El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-01
By Pierre Gautier.

-HE light had faded rapidly, for
= was late in the afternoon and
\ winter. It had been bad enough
ont on the plains. but here, deep IN the
forest of the Vosges, the darkness hung
ike a pail. Jean CaFa4 We a. 80
Fear had gripped him Garner IN -
6av when the triumphant gel mans
sv+ept into Metz driving al oeiOIS
them. That was why he was mere a ~
alonel II was the shouting onleus -
had made him run Tor the MoOus, 80
ming and gasping, and caillng on -
~ Snare his life. OF this wild retreat
he remembered little every INNS We
so confused. The rolling tnunGeI u
the artillery. the eTacE1l.ls .i1s+o71es az
they spat out the leaden nallstoIlss, ~ -
death. the thudding hoofs OF PURSUING
cavalry and the flying leglons u
france before the swoop Of the Ger
In us terror he had entered the for
est TOO FAR TO the south MI
court lay more to the northeast - ~
struck of in that oirectlon, 80 --.s15
- bfs native Mace with all the speed
ne could summon from has laoeo IlilloS-
Pines pines and pines! Every " lLeL
, lean looked the trees STOOD sun 60
| s6binx-Iike. until the gloom OF the Woo1es
I showed them only as soma
49, lean sobbed as the hooking
voices reverberated in the trees ar -
him and fear took him by the naAu
e16 ~oaded his shrinking BODY 20
stumbling run, until ne 1ounu
IN a clearing where a pond Iays
Z riecfine tbe skv upon the SURFACE o.
it. sfFil waters Here II was III
and Jeans spirits rose a niue TO-
With a grunt OF sa1l Ls,;aS CIV Of
[ fell asleep. He awoke VIZ Z iigbtiv
surprise. A hand was resting usnLis
mon his shoulder. and voice vas
/ calling him by name - aka
"Jean-Jean. Wake up on
..Marier' he cried Marie, -, =
I thought you dead, Jean. 80
{ blood upon your caesLs an q. c1ot4ed
I heret' Marie pointed the
/ patches out to jean -, Al
3 how we lost Marie. my cnllo. We ran
d like the wind; the Germans drove Us
and ike the autumn leave We
flew This way and that! Ana every
! where. blood And men ana tnlnss'
J that had once been men!
! Marie threw her arms about nm ello
cried her thanks to heaven that Jean
( had been spared to her she haa prey ~
I ed for him, and it seemed that her
J prayers had been heard
'sThe army, Jean-Where IS tne
Jean looked away, and, with a short
laugh pointed through the trees %
Z wards Metz. Then he swept ms an
round until his fingers lay IN the u
rection Of the Noges mountains
.aThere-and some there.
"0b got leave he said shortly;
and then: And how is my father,
any everyone know at Mirecourt!
your father is well. have oesn
with him every night. We talk OF the
var and of you. Let us 90. Jean,
z They viii be anxious Tor news Al
/ yesterday we could near me suns
/ booming on the frontler - 20
So together they walked back 10
NJ T fIS reached the Octroi house at the
| beginning of the village street, ana
/ the people ran from the gates ana
| clamored for the war news, Their sa-
I bofs rang out on the cObbles OF the
I vf1Ia e1e and brought others from their
houses. And Jean raised his voice and
~ .35Ts4z has TALENT he cried. The
I armies Of France are routed! W shall
/ nave the Prussians at the gates OF
Paris within week, uhiess the sOoN
1G T3bs si-S eommotion had fetched an old
I man ont into the street he stood Tor
a moment, shading MS eyes rom rom ne
! morning sun, which shone tnroQgn the
I sra gling streets IN a long smart OF
/ gold Jean saw him, and with a QUICK
I run. was by his side. saying hather
nv N Door boy. my Jeanr' was all the
| old nan could say and they hugged
/ each other and kissed oeIore the peO-
PIC OF sa -al5 Of French light cavalry
/ drew TO a halt. their uniforms amos Z
1 indistfn guishable for dust. eoIP4tt -
rode along up the coooIeQ Ioaus 800
! the troopers sat at attention on tneil
! old Pere Caval and Jean sat before
/ the fire talking On the table the re-
mains Of a hastily prepared meal
/ showed that Jean had been nearly
] famished- .t.
And so. my boy. you have smely
/ powder. and have heard the Whls SUE. u
/ the bullets? All, I wish I was youIlls5
I again. Il Is years since these 20
| bones and limbs OF mine fougnt Lot
/ France. But poor France! Ny neaLt
] bIeeds for her flying armies. Dld YOU
/ say they were encamped towards IL
Jeans cheeks Redeemed. and he low
l cred his eyes and stared into the glow
eyes. father, those that were LETT
1 after Metz retreated there. Ny req
| ment was cut up, so I got leave WIN
1T was good of them to spare YOU
Jean" the old man muttered II want
I'd TO see you; but you must go BACK
tonight. my boy. Every man is wanted
Tor the needs OF France in this SAD
| hour. The war VIII turn, my son. and