The Cairo bulletin., 1908-04-03
b, The
Dispatch
BY
Maurice Level.

/
village, was the question everybody
had asked himself for years, for sure
ly this honor was his by right.
His farms and vineyards We're the
finest for miles around, his horses
his dogs, his oxen were better than
anybody else's and his fruit was often
served at the table in Palais Elysees.
1t was well known that he Was
good to the poor and that he had al
ways been a hard worker. II =
quarrel arose between too peasants
he was always chosen arbitrator, ana
no one ever thought of critieisins his
verdict
Every time election came near his
friends would say. SO you are no
going to be candidate this time
either? You don't want to wear the
/ tricolored scarf and marry our child
REM"
No" Father Rabut would answer.
II am too old now Wait until my
boy comes home then YOU may elect
him and | will feel more houOge3
than If | was elected myself
How he loved and was proud Of
| that boy, His whole face beamed
| when he spoke of him, but he was
not proud without reason, for RaoH
had always been the first in his class
ever since he entered school and his
teacher had prophesied that he would
surely in time become a great man.
Just now he was serving his term
in a cavalry regiment stationed ut
Compiegne, and the old man tod
every one that he would surely come
home at least sergeant.
The Homecoming was all that the
old man thought Of now, and when
there was no one else to talk to about
the boy he would pour out the feel
ings at hts heart TO Tom, Raoul's
fayorife pointer
Il can see Ii in your eyes, Tom
you feel lonesome You are lougins
for your master and wonder when be
will come back, Well, III tell Da
may he in a year And then yoa
will be happy; think of the lcas
walks in the fields and all the game
that he will shoot, for there is not
better shot in the whole depart
ment than your master. my boy
When he got a letter from RaoW
the whole village knew it an horr
afterward, for he would walk through
the streets with the letter in his
hand and stop and show it to every
man he met.
And then he would ask some friend
to read it aloud for the pleasure OF
listening to the treasured words once
more. until he at last knew it by
heart.
Months passed and the day drew
near when promotions We're to be
announced. Father RABBIT carried 4
tape measure in his pocket, AMI
every day he cut of ccntimeter to
have a visible proof of the time grow
ins shorter
The boy had written him that II
he was made a sergeant before being
honorably discharged from the ser
vice he would send him a telegram
and now old Father Rabut would be
watching for a messenger boy from
dawn till nightfall, or when he grew
too impatient he would go to tie
telegraph office and watch the irstru-
rents clicking of their mysterious
messages
one morning, Saturday, as Faith
err 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 it be for him. Was his
Raoul really a sergeant uow2'
Yes. the messenger came to him
tnd asked him to sign the receipt, but
his hand treubleI 50 that one OF
the others had to DO it for him.
"Hurrah," 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 a sergeant"
And still the group around him
kept on staring as If they thought
he was out of his mind This scared
him and his voice trembled as he
asked, What is it? Tell me
Everyone hesitated. but at last
someone said: But, Maire Raoul,
didn't you read the telegram
"Of course. did he stammered,
Then he sat down and mumbei;
That is, have mott cannot read
tell me, for Gods sake, tell me,
what has happened
Read it, 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 log
When they lifted him up he 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.