Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-04-15
Take me--for the love Of God!"


Joseph stin hesif1ted.
Take me. It's for victory! It's for
France!"
TN ths absence OF orders 10 tho con-
trary," Joseph says, II did a the old
man requested. carried him fifteen
kilometers to the northeast. and there
left him ut the crossroads OF Mes
signy. which was well within our
lines"
There will be occasion to quote Jo-
seph again, little later on: but be-
tween the time at which he stops and
the time ut which he begins again
there Ii q hiatus OF several hours.
They were hours OF Iurid warfare
for the most part
Then there came . Iull. with q noise
and glare OF battle rolling OF to the
eastward like . retreating thunder
storm.
The allied army, In this part Of the
field, occupied the segment OF vast
amphitheater. where the hills sloped
gently down to wide valley.
The lull strangely deepensd. Some
thing was about to happen. The In
tuition, or telepathy, that sheds a COM
mon feeling through vast masses Of
men was at work. Nerves strained.
muscles quivered, lungs labored. and
every pair Of eyes that had that black
silhouette Of ridge against the red
background In range was staring In
that Observation-Disclosures for no
enc knew what.
Then q single figure appeared.
II appeared out there on the ridge.
all alone-a short, stout figure In 4
long cloak and bicorne hat, majestic,
calm--the figure Of Napoleoa. II had
come out Of the night. It had been
conjured up by the cannon.
The word spread, fAltering. yet
rapid. from post to post and trench to
trench.
Napoieoni
II came first from the noncommis-
stoned officers, the sergeants and the
corporals who were cheek by jowi
with their men, and who stared
through their binoculars. transflxed.
Then IL was seen that the higher OIL
GERS ware staring. too.
There were audible cries:
THE emperor"
SITS Napoleon!"
Hes come to lead us!"
The culver. the thrill. was contagi-
GUS. II spread from company to COM
pany, from regiment to regiment, from
corps to corps. II revivified hope.
giorified courage. gave an almost su-
perhuman sense of confidence and
power.
Then there was the rush OF an aerial
express train and shock Of binding
thunder. as the enemy resumed the
bombardment.
Over the ridge where the figure OF
the emperor had appeared there came
huge fash and rolling billow Of
smoke, then darkness. then the quaver
Of fame again. brighter than ever
where the weeds and brush had caught
fire.
He was still there!
There was . rolling cheer.
As he was before. he was now
leisurely. calm, commanding.
He turned to face the long French
lines. Then, while the shrapnel burst
overhead like rockets, and geysers OF
are disgorged where other shells
struck the ground, they saw him lift
his hand In . gesture that was both
salute and benediction- Again the
thunder-clouds Of smoke and Ere had
hidden him.
But the army was inspired. was
straining now In frenxied eagerness.
There came shrilling blast Of bugles
for miles and miles, an Infinite. food
ing roar Of cheers, and down the
slopes and out across the valley to-
ward the ridge, and ON. and on. and
on. corps after corps Of exalted hearts
and reaching bayonets.
The army that had seen Napoleon
was driving the enemy back from
Paris.
Let us take up the narrative Of 10
seph Dubois again.
I1c IUpOIk6 INV AC uAu LulOW6u inc
advance Of the allies almost to the
new outposts they had thrown out.
and how. while the army was still hurl-
Ing itself forward. he was constrained
to return to Paris with dispatches.
He came to the ridge Just beyond
the burning hamlet OF (name deleted
by the oensor) and there he found an
old man. dressed like Napoleon"
lying grievously wounded by the road.
1T was the same old man had car
ried forward In the night" says Jo-
seph. This time he was wearing q
bicorne hat and a long cloak: but,
from the silver plate on his neck.
knew him for my invalid. So asked
him II he wanted anything. and he
said:
81 desire--that my ashes-banks Of
the Seine-this French people I have
SO greatly loved
Il took him In my machine and car
ried him back to Paris. where we ar
rived at dawn"
Joseph doesn't mention II In his re-
pert. but various comrades OF the
Grenadier Mere-such as the Corporal