Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1914-08-06
CHAPTER


"hte-capped in the center ef the hub
bub. heard one more willingly than the
others for not only was Francois her
best loved, but also the story ne asked
for was the story she liked to TELL
Smiling the grandmother began.
You must know. my children. that it
was on day i'm the month of May. In
the year 1913, that he came. You,
Lucie, and YOU, Pierre, aud Marie
were not born, only Francois and
Tomas. Francois was the older-uot
quite three years old wbe mother had
gone to care for your Aunt Lucie. who
was in, and I kept the house for your
father IL was the year of the great
couscripton, when the emperor took
all the men to fight not only the
strong ones, but the boys, and the old
and infrm, If they might but drag
themselves at the tail of a regiment
SO the few men who We're not under
the flag We're sorely needed by their
families, for it was necessary, if the
women and children were not to
starve, that some should stay TO work
I'm the fields. Your father was of the
few who had escaped i'm our village Of
Vicques.
zone morning a man appeared in
the village and said that Napoleon
would pass this way within a few
hours
Outside I heard the neighbors cali
ing the same two words Napoleon
comes'-one called Sc TO another. II
the trumpet of the angel sounded the
end Of the world, they could not have
had more fear. Then your father
kissed me, and kneeled and held YOU,
Francois, and Tomas, I'm his arms, and
! saw tears but he was brave-but
yes. Courage. little mother he said,
for me and for the babies. Courage
And at chat your father. who was
my little lad once, you know, my dears,
had gone, and I stood with an ache
where my heart should have been, and
for a moment / was stupid and could
not think
CAS- 1 stood so. like a blow there was
q rush of galloping horses i'm a shower
of noise down the street, and my
heart stopped, for the horses drew up
mt this house. So that I was s,ill in
the middle of the floor when the door
opened.
ut opened. that door there, and
against the light I saw men crowding
i'm the entry. They wore uniforms Of
bright col0rs, and swords hung at their
sides, and on their heads were hats
with trimmings of gold. Then I saw
Nrar.H.H.HrH
he spoke i'm a kind voice half smiling
Madame he said viii you let us
use this room and this table for am
hour? You shall not be disturbed in
your work.
OF made my courtesy to these great
gentlemen as ] had been taught, and I
found myself saying quite easily to his
majesty the emperor as easily as if
talked TO Monsieur le Cure to whom
j was accustomed, that he was vel.
come; that I would serve him gladly
if he wished to command me- And
then I left them. ] went into the
kitchen and began to get dinner, but
was so dazed that ] could not seem
to make the soup as usual When
suddenly, I heard a child cry, and with
no thought then but of my babies,
flew to the door Of the great room and
stood looking, for I could not pass the
sentinel
Among the officers in their uni
forms there lay on the floor little Fran.
co.'s in his night-dress, and an the Of
dcers looked at him and laughed The
child, sleeping in the farther room
had walked at the voices and had
climbed down from his crib and tod
died out 10 see. The glitter of the uni
forms must have pleased him. ana as
they am bent over the papers on the
table he had pulled at the sword OF
one whom I afterWard knew TO De ehe
great Marshal Ney. He wore a darl
coat am heavy with gold lace, my chill
dren, and white pantaloouB and high
shining black boots, and across his
breast scarlet ribbon He sat mex
the emperor The marshal. turning
sharply at the tug, knocked the little
ono over. II was then Francois CRIED
ont
Napoleon himself who spoke as
.peered under the septinel's arm. He
shook his finger at his officer.
Marshal Marshal he cried 'arl
you not too quick 10 overthrow s,
young a soldier, so fun Of love fol
armsY
"The emperor seemed TO joke, fo
he laughed a little, yet there was
sound in bis voice as If some part wa
serious. He turned sharply TO thu
mayor What rs the child's nameY
"The mayor was our friend ant
knew the babies Francois Beaupre
eire' be answered tremblingly.
"The emperor gave a short nod
Make him kneel he said. Marshal
your sword
ut was still for a moment, and al
the officers stood up silent and thel
tbe emperor took the marshals swor'
and struck the babys shoulder a ligh
blow with the fat of IL.
Rise Chevalier Francois Beaupre
he said clearly, and in the pause IA