Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-10-15
The
Dispatch
By
Maurice Level.

uUtHi lbf U&WEh HibAAAf las A'AA ~'f
his dogs, hts oxen were better than
anybody else'z and his fruit was often
served a. the table in Palais Eiysees.
Il VAS veil known that be vas
good 10 the poor and that he had al
ways been hard worker, II a
quarrel arose between too peasants
he Was always chosen arbitrator, and
no one ever thought Of criticising hts
TeTdict.
Every time ELECTION came near Ms
lr'onds would say; SO you are not
going 10 be a candidate this tine
eitberg You don't want 10 wear the
tricolored scarf and marry our child
rem"
40" Father Rabut would answer.
y am TOO old now. Wait until my
boz comes home. then you may elect
him and will feel more honOrea
than II I was elected myself
How he loved and Was proud q
that boyi His whole face beamed
when be spoke OF him, but be was
not proud without reason. for kaoui
had always been the first IN biz class
ever since be entered school and his
teacher had prophesied that he would
surely in time become great man.
Jngt nov he was serving his term
in cavalry regiment stationed ~
complegne. and the old man told
every one that he would surely come
home ~ least sergeant.
The Homecoming was al that the
old man thought Of now, and when
there was no one else 10 talk 20 about
the boy he would pour out the feel
sngs ~ bis heart 20 Tom, RaO1Hs
fayorlte pointer.
y can see Il IN your eyes, Tom
von feel lonesome. You arc longing
for your master and wonder when be
will come back. Well, I'll tell you
may be IN a year. And then you
Will be happy; think Of the lo,Is
walks IN the fields and I'll The gaD.e
that he will shoot. for there Il not
better shot in the whole depart
mont than your master, my boz.
when he got letter from kaoui
the whole village knew II An bOrT
sfterward, for he would walk through
the streets with the letter IN bis
hand and stop and show II 10 every
man be met.
And then he would ask some friend
10 read II aloud for the pleasure Of
listening 10 the treasured words once
more. until he at last knew II By
heart.
Months passed and the day drew
near when promotions were . De
announced. Father Rabut carried .
tape measure in his pocket, AMI
every day he cut OF a centimeter TO
have visible proof Of the time grow
ing shorter.
The boy had written him that II
he WAS made sergeant before being
fonorably discharged from The ser
vice he would send him a telegram,
and now old Father Rabut would De
watching for 4 messenger boy from
dawn till nightfaIl, or when he grew
too impatient he would go 70 he
telegraph Office and watch the instTu-
rents clicking of their mysteI .ots
messages.
One morning, Saturday. az Faith
or Rabut was chatting with friends
IN the market place, he saw the
towns only telegraph messenger COM
ing toward him Carrying the well
known blue envelope and his heart
began to beat.
Gould II be for him? Was his
RaouI really a sergeant now"
Yes. the messenger came 10 him
end asked him to sign the receipt. but
his hand trembled 50 that one Of
the others had to do II for him.
"Hurrahs" he shouted. He has
passed Ny boy Is a sergeant now"
What Is the matter?" he asked.
Don't you understand Raoul
wears the silver cheyrons now Ny
hoy is sergeant"
And still the group around him
kept on staring as II they thought
he was out OF his mind. This scared
him and his voice trembled as he
asked, What is t.? Tell me.
Everyone hesitated, but at last
someone said: But, Naitre Raoul.
didn't you read the telegram"
'Of course. did, be stammered.
Then he sat down and mumbled:
That Is. have mott cannot read
tell me, for Gods isake, tell me,
what has happened
Read 1t. read IT," cried Rabut.
A school boy passed By and the
old man caught him By the shoulder
and said: Read this TO me, my
boy. since nobody else will"
Your son died suddenly last
night"
The old man threw up his arms
end fell TO the ground like a log.
When they lifted him up be was
dead.
And thus. after his death. it be-
came known why Rabut. the most
respected and richest peasant of the
community. had never wanted to be
? candidate for mayor.
He had declined the honor because
he could not read