The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-09-04

IR~ gNE of the most brilliant of Al
I'M 4 gerian autumnal days shone
RSTfsjlE5a over the great camp in the
| ssD south. The war was almost
at an end for the time. The Arabs
were defeated and driven desertward.
/ Hostilities irksome, harassing and an
1 noying, like all guerrilla warfare, would
4 long continue, but peace was virtually
established, and Zarai1a had been the
chief glory that had been added by the
campaign to the flag of imperial
France. The whole of the army of the
south was drawn up on the immense
level of the plateau to witness the
presentation of the cross of the Legion
of Honor to Cigarette.
1t was full noon. The sun shone
without a single cloud on the deep,
sparkling azure of the skies. The
troops stretched east and west, north
and south. formed up in three sides of
one vast massive square. The battaI
4 ions Of zouaves and Of Zephyrs, the
| brigade of Chasseurs d'Afrique, the
squadrons of spahis, the regiments of
tirailleurs and Turcos, the batteries
of flying artillery, were all massed
there. reassembled from the various
camps and stations of the southern
provinces TO do honor to the day, to do
honor in especial to one by whom the
glory of the tricolor had been saved
i unstained. ~
Mounted on her own little bright bay,
Etoile-F ilante. with tricolor ribbons
| flying from his bride and among the
glossy fringes of his name, the little
one rode among her spahis. A scarlet
cap was on her thick, silken curls, a
tricolor sash was knotted round her
waist. her wine barrel was slufig on
her left hip. her pistols thrust in her
|, belt and q light carbine held in her
hand, with the butt end resting on her
| foot. With the sun on her childlike.
brunette face, her eyes flashing like
brown diamonds in the light and her
marvellous craftsmanship. showing its
skill in hundred desinvoltures and
daring tricks, the little Friend Of the
Flag had come hither among her half
savage warriors, whose red robes sur
uCl llhGE d Sed vi IL uSY
loved her. these brutes, whose greed
| was like the tigers, whose hate was
like the devouring fame, and any who
should have harmed a single lock Of
her curling hair would have had the
| spears of the African Mussulmans bur-
led by the score in his body. Today
she was to her wild wolves of Africa
what Jeanne of Vancouleurs was to
her brethren of France, and today was
the crown of her young life France
had heard the story Of Zaraila From
the throne a message had been passed
to her. What was far beyond all else
to her. her own army of Africa had
crowned her and thanked her and
adored her as with one voice. and
wherever she passed the wild cheers
rang through the roar Of musketry as
through the silence Of sunny air. and
throughout the regiments every sword
would have sprung from its scabbard
in her defense had she but lifted her
hand and said one word Zaraila! r
There was not one in all those hosts
whose eyes did not turn on her with
gratitude and reverence and delightin
| her as their own.
Not one. except where her own keen.
rapid glance, farseeing as the hawks,
lighted on the squadrons of the Chas-
seufs d'Afrique and found among their
ranks one face. grave, weary. meClita-
tive. with haze that seemed looking
far away from the glittering scene to
a grave that lay unseen leagues beyond
the rocky ridge.
whole army was thinking Of her
and of her alone, and there was a void
in her heart, a thorn in her crown, be-
cause one among that mighty mass
one only-gave her presence little heed.
but thought rather of a lonely tomb
among the desolation Of the plains.
The trumpets sounded 1.-The salvos Of
artillery pealed out; the lanees and the
swords We're carried up in salute. On
to the ground rode the marshal Of
France. who represented the imperial
will and presence, surrounded by his
staff, by generals of division and bril-
Egade, by officers of rank and by some
few civilian riders. An aid galloped
up to her where she stood with the
corps of her spahis and gave her his.
orders. The little one nodded careless
" and touched Etoile- Filante with the
prick of the spur. Like Iii lightning the
animal bounded forth from the ranks,
rearing and plunging and sWerving
from side to side, while her rider, with
eyuuiSite grace and address lsnnts 8har
seat like the little semi-Arab that she
was.
As carelessly as though she reined up
before the cafe door of the AS du.
Piaue she arrested her horse before the
great marshag who wa IS the impeEson-
alton Of authorit and put Ell hand UP
In the salute, with her sauey award
laugh as ind fferently as she had ma nv
q time refined uI before 4 knot Of