The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-05-21
ARSmaRR Of neutrality-suspicious.
IfIE MARSHAL
ByMary Raymond Shipman Andrews
Ag1N@' The Perfect TzDUze. etc

Ito be done brought calmness.
"As I stood so, like a blow there was
a rush Of g%alloping horses in a a show
er OF noise down the street. n my
heart stopped, for the horses drew ur
at this house. So that I was still In
the middle Of the floor when the door
! opened .....
Francois hand was laid against her
cheek. THE door into the great entry
that door there?" he demanded In q
whisper. a = nix
"But yes, mon p'tit-that door"
Four pairs. Of round eyes followed
Francois gaze that turned to the panels
OF heavy oak. .- &@
1T opened, that door there, and
against the light / saw men crowding In
the entry. They wore uniforms OF bright
~colors, and swords hung at their sides,
and on their heads were hats with
trimming sof gold. Then ! saw-Na-
had never seen his face. though his
figure was perhaps the smallest. !
stood quietly. remembering only that
I must guard my sons children. and
he spoke. With a step toward me he
spoke in q kind voice, half smiling.
Madame he said. will you let US
use this room and this table for an
hour2 You shall not be disturbed in
your work."
The grandmother stopped and lifted
her hand. and her head was up as II
listening. "Tiensl / hear his voice
now!" she whispered, and the children
started, as If expecting to catch a note
OF the tones that hand sounded there
the tones that had carried across the
world. The story went On.
II made my courtesy to these great
gentlemen as I had been taught, and
II found myself saying quite easily to
his majesty the emperar, as easily as II
] talked to Monsieur lie Cure. to whom
/ was accustomed. that he was well
come; hat / would serve him gladly
IL he wished to command me. And
then / left them. There was that about
the great emperor which made one hap
py to be Of use to him. i did not I'M
derstand IL. but I felt II. as / had heard
the men talk about IL who had seen
him. My son was flying from him, he
was draining the land of u men, Of
our comfort and happiness. and yet
here l was, willing and glad to do the
least or the greatest thing for him. He
was more than a a Napoleon. As
I left the room. at h door / saw a
big soldier with an enormous fur shake
On his head and a saber in his hand.
who mounted guard. and there were at
each door and a window soldiers on
guard-think Of that. my children-our
peaceful house surrounded with grand
~ % \ SuAlo AlSAP ~ q ~
tie proud as I saw it. And before the
entry here a crowd Of huge horses
stamped and snorted, so full of spirit
that the srooms could scarcely hold
them. ! went quietly into the kitchen
and began, as in the ordinary way, to
get dinner. but I was SO dazed with
what was happening that I was not
make the soup as usual. When. sud
denly. / heard a child cry, and with
no thought then but Of my babies, I
flew to the door Of the great room and
stood LOOKING, for / could not pass the
sentinel.
Among the officers in their uniforms
there lay on the floor little Francois
IN his night dress. and all the officers
looked at him and laughed great
shout of laughing which drowned the
sound Of my coming. I knew later what
had happened. for the mayor of the
village was there with his lists and he
told me. The child. sleeping In the
farther room. had walked at the voices
and had climbed down from his crib
and toddled out to see. The glitter of
the uniforms must have pleased him,
and as they all bent over the papers
on the table he had pulled at the sword
OF one whom l afterward knew to be
the great Marshal Ney. He wore a
dark coat. all heavy with gold lace. my
children. and white pantaloons and
high shining black boots. and across
his breast a scarlet ribbon. He sat
next the emperor. The marshal. turn
ing sharply at the tuR, knocked the
little one over. II was then Francois
cried out. and / ran to him. But when
I reached the door q young general.
whose name l eve knew. had set the
child on his feet. and the others. some
standing about him, some sitting In
their chairs. which they pushed back
to see better, some leaning across the
table, all stared at him. without doubt
1t was a sight which they had not seen
lately. a baby in it's night dress and
without doubt IT seemed homelike to
some. However that may be, they were
laughing like schoolboys, and 1t was
Napoleon himself who spoke as / peered
under the sentinels arm. He shook his
finger at his officer.
Marshal, marshal he cried, are
you not too quick to overthrow SC
young a soldier, 80 full Of love for
arms2' 5
"And he put u his hand and pinched
the little ones ear which / have heard
was a sign OF good humor from the
emperor. The marshal laughed also
and the young general who had set the
child on his feet. spoke quickly.
your majesty he said, and he pat
ted the little head as he said It, Mon
sieur lie Marechal owes a reparation tc
this soldier Of the empire. Will not
your majesty order him to draw the
sword which is contested between them
and confer k~nighthood with It? 1t II
an ancient custom, the ~accolade, and
would settle the difference between these
gentlemen very pleasantly
And the officers laughed again moi.
silly al the general spoke OF the great
marshal and the little white -gowneC
baby as these gentlemen But Ma.
poleon drew his eyebrows together
yet he smiled.
mot the marshal he said. fbat
will do 1t. AS o say. general, tn,
accolade Is an old right OF kings, un
used for centuries, but mono the less {
right-held In allegiance. I am the mon
arch OF France-and his voice was lik,
the flash of a blade-T am the mon
arch Of France he said. and I mai
give nobility where / choose. For hi
courage shall knight this younl
~Frenchman; who knows but his liz,
may some time mean much to me O
my house2 There are queer twists II
the rope OF history throne might de
pend OF this lads spirit as well as OF
another's. The emperor seemed to Joke
for he laughed a little yet there was
sound In his voice as II some part wa
serious. He turned sharply to the may
or. What Is the child's Manner
The mayor was our friend and knew
the babies. Francois Beaupre, aire,' h
answered trembIingly.
NI 1900 -L = .LG.a