Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-06-17

IOOSCuSC 0dSRdIu 0OurkduU was there.
yet 1 do not wish to ram Gaspard
down a readers throat. So
listen, you marmot, as an officer OF
rank, and as a literary critic, and say
t~ruthfully If you find 1t interesting"
squatted on a stool exactly
together n his elbows on them, his
chin In the hollow of his hands. His
" were glued on the generals face.
In a deep voice the general read. It
was an account Of that world tragedy,
the retreat from Moscow. First GANG
a INST or regiments and of officers, with
detailed accounts of early service in
pctn; 1T was exact, accurate. For five
minutes the general read this; then his
black eyebrows lifted and he glared
over the paper.
you find it Interesting? ' he demand
FRANCOIS. lips compressed, shook his
head firmly. mo, my Seigneur. Not
at all" And the generals gaze con-
centrated fiercely on the humble patch
or brown homespun. The boys great
eyes met his calmly.
Il agree with you," the general said.
ana sorted the papers yer and laid
some away. You are an uncommon
critic" he went on. you speak the
truth. 1t is what I want" Selecting
a sheet or two, he began to read again.
Over the frozen roads the worn
army still trudged: every form of mis-
cry trudged with them. Hunger was
there. and cold, and suffering of
wounds, and suffering Of lack of cloth
ing; more than this. there was the
constant dread of attack from flying
oands OF Cossacks. From time to time
ghtf explosions made one turn
ones head-it was the caissons explod-
e1 Dy order OF the emperor that they
nilshe no longer cucumber us. The
snow Tell: The low hanging sky a
NaqVV with MAN.
a wind cut to our i'll covered bones;
the road was sleety; the worn shoes of
the emaciated horses slipped on the
frozen ground; the soldiers their
shoulders to the wheels to help their
horses" 'AeN
Through the reverberating tones Of
the old soldier cut a child's sigh. The
Dusny eyebrows arched and a glance
snot over the paper at the tense small
figure. The voice went on.
Inc emperor marched on foot with
US. Staff in hand, wrapped in a large
loose cloak, a fdrred Russian cap on
ms mead, he walked in the midst of
ms household, encouraging with a
word, with a smile, every one Who
came near him. At night he slept often
IN a cae1n without doors or windows.
his rough bed screened with difficulty:
he shared III sorrows. our little cor.
poral, our emperor. He was pale. but
calm AS always, for his face never
showed his mind. Over frozen roads
OF Russia. strewn with the men and
a.olses VINO were Killed by fatigue and
famine. day after day Napoleon walked
with his army"
Inere was no sound now. u the gem
eral. glancing up again, met eyes SO
on ire that he was disconnected and
tost ms place. In a moment he had
There We're many adventures which
showed the souls Of men shining
through the nightmare of the hor.
rlole time. Many noble deeds were
cone zone. many heartbreaking ones.
to une me which rns was both happened
officer in the corps under prince
eugene, who had been my comrade
Wnen l was on the staff Of Lannes:
ms name was Zappi-the Marquis
zapPi. On the day after the dreadful
passing of the Beresina river. I sudden
~ felt my strength go-I could walk
no longer. The horrors of the day be-
fore had capped the lone stretch Of
pr1vation; like thousands of others. I
u drop out n die. I looked at
s siS ,p. at + OF snow by the trampled road
frozen bed, under the pitiless roof.
u lie down. A sick loathing seized
me. ana groaned and dragged my
neavy feet forward, to stay With nv
lrIends even a few steps more. And
49, oAAA was around me sud.
denly. and 1 heard Zappi's quiet voice.
Keep up your courage. comrade:
we are going to see our homes vet
he said I shall take care Of vo,
Look-and 1 looked, and he had a
sledge with fur robes on it. never
knew where he got it-from some de-
serted Russian home, I 10 He
put me on the sledge and q ma
IN the ftrs and gave me brandt from
ms llasK; FOR zappi had don a clever
th1ng. He had made a bargain with
some Jesuits near Polotsk, where he
mad camped for a while. that his men
should cut n beat the wheat neces-
sary on condition that he should have a
part OF the brandy for them. He had
Kept some of his share yet, and it saved
my life that day. the brandy of the
monks of Polotsk. o
s Zappi drew me. weak and
AMID S cared for me like a BABY,
paratiye strength. One would he
lieve that after such kindess + yvo,,id
giadiy given my life for NV friend. IN
stead OF that I fried to AXE his liifa"
Inc shock that caught the iittia
ngure down ON the stool arrested tLo
generars deep voice. He lowered the
paper and glared. 'B-1t wait. mons,e,r
the marshal: wait till Won hear ~
story; don't condemn a man unheard"
ne ln~terjected!. The reading went m.
(Contirn~A go. ---,