Evening star., 1902-08-09


many another man in that troubled age
poor Captain Stuppa (an Italian by blood.
though an Englishman by birth9 could find
nothing better to do in Paris than to teach
fencing at a small military school, where
he was so poorly paid that he often found
it hard work to keep himself alive at all.
The poor captains dinner that day con-
sisted of a very small allowance of coarse,
black bread, and, the evening being fine he
came back to his bench to eat it.
The scanty meal was more than half fin
fshed, when a queer chattering noise be-
side him made the exile hook up, and he
saw small gray monkey with a broken
cord trailing behind 1t, as if it had escaped
from being tied up), eyeing hungrily the
piece of bread in his hand. Every crurnb
was precious to the starving man. but.
having himself felt the gnawing of hunger
so often and so keenly, he could not resist
the mute pleading of those hollow, wistful
eyes.
There's none too much for one. nv
TREND, said he, but old soldier is
never too poor to share with a comrade.
Take that. and welcome"
And he threw a morsel of bread, and then
another, to the famished beast, which
snapped them up with ravenous eager
ness that told its own story.
When the captain rose to go, his new
friend made a movement as il to follow
him. Stuppa waved it impatientlv back
put the monkey stretched out one tinv
black paw appealingly, and looked wjsf
1uliy up in his face. The soldiers kind
heart melted at the supplicating gesture
ana at the sight of the bruises and sores
with which the poor beast was covered
and swinging 1t up on to his shoulder he
said cheerily: Come along, then, comrade
and we viii share whatever fortune # NAV
please God to send u.s."
Inc next day he was asked to dinner by
the father Of one of his pupils Is rars
thing indeed with the poor captain1. and
thus had few cents left to buy bread for
Jean-not Jacky-as he had named his
new pet. Nor this all. Seeing the
school servant about to throw aWay an old
blue uniform Jacket which one of the lads
had cast off, our hero begged 1t of him
and made from it, with the hardness of an
old soldier, complete French uniform for
mis- monkey, cap and ALL
This done, Stuppa began to teach tho
four-handed soldier to go through his drl
and to obey all the military words of com
mand, which Jacky picked up with won
derful quickness. This occupation and the
feeling of having something to protect and
care for so completely drew away the
captains attention from his own troubles
that he began to look quite different man
and Jacky himself having. at last found
some one to be good to him after being so
long starved and ill-used, was as happy as
the day is long.
Nor did the consequences of the good
fellows charity end even here The SOL
dier monkey, accompanying Capt. Stuppa
in all his walks, of course attracted a
great deal of attention in a town swarm
ing with the kings officers, many of whom
were quite rich enough to think nothing
OF giving half a dollar or even more. to
see Jacky go through his drill In fact
it happened more than once that the cap-
tain gained more in one day by exhibiting
his monkeys clever performance than he
could earn at the fencing school in a whole
week, and SO in this way things began to
go much better than before, both with the
master and the pupil
Now, toward the end of that summer it
befell that the military school where
Stuppa was employed was closed for a
whole day In honor of some great festival,
and the captain made up his mind to spend
this holiday in taking Jacky for a good
long walk in the country.
Off they set accordingly directly after
breakfast. Jacky looked quite gay In his
full uniform (of which he had now got to
be vastly proud, with the brightly painted
toy musket which he used in his per-
formances, and the captain, who had ac-
tuaIy saved up enough money by this
fine to buy himself a new suit of clothes,
booked quite as smart as his chum.
Away. away they went, out Of the city
and far beyond it, halting only for cup
OF milk and piece of bread at a little
roadside inn. Then on, on, on again, till
they were both covered with dust and much
warmer than was at all pleasant, and at
length, as the sun got higher and higher,
stuppa turned off along path that led
into the heart Of a great wood which SEEM
ed delightfully."- cool and shady after the
hot glaring, dusty high road.
Here the captain heated himself under
tree and took out some bread and cheese.
which he shared with his four-pawed com
rade who was perched beside him as usual.
Now, my ladv' cried Stuppa, as the meal
ended, here's good place for you to pa
rade and show that you haven't forgotten
your drill. Halt. Shoulder arms
And Jacky shouldered his tiny musket,
with quite the air Of veteran grenadier.
Now, Jacky, present arms for the king!
The monkey soldier at once obeyed the or
Now. my lad, present arms for the
queen.
Jacky did so, and his master was just
about to give him some fresh order, when
he was startled by a little tinkling laugh
just behind him, and, turning sharply
round, beheld richly dressed lady, with a
very sweet, though rather sad face, watch |
Ing the scene with an air of quiet amuse-
ment.
you have a well-trained recruit there,
monsieur said she, with a graceful bend |
Of her head, which Captain Stuppa an |
swered with bow, worthy any court in |
Europe.
and the monkey instantly made a military |
salute with which the strictest drill SER I
geant could not have found fault.
i see you have taught your .comrade'
as well as musket drill" went en- |
The unknown lady, smiling May I venture |
to ask who you are?"
An old soldier, madam" answered the |
captain, bowling again, with whom fortune |
has dealt somewhat hardly-yet not so |
hardly, thank God but what am able to |
lelp one more distressed than myself
And he stroked the monkey, which had |
perched itself on his shoulder again. "A |
clever little creature, upon my word said |
he lady. IF you are disposed to sell 1t, /
monsieur, can offer You a good price for |
l cannot consent to sell nay only friend, |
madam. replied the soldier somewhat stiff |
y, as II he felt hurt by the, suggestion"
but II ne be worth a la1ys acceptance
Tou are welcome to him as afree gift"
The lady looked fixedly at lrim at his last |
Nords, as II they had given her new idea !
'1 VINO and what he but before she |
lad any time to make anycreply, a group |
u flneiy dressed gentlemen leame trooping
,ut from among the trees, with swords by |
lands. Hf5sq
We ask your majestyts pardon" said the
oremost man, bowing iowa. '.for being SO
ate In rejoining YOU
Majesty" echoed the startled captain
rave L. then, the honofC'
" onering your pet monkey to the |
queen OF France" saic his new acauaint-
lnce' laughing pleasantly. Il accept the |
)Her, out as l cannot hear to part two