The daily Alaskan., 1904-03-17
TIE METAL SOLDIER


small town near Paris. tired or having Che wooden figure standing before his shop hacked by gamins. concluded to replace it by a metal one. sIuce he was to make a change he might as wan get up something unique, so he vent to the city and employed a young or. student to design a figure for him. The artist ult upon a soldier lighting his pipe. The butt of his gun rested 1n thc sround. With one hand be held a match: with the other shaded the flame from the wind. only there was no flame. Then a happy thought struck Gaspard A tube was run from the pipe down through the statue and Into he sho1 The match was hollow and connected with tbe gas pipes. X moy- nblc plate covered with phosphorus was adiustad to the roueheued end of the match. By means of wire leading to he shop tine plate could be pulled and Che gas lighted Gaspard sucked rubber tube leading from Che pipe which would send forth clouds of to- bacca smoke. Then he would turn off the light from Che match
 When thc rrancorrussian War came on. Gasn8rds son, Pierre aged eighteen. became French soldier His old mother. who dotted ou him. begged hard for him to stay at home and wept bite Ger tears when he marched away.
 Then came the news that the Prus- slams were carrying cycylhiug before them and marching ou Paris. One evening just after dark old Gaspards door was Hma open. and Pierre rushed In. m, b'oedug evidently fleeing for u.s ule
 .I- he place occupied by our troopsf .No"
 "Tmn am lost"
 "Why soE
 "I volunteered to Turk uclr the en. cmv's advance posts 70 -a.n mform1. Uau for our general as to which route tL. would use was discovered and ru-uf In a few minutes they win le u.r.."
 "}E. eu hide you'
 aIt vorU Uc useless They win srr.. erery house in the town and burn every stick of timber n it to uncover u. My only hope was tlat pw troops were Here. and since they ar. uut ! sua1 he taken and hanged for spy mvo boon fired on and nm wounded. , cam 20 DO farther for loss .r l'a.i.
 N.mu.. tn. pw.rn 0ap0s.s cra- -.n- of a G..u uu'aIune.l ta W.uu bali Q mile O. tan town. whore tI.y were halted by t.r I.gu.cn- ar- in 0.ruul
 .T.. n... may ho occupied by tle rrr.." n. sad "Wo must ue car'- rr' mot t1 b. drawn 'n.oa trap. You. E.u. and you Iu.douZ. go for u.n I- y.u Hr. shot, we shall know t.H. Ono Frs.l are there. 1T they are not come lah and .et us know
 The two men pushed forward Co Che --av e.--. .r f.. t...n. N.r.-- am ouan space they could see old Gas1arl s s.r which was dmy lighted. as a-ui
 "Ia-E. E."l.uZ," whispered BG.teL .r'. r.e. Is oe.r.el.'
 "U.H q. y0u HWt
 "I can -.e tue figure Of a soldier"
 "Wl.reE
 "Iu.e u.lar, Chat little shop'
 'Ey ea-. You are right What shall WI. G.s"
 E.u-n and report ,he matter to the H.umHr
 H..E lay went and reported Chat Ue lr.ne. were In .ovn They had s..ra soldier on post before a shoD
 .Nu-.n-.." exclaimed the 'Ieu.on- n- .Il they were there taoy would ....r .0t a picket ora v.de..e
 u. ..lrr.I tle men t1 spread ham -..... Fl. -lers and move stealth. .g forward When .hay ewr .o Che r.o. where H.H.I baI discovered ,he ...'.- .E stopped. and .h.. 'ru' o"-H T.. was. standing he.arc oId G.-.. shop
 .uHrs ae JaueE qu.red .h. neu tenant.
 -IIts ou H.s." said Bul.I6uN. "r.- ..ns he's -uaulns tug man we're a't .r"
 "Yulra a faol or. rather. coward Yo1 wish mo to abandon the pursuit of uuc who G.uuu.-s holds mnaru. se er..s That fellow may mot ae a soI ler at aL Singular .hat Ie stands SD suI Come, vc arc wasting uma"
 Al that moment ,he figure n front Of the shop was d'my Illuminated by a tiny flame. and the pwss.aus cou.d plainly soc that the man was soldier with his gun resting on the ground and leaning against his shoulder The flame rose and feIl as Of one pulling on the p.ue and smoke was also visible.
 "Sacre" exclaimed tbc lieutenant "Uts a soldier. after an, and where there Is one there must be more. The French gre not fools to occupy town with one man. There must be at least a lattaHon-but they are very poor sol d.ars to leave no picket out here. We might capture thcm.'
 The officer decided to go back as fast