Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-09-16
me peserter.

SasqUes Gautier, the old farmer, was
| ting in his yard under the cid lin
dentree, waiting for his wife to call
him for dinner.
II was in 1870 and the winter bad
come unusually early.trhertall, heavy
hedges with snow and the broad mea-
| dows looked ike glaciers.
Daring his whole life the had been
hunntied only once, and that was this
SIMMER when the war with Prussia
broke ont. Then he rad hurried TO
town full of fight TO enlist as a volun-
teer, enlv 10 be told that France was
strong enough TO win without needing
tsie hs'p OF men Of his age. One cor SO.
'H's1" 80 hr', 'scwrver--h's son.
! Re1'e. iefs lcer erlerd To meet under
| 'ae 'rieeior anG the way in Which he
n@f;fd, from his boy, showed all the
| nohirsi t~aits Of his character.
| Tcdsv Jaeques Gautier was out Of
humor. His proud dreams had all
been destroyed. the eagles of France
had been trampled in the dust, it was
the Prusslan eagle that he'd conquered
and that was now drinking the heart
blood of France
Fe now heard the voice ofhis wife
dinner was ready. Jacques Gautier
stood up, bit before he went IN he
threw a glance toward the hills which
bid the Loire from view and drew
deep sigh. Oh, why was he not al
] lowed TO fight for his country over
there at the side of Rece.
aBut he did not fall in battle. He
seserted and they caught and shot
/ hiu y
"Impossible! No man could be such
a coward as TO desert now, when every
! man ought to put on a uniform II
save France. Who told you that silly
tale?'
at is no silly tale, Jacques, said
Jacques Petit, the carriage maker,
who was in the village yesterday, said
that Dornis was not the only one. They
are deserving by the score.
"The miserable towards and trait
orsp Gautier roared.
"Do not judge the poor boys too
harshly, Jacques. 1t must be a terrible
ife-they have no clothes, no shelter,
no food My heart is nearly breaking
when | tbiuk Of Rene. There is no
night that do not pray to the saints
to send him home unharmed-p
An angry look silenced her.
Creme he thundered, "Rene should
dare to run away instead of giving his
| life for his country. Listen t, what /
say-if Rene should desc and come
to this house | would Kill him with
my own hands,
They finished the meal in silence.
Then Marguerite Gautier stood up TO
clear the table, but as she did 50 She
gave piercing cry and stared in terror
at the door behind her husband.
"What is it, Margrite?n he asked
without turning around.
With an exclamation of impatience
Jacques Gautier turned arouBd-and
for second, me too, seemed petrified Il,
but. at last sound escaped his lips,
half cry of anguish half curse:
SRene'.
He made one step forward and then
stopped. Esther" he whispered,
''father---I-havec ome-I have come
home BECAUSE
| Jacques Gautier stood up slowly.
'sHow is it that you are here, while
your regiment is awaiting the signal
to &C into battle?''
! ~ krow, + IheT, that you c9nGeal.
me, but / could stand it o loAger, we
were freezing, starving and had hardly
a rag on our bodies while we We're sur
4, rounded by steel ring of bayonets, so
| and some others--because it was all
so hopeless, oh, SO terribly hopeless!
| Father, then we left The regiment
during the night. Oh, Father, you
must protect me. They are close be-
hind us; they nearly caught nae at
dawn, but l got away Within an
hour they will be here to search the
house. For Gods sake, father, hide
mep'
| He stretched his hauds towards his
| father and the tears ran down his emo
cisted cheeks. Jacques Gautier had
turned pale as ghost, his lips trem-
bled and terrible fire was burning in
his eyes. His wife tanned by years Of
tyranny, had until now remained IN
the back ground OF the room, but now
her mother love conquered herfear and
she made u step towards her son.
"If you daae 10 go near shim, you
will share his fate" he Murdered.
Then he turned towards bis son, loot
ed at him in silence for few seconds
| III IA a "A q htnky