The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-30

send for all the village-have In the
servants-that will help me with my
writing"
Alike. ignoring sarcasm, had flown.
In . minute she was back and led
by the hand Francois.
"Ah!" the general greeted him
sternly. My friend. the Marshal!
You have already begun the attack
on my chateau. It seems?"
mo, my Seigneur." the boy an
swered gravely. mot yet. | bring
you some salade as a present. II Ii
from my mothers garden. | chose
the best
II thank you" said the general with
seriousness. II am not sure II your
mother will thank you equally. II Ii
a good present"
Francois was gratifed. La Claire
had this morning sent him to the gar
dens with wide margin OF time, and
the inspiration had come as he looked
down the cleaning row Of white let
tuce that he would take a tribute and
make the visit which the seigneur
had asked him to make. The selgneur
would be glad OF the lettuce, for had
not his father said yesterday that It
WAS the best ever grown, that he
would wager there was none such In
the village. no, not even In the gar.
den of the chateau. He filed his
mothers basket SO full that he stag
gered. and climbed the slope and
made his way past the ruins to the
left around the lift Of lie Rose. across
the Pre- du Sac. on to the new cha
teau to the great paved courtyard one
hundred feet square, past the stables
at the left and on to the door. There
big man, dressed beautifully in
violet. had refused to let him In. had
even refused to take his lettuce to
the seigneur. and the boy was about
TO go OF grieved when q wonderful
little girl. also In beautiful clothes,
but less lovely than the violet ones,
had appeared. Like fairy she
looked, he thought, and like q fairy
she had changed everything. and now
here he was " the presence Of the
seigneur, accepting thanks. looking
about as much as he might and yet
be polite. at the unknown splendors
Of room in the chateau itself.
General Gourgaud brought down his
fist on a table SO that 1t ratified and
Francois started-but not Alike.
Sabre de bois." he threw at the
two children. You have ruined my
morning between you. I meant to
finish those cursed chapters this
morning. But let them wait. Hav-
ing the honor to receive visit from
an oficer OF high rank, the least
can do Is to entertain him. What
amusement do you prefer. Msieur the
Marshal? am at your service"
II was natural to Francois to be-
lleve every one kindly: he accepted
with simplicity. II with slight sur.
prise. the generals speech.
Does the seigneur mean IT." ne
asked.
But yes.' the general shot at him.
If the seignour means it," Fran
coils went on promptly. II know what
wish"
"Parbleu! you do" General Gour.
gaud was surprised In turn at this
readiness. What then7"
THE seigneur has fought battles
under the great Emperor HIMSELF"
the boy asked in an awed tone.
Yes came the abrupt answer
again,
Think" whispered the French
Boy. ITO have fought under the En-.
peror." And the old soldiers heart
thrilled suddenly. The child went on.
III the seigneur would tell me a story
n Huh t,,c
"Ratisbon. Ratisbon!" ciamored
Alike. and she scrambled over the
arm of his chair to her fathers knee
and her hand went around his neck.
Tell about Ratisbon, and the ditch
and the ladders, father. It's true"
she nodded at Francois encouraging
ly. IT'S really true: he was right
there" And she went on, addressing
the general. And when that Is done,
tell about Austerlitz and the soldiers
drowning under the ice. And when
that Is done tell about Wagram
and"
Haiti" ordered the general. Il
have not q week to talk. But | will
tell about Ratisbon IL You wish He
settled himself into his deep chair and
drew the little girl closer; q dark curl
caught on the rough cloth of his coat
and lay across his square shoulder;
she held his thumb tightly with one
hand. The boy stood erect in front
OF them, his knitted peasant can in
his hand, his luminous eyes not stir
ring from the generals face outside
the hot stiffness lay over the park and
over the wide fields-where thousands
OF peoples stretched scarlet heads
higher than the wheat; one heard the
trampling Of horses In the paved
courtyard Of the castle where the red
rooted stables stood, the distant
voices Of grooms: in the dim room
there was no sound.
"One lived In those days. my chill.
dren." the abrupt strong voice broke
the quiet. War is terrible, but after
all one llves-if one is not killed at
once. 1t happened SO to many that
day OF Ratisbon; many were killed
that day" The deep voice stopped.
then went on again. The Austrians
held Ratisbon and the bridge across
the Darube river. The emperor wish.
ed to take the town and that bridge.
Marshal Lannes was ordered to do it.
You see, 10y children, the walls were
very old. but filed with Austrian artil.
lery. and there was infantry on the
parapets. An old ditch law under the
walls. large ditch, dry, but 20 feet
high and fifty feet wide. All the b.