What re-
ception would she give him when he
had shown himself so 10th to keep the
position which she had provided for
him? He was revolving in his mind
many projects, trying to make up his
mind to one, when at the corner of the
Rue du Tour, at the angle of the Pal
ace Royale, he read a notice asking
for young men to fill the posts of
drummers in the national guards, then
forming.
At that time drummers were not, as
today, soldiers of the company, but
were youths from 13 to IS, who rode
at the head of the regiments, keeping
time for the marching.
Francois presented himself at the
city hall where he was enrolled on
the spot. clothed and equipped and be-
fore night his drum and drumsticks
were given him What then could worry
him? Only this-that our poor Fran
co.'s could not beat a single measure.
But that did not trouble him long
The young man began to practice on
the borders of the Riquet canal, and
learned so quickly, and so well that
a few months later on the 14th day
of July, the day of the first federation,
he was the centre Of admiration in the
whole city because of the way he beat
his drum at the head of the. company.
He had a fine, proud carriage in his
uniform Of blue cloth, embroidered in
red. his short waistcoat, his hat cock
ed jauntily on one side, with its great
| tricolored plume shading his face.
He was a handsome, shapely lad,
strong and well built his face was
| open and frank. his eyes flashed be-
meath their long dark lashes. splendid
mustache outlined his upper lip. The
crowd watching him flourishing his
| drumsticks. cried as with one voice,
oh the pretty little drummer"
Before the Boulingrin,-the prom
enade where the review was to take
| place. in the stands that had been
erected. Francois perceived. by the
! side Of her father. Jeanne de Sicard
her face suffused with bushes.
She had recognized him, but Francois
! had no time to note the effect which
! his transformation had produced up
on her. for the regiment passed at a
running step. so he had only a glimpse
| Of her, but il was a glimpse that he
always loved to recall. which he re-
membered later with real pleasure
| For days Francois thought of little
else. at night he dreamed of her and
when he led the march IL seemed to
him that his beautiful benefactor was
| still at the corner of the street to see
him pass. and to cry with the others
"Oh. the pretty little drummer"
But he did not see her again. and II
was all in vain that he looked around
and pulled himself up and tossed his
head to make his plume wave in the
wind II was very fine. but not AGAR
did he find Jeanne de Sicard watch
ing the review of the national guard.
Three years passed. The old order
of things no longer existed, the re
public replaced royalty. and Louis XIV
was beheaded by the blade of The
guillotine. A great many mobiles EN-
igrated. to return at the head of ar
mics against France. Francois haC
risen in the world, had become (
soldier Sent to the Rhine he haC
quickly won his galloons of sergeant
Of sub-lieutenant and OF captain
feat common and easy enough at tina
time. when our victorious armie
were commanded by beardless col
onels and by generals of 90 years.
One day Capt. Francois was recon
noitering at the head of detachment
when. encountering an Austrian con
voy. he ordered an attack upon tn
little column, and his soldiers, Draw
as lions. soon put to flight the white
waistcoats. who left their chief wound
ed upon the ground. What was tn
establishment Of Francois when, az
preaching. he recognized in the Aus
trian chief, the Marquis de Sicar,
his former lord. The marquis, Xix
so many others had emigrated an
taken up arms against the French
Francois making use of his privilege
made the marquis his prisoner on pa
role, then, instead of bringing him I
camp, he left him at a neighborin
farm. where all care was lavishe
/ upon him. When the marquis ha
recovered. Francois, thanks to his re
= lations with the commander-in-chie
obtained for his benefactor pardon an
| the permission to return to Toulouse
where his confiscated estates had nc
been sold. fortunately, and were r,
stored TO him by a special favor.
Reinstated in his castle at Palifica
the Marquis de Sicard sent for hi
daughter from Turin, where he ha
left her. Taking advantage of flu
Tough, Francois went to spend thre
months at CroiX-Daurade, where b
was received with open arms by MOI
2 sieur de Sicard.
! Thank the captain" said the ma
quis to his daughter-"it is to hil