Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-02-05
THE FLIGHT OF
THE SWALLOWS
BY S. RHETT ROMAN.

| ward, in twos, or threes, or slngly, hac
been watched with an idle interest by
sad-faced soldier wearing the Khaki
uniform Of Uncle Sans army, his red
stripes denoting he was in the artil.
lery service, as did also the high walls
of Fort Getty, before whose postern
gate he was pacing, as sentry, up and
down.
Fort Getty, a splendid earthwork
fertilization, armed with the most i'm
proved modern guns, planned and
built TO defend a broad harbor, and
located to overlook a bend in the chan
line of jetties into deep rushing cur
rent, up to the sea trent of a pictur-
esque, sturdy old town, looks serene
and peaceful, these September days,
while the swallows 60 noiselessly by,
fleeing from the approaching chill
frosts of autumn, and the Atlantic
gales which rush down the coast, when
summer closes its page Of gay pleas
ures and idle saunterings.
The sentry, slight erect and with
rather a foreign air, who was sta
toned before the postern gate, kept
looking upward, his gaze following the
swallows, all going in the same direc-
/ tion-southwapd
Until recently this man, who was an
accomplished musician, had been the
| principal soloist Of the Field band,
/ whose reputation was we'll known
everywhere.
His name on the rolls was Gustayus |
Berret But somebody said his real |
name was Gustave Berriet and that he /
came from New Orleans, and somehow, |
while he denied lhe story, everyone be-
lieved it,
II was very evident that his had
been a superior education, for he would
occasionally quote Latin, or the class
ics, and he spoke French fuently, in
fact, better than English.
And he would recall incidents of the
time when he was a .lignard" in the
"quarante troiseme de ligne" Of the
French army.
His hair, now slightly gray, had been
black and his brown eyes and rather
dark skin denoted a Latin origin.
But he declared himself an American,
born in this country and after all it !
was uobody's businessif Gustayus Ber-
ret declined TO discuss his antecedents
with the fellows at mess and held him
self aloof from Jim Grady and John
Conner, who was from Chicago, and
declined TO talk Of his affairs.
When Gustavus Berret declared he
would no longer play the clarionette !
in the Field band, there was great !
clamor at the port, and loud protests I
and the commander Of Fort Getty was I
appealed to. a
But, as it is sptional with a man to a
serve in the band or to go back to the b
ranks il he so desires, according to
The rules Of the United States army, e.
nothing more than a remonstrance was II
attempted
Gustayus Berret seemed determined a
10 forego the pleasures and privileges
attached to the position Of a member Of Q
the distinguished Seventh Artillery h
Field band, and to prefer the more
arduous and monotonous life Of a plain
private, in L company. T
What were his reasons? Well. that, .
too, was exclusively his own business, h
nor did he take the trouble to diyulge
hem to anyone. q
The band had been engaged to give q
in the beautiful dancing pa- \
7illion Of the Isle Of Palms, three times
! week, an summer, and its well trained +,
20 musicians filed the immense hall | Il
With very delightful music to which h
hrongs Of strangers, drawn from all
parts Of the country, listened with
more orless appreciation, according to :,
heir lights and familiarity with :
Beethoven, Bach, Mascagni, Chopin. \
strauss and others. and their previous
'esidenee in city or village.
For the Isle Of Palms IS freauented | u
" the usual pot-pourri Of summer !,
ourists, drawn thither by the entranc- :,
ne sweep Of the Atlantic breezes. the :,
hunder Of the surf on its long, low
each; by its picturesque and broken =,
and hills, its myrtles, and storm I,
Ilown oak groves, and the usual pleas u
Tres TO be found at an seaside summer
escorts,
There was a man from Boston who ="
7anted to bring down his auto. and
isk the neck ofavery handsome young y
Soman, on the beach, and along the :.
ueer, winding roads. running through
tangled tropical growth the length
T this ocean-girt island. and another "
rom New York, whose yacht was rid =
lg at anchor in the bay, and who was y
qually solcitous to take her and her p
ray-eyed sister aboard for a cruise
own the coast, and there were quite "
number Of local talent" attachedto "
he party. chaper1ned by a CAV and "
retty widow. Mrs Chatworth. o.
They were in the habit Of saunterfng r.
] the big pavilion to listen TO the pl
'ncerts, and being conspicuous |
rom many agreeable standpoints.
God looks. wealth and fashion