The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-06-04


glad or the lettuce, FOR had not his
father said yesterday that II was the
best ever grown, that he would wager
there vas none such In the village, mo-.
not even In the garden Of the chateau,
He filled his mothers basket so full
that he staggered, and climbed the
slope and made his way past h ruins
to the left around the lift OF lie Rose,
across the Pre- du Sac, on TO the new
chateau to the great paved courtyard
100 feet square, past the stables at he
left and on to the door. There a big
man. dressed beautifully in violet.
had refused to let him In, had even
refused to take his lettuce 70 the
seigneur, n the boy was about TO go
off grieved when a wonderful little
girl. also In beautiful clothes, but less
lovely than the violet ones, had APP
peared. Like a fairy she looked, he
thought. and like a fairy b had
changed everything, and now here he
was in the presence of the seigneur,
accepting thanks, looking about as
much as he might and yet be polite. at
the unknown sp~lendors OF a room In
the chateau itself.
General Gourgaud brought down his
fist on the table so that It ratified and
Francois s~tarted-but not Alike.
sabre de boisp' he threw at the
two children. you haye ruined my
morning between you. I meant TO fin
ish those cursed chapters this morn
ing. But let them wait. Having the
honor to receive a visit from an officer
OF high rank, the least / can do is to
entertain him. What amusement 10
you prefer. M'sieur the MARSHALL i am
at your service"
IT was natural to Francois to be-
lteve every one kindly he accepted
with simplicity. IL with slight surprise,
the generals speech.
Does the seigneur mean nf" he
asked.
But yet" the general shot at him.
IF the seigneur means it, Francois
went on promptly, Il know What I
"Parbleul you do?" General Gour-
gaud was surprised In turn at this
readiness. What thenf"
THE seigneur has fought battles UNI
der the great emperor himself?" the
boy asked I'm an awed tone.
Yes" came the abrupt answer
again.
Think" whispered the French boy.
I ave fought under the emperor"
And the old soldiers heart thrilled
suddenly. The child went on. 'If the
seigneur would tell me a story OF one
fight--of just one!"
'Ratisbon, Ratisbongr clamored
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, e~ncouragingly. Its real
ly true: he was right there" And she
went on. addressing the general. And
when that Is done, tell about Austen
litz and the soldiers drowning under
the ice. And when that is done tell
about Wawram and"
Halt" ordered the general. Il
have not a week to talk. But
wish" He settled himself into
hts deep chair and drew the little
gkrl closer; a dark curl caught ON
the rough cloth of his coat and lay
across his square shoulder; she held
his thumb tightly with n hand. The
boy stood erect in front OF them, his
knitted peasant cap In his hand, his
luminous ayes not stirring from the
generals face; outside the hot stiffness
lay over the park and over the wide
flelds-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-roofed stables
stood, the distant voices Of grooms; in
the dim room there was no sound.
zone lived In those days, my chill
dren," the abrupt strong voice broke
the quiet. war is terrible, but after
all n lfves-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 ven on again. "The Austrians
held Ratisbon and the bridge across the
Danube river. The emperor wished to
take the town and that bridge. Marshal
Lannes was ordered to do 1t. You see,
my children. the walls were very old
but filed with Austrian artillery, and
there was infantry on the parapets. An
old ditch lay under the wallis, a large
ditch, dry, but 20 feet high and so feet
wide. All the bottom Of Il was q
vegetable garden. To take that town
II was necessary to go down into that
ditch and climb up again to the walls,
and all the time one would be under
fire from the Austrians on the walls
do you understand that, children? Very
well Twice the marshal asked for 50
volunteers to take the ladders and
place them In the ditch. Twice 100 men
sprang forward, and 1t was necessary
to choose the 80. Twice they dashed
out carrying h ladders, from behind
the great stone barn which had covered
them. and each time the detail was
wiped out--50 men wiped out. 1t was
like that, my children, the fight at
Ratisbon." The brown curl lay un-
stirred against the dark coat; the
shining eyes Of the boy held, as It
fastened there, to the face of the story
teller. Into the silence came q choking
sigh.