Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-11-08

III the pockets of his red trousers,
sh1vering under his sheepskin. Yield
ing himself up 20 his sombre reverie.
the soldier of defeat gazed with heart
broken eyes at the slopes, half-hid-
den in fog, whence rose every second
minute with sullen detonation the
white ball of smoke of Krupp gun.
Suddenly he discovered he was
hungry. Kneeling, he drew from his
haversack, lying against the wall near
by, big bunch of army bread having
lost his knife, he used his teeth, and
took bite. But a few mouthfuls
were enough; the bread was hard and
bitter; there would be no fresh supply
till tomorrow, if then. Allons! sold
iering was not all play. And, I'M
fortunately at this moment, suddenly
he was wildly reminded of what he
used to call his hygienic breakfasts,
when on the morning following a sup
per of heating nature, he used to
seat himself near a ground floor win
dow of the Cafe Anglais, and order,
mon Dieu! the lightest fare!-a chop,
an asparagus omelette-and when the
waiter, knowing his habits, cautious
ly uncorked a slim bottle of old Leo
vile, comfortably lying in its basket.
Fichtre de fichtre!
Good old days. He would never,
never get used to this pauper's fare.
And, in a moment of Impotence, the
young man tossed the rest of his
bread into the mud
At the same instant, soldier STEP
ped out of the tavern; STOPPING, he
picked up the bread, walked short
distance, wiped 1t on his sleeve, and
began devouring it greedily. Henri de
Hardimont, already ashamed of his
fastfdiousness, looked pityingly at the
poor devil who showed such. a good
appetite. He was a long, lank, i'll
built young fellow, with feverhollow-
ed eyes and hospital beard and so
thin that his shoulder-blades stood
out under the cloth of his worn ca
pote.
you are hungry, comrade?" said
Henri, drawing nearer, and regarding
the other curiously.
AS you see" returned the fellow,
with his mouth full, and in no wise
abashed.
Excuse me-. If / had known my
bread could have been of use to you,
would not have thrown it away"
said the duke.
There's no harm DONE" replied the
soldier. I'm not so particular"
"All the same" said the gentleman,
"it was stupid of me, and ! am sorry
for it. But you mustn't carry away
a bad opinion of me, and as l have
some good cognac in my flask, par
bleul Well drain it together"
The man had finished eating; the
duke and he drank swallow; the
acquaintance was an accomplished
fact.
"And your name?"
"Hardimont," replied the duke, sup
pressing title and particle. EFT toi?"
Jean Victor. I've only lately been
transferred to this company. I'm just
out of the ambulance. / was wounded
at Chatillon. All, | was well off at
the hospital. What good horse-meat
broth they give you there! But it was
only scratch; the major signed my
dismissal, and here ! ami The starv-
ing begins again For believe me if
you like, comrade, I've been hungry
all my born deys."
The speech startled the voluptuary
who had surprised himself moment
before, regretting the cuisine of the
Cafe Anglais. The duke gazed at his
companion in horror-stricken amaze
ment. The soldier smiled awkwardly,
showing his wolfish teeth, white in
the widst of his earthly face, and as If
he understood that confidence was
expected of him: "Tenez," he said,
suddenly ceasing to thee" and thou
his comrade guessing him to be rich
and fortuDate-'tenez, let us walk up
end down a bit to warm our feet, and
| will tell you things you probably
never heard before. Ny name is jean
-Jean-Victor, and nothing
further, for am founding. My only
happy memories are those of my earl
lett childhccd, in the Hcspice. The
sheets were white on our little beds
In the dormitory; we played under
big trees In the garden. and there was
one sister. quite young. an pale as a