New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-13


y !. !.
"a %&Io Colonel Dunois and |, when his
mn ~ demeanor changed from one OF
CSk NAfM kindly old age to extreme lndlg-
NAMEh nation. We had paused idly in
ESvN n front Of a curio dealers shop win
N~@ATHN dow, where beneath struggling
NGH@M gaSiets, q tray exposed which
~ CN1N1 contained decorations and medals
and in the heart of it rested q cross
of the Legion of Honor sold by unappreciative
one. heard the Colonels and the hard rap OF
his stick on the stones and looked for the cause.
1t was apparent. Above the tray was a tacetious
sign. \ Few Baubes for Sale
Even as my eyes caught it the veteran had Whirled
toward the door and ! followed. He was leaning
over the and with appraised cane threatening
the curo dealer, who, with hands protecting uS head
from an imRendng blow was covering back AGAINST
the wall. The old soldier was eAhausting a remark
ably complete vocabulary of inVccrVc and demand
ing that the cross of the Legion be taken from the
window forthwith and sold to him.
Give 1t to me swine. he lhUudtred. Quick.
He threw the price demanded on the counter
proered change and staIked to the door lie turned
back if to heap final list of oblurgations on the
dealers head his white eyebrows drawn into fierce
scow and his white mustache and imperial qulVering
with anger and then, II recovering self possession
walked We got as far as the Rue BeauN Arts
before he said anything me, and there under the
light at the corner he faced me.
Bauble! Bauble! He called it baube.' he
storned shaking lean finger in my face. " You too
my right hm He got off light! Leopard
would have killed him for that
From what had heard OF that reckless member
Of the Captains Three l believed it possible
He calls it a bauble the that brave
men have paid for with their lives Men of all
natonalities American among them
have
He caught my look of inquiry and, abruptly thrust
ing his through mine started up the street
toward the Cafe du Price
II tell you of that gallant soul. Strange should
never have told You before how Captain Brownelle
came to be one of us.
ONCE in the corner of the cafe beneath the paint
ingS on the panels where impecunious art stu
dents long gone or arrived at fame had. with price
less treasures OF the brush, paid their bills he Gained
to a reminiscent vein and told of the American
Wanderer. Two angora cats and the fat proprieress
dOzed at the little counter in the outer room: so we
were alone. The noise of traffic in the narrow old
street had died away and a profound quiet was with
us as II he had brought 1t for the telling of the tale
into which he plunged without preliminary:
1t was at the beginning IF that disastrous war
with Germany, wherein. Smartng from the memory,
OF the Ill tated strife of previous years which had cost
US Alsace- Lorralne, we fought to draw. With its
history You familiar but with the story of
Captain Frederic BrOWnelle.
There was little of the officer iii his appearance
on the day FIRST met him outside of PoiSSv where
the armies of France and Germany We're massnp for
what was to be of the most terrific of modern
battles had been doing staff duty with General
Mortimer, and was sent with a war automobile IN -
little hamlet some fifty miles to the rear CARVING
dispatches which were OF considerable importan cf
l had reached the very outpost of the army when
the machine went wrong, and it took less than five
minutes to convince me that my chauffeur was hone,
ieSSIy ignorant OF ITS mechanism. He lifted the hood
and started all sorts of foolish investigations and
with each failure to get results my inp1tirn,e or
Another five minutes passed, and was beq;nnino -
cast about tor some man to send back To hcadoTar
tiers for fresh machine, when clean cut fellow, i, ,
privates uniform Joined the little proun hes;t.t4
moment, and attracted my attention
go If Monsieur L. Cdbitdiue will permit b So,
perhaps | can assist him. '