El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-11
PAPILLON
By Jean Paul Desmoulins-O
General in the French ArmyD

w TE BROUGHT him with US from
M Sidi-bel-Abbes. and he was
w the worst looking mongreI
ever laid eyes on. He had the mead OF
a Jacket with long pointed ears that
were always moving, a tail like
corkscrew, with a long tuft of hair at
the end, and immensely long legs,
which were out of all proportion with
his body, but which enabled him TO
run with great speed. His FUR was
evidently inherited from several ances-
tors Of various breeds, from poodles
to settlers but his eyes were almost
human In their expression, sometimes
smiling. sometimes angry, sometimes
eoIdly observant, but always looking
straight into yours unflinchingly-
He was as well trained as any dog
in the circus Corporal Jambois, an
old veteran from the Crimean war, had
only to show him his empty hands,
when he had left anything on his bed
or in his tent, off Papillon would rush
and bring back. the missing article IN
a tv-inkline of an eye; whether it be
a pipe or handkerchief That dog
was a regular mind reader.
You should have seen him when we
returned from GoIeahI He was as
nroud as a drum major as he marched
four steps in front Of his master,
short stick, from the ends OF when
dangIed Venetian lanterns, tightly
clasped in his mouth.
The dog was the pet of the regiment,
especialIy after the terrible wound he
received in the battle Of Orleans, where
one OF the bursting shells shot OF MS
leg. We had no veterinary surgeon,
but the major, one Of his best 1r1enos,
amputated the leg above the wound,
and. after bandaging it properly, placed
him in the ambulance.
A month later Papillon was on his
feet again and among his old friends
once more The enthusiastic soldiers
decorated him with a tin Cross and
made a wooden leg which was fitted on
TO a stump of the mangled one. From
that day Papillon was so proud that
he hardly even wagged his tail unless
you saluted him properly when he
passed
On this day we were among the rear
guard. Our task was to keep off the
enemy, which pursued and harassed our
army as 1t retreated toward Switzer.
land. Having passed Pontaliers, our
battalion turned and took UP a po-
sition at Owe. to defend theN bridge
across the river We deployed in a
semi-circle, covering with our fire the
approach to the bridge under which
the swollen river was rushing. The
Prussians had already taken posses
sion of some of the houses, but had not
had time to occupy large massive
brick building close to the end Of the
bridge. We sent a detachment of men
to occupy it. They Immediately barri-
caded the doors and began to exchange
shots with the Pomeranian Chasseurs.
Suddenly there was a sound Of a fife
and drum corps and a shout OF hoo
rahs' towards the village The Off
GERS drove them into the fire with
shouts of -'Vorwaertsi Vorwaerts" But
as they drew near the house they
crumbled up before our fire and fled
in disorder.
Fifteen minutes later a fresh at
tempt was made This time they got
as far as the door. which their PIONEERS
in vain tried to break down with their
picks, before they were again driven
back in wild flight. After they had
left we noticed a box left in front Of
the door. Underneath it was smok-
ing fuse.
Mile millions de tonnerae de tous
les diables," I shouted. They are go
ing to blow them up"
With anxious eyes we watched the
blazing fuse, which grew shorter every
moment. Evidently the boys inside
could not get the Instructions away
from the door quickly enough. for an
officer appeared at a window and sig
nailed US desperately.
To try and get hold of that fuse in