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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1914)
THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE i' r ' " " , i Wk Ate! -J ATI iT""Cw'FI 4 I I il Uf- v P. V m l!0 e-ilARYEffiMOro SiHPMAN ANDREWS w M 71 flUlMmfJMji&f??xivZ. ILLUSTRATrON3 g" rLLSVDRTfi YOXJN&- QOfr?GHT V2. BY 30B&3 tIEfiMLL CO. SYNOPSIS. T'rawolH Hanupre, n pennant babe, of three year, after an titmifdnK Incident In which Marnhal Ney figures. In mmlo a Chevalier of France by the Kmperor Nn lMjlcoii, In the hotii'j of the lad'n parents in Hut village of Whiles, Franco, where tlv (inperor hud briefly nlopped to hold u louiult uf war. Napoleon propbenled thitt the boy i?ght one day be a innrahnl of I''niiK'0 f."lder another JlonnpHrte. At the iifjr of .n Francois moota a Btraiiner who li nstrrtilnhod wlien the boy tella him of M ntnhition. Krancola vlslta General IJ.ron OaHpnrd Gnurjraud, who with Allvp bin rrven-year-old daughter, liven nt the Chateau. A soldier of the Umpire under Napoleon hu llre the boy'a Imag ination with Btorlen of Ills campalKtm CHAPTER V Continued. "TIena! Wo will play aguln for an other bottle," ho uunouncod with a bit of awngger. lie was conscious bf a rlqht to upend silver In treating hi friends, with that fat purso In his pocket. "No," Bpok9 tlio Btrangcr--DuplossIs, 1m hnd said his name was. "No. I havo drunk enough. However, If you fool eeiiflltlve at taking the sinnll Bum of money at my hnnds It Is a good came Ii rams lot us play for tho franc which tho bottlo would cost. Eh bienf" Agnln they played, this time doub ling the amount, and again Francois gained, and again and again, till he felt ashamed In carrying away all this monoy of a now acquaintance, and at tho samo tlmo n cock-suronosB that bo lucky a dovll as Beaupro might well loso a little and stop at tho right mount. Tho excitement of cards and oxcltemont of wine mot In a heady mix ture; Duplessls drank little, though Francois urged It on him. Tho luck be gun to change; now and then' tho stranger won, now and than Beaupro, vut moro often now tho BtraiiKer. till at length Fr?ncols was playing not with tho tjcslre to lose, but with a hope to gain back something nt least of tho considerable sum which ho had lost!. Before this ho had gone Into his pock t and brought out that honorable nlno hundred francs, and had thrown ono louls d'or after another on tho black table, and lost ono nftor another. Yet lils confidence was still strong luck would turn this was his lucky day. And now ho would not regret carrying away tho strnngor's monoy. llo bogan o feci a llerco eagerness to got tho oottor of this antagonist beenmo so formidable And a horrlblo nervous ness wna.crcoplng ovor him at tho dim vision of a thought a thought kept resolutely on tho conlluos of his con- fcclouHiiesa, yot persistently pushing forward tho thought that It might bo that ho could not win tho monoy back. "Doublo!" ho shouted promptly as ho loBt again. And ho lost again. Tho nlno hun dred francs were gono; ho gavo a noto now, on his stock, and again ho lost. A deathly slckoning sensation had gripped him nnd waB holding him. In sllenco, with a crowd of silent men, who In some way had como to know what was happening standing nbout them, tho two played tho last round. And FrancolB lost. In sllenco ho signed tho noto which i;uvo to tho stranger his houso and furniture and land, all that he had In tho world. , CHAPTER VI. Work and Hope. Tho next day n Bhorlft nnd his clork amo and fixed rod souIb to tho house nd to ovorythlng In It which locked, and Clalro watchud In a doop qulot, tho baby In her arms. Something hnd beon said already of - - i .iiiiiiirariiii'iiiifiu The Nine Hundred Francs Were Gone. (sending tho children to this or that uncle or aunt thcro would In a short time bo no homo and no living for thorn until tho broken fnthor could gather himself nnd boglu again. Lit tle Francois resolved that ho would not go. Ho would Btay with his fnthor nnd provo that eleven wnB not too young to mako monoy. As ho stood watching tho sheriff who moved gloom ily about his unwelcomo duty ho wns fcwo.ro of a horao's hoofs boating down the road, and ho turned. In tho midst of his grief It was Interesting to boo (the Baron-General Qourgaud coming on his bay mure Loaltto. Tho general 4 row up beside him and looked at him ptcraly. "Whore Is your father?" ho shot nt him, and throw a leg ovor and vaulted off and flung tho mare's reins to tho Ind, and swung Into tlio great entry and through the opon door Into tho cottnge Francois, though broken-hearted, was but olevon, and It was a proud thing to hold tho seigneur's horse and pleasant to seo tho spirited beast paw tho earth as ho held hor. Ho wbh bo entranced with this occupation that ho forgot his bruised llfo and his lost career entirely. For fifteen minutes ho forgot, nnd tho othor children gath ored nround him, and ho ordered them away from tho horao and folt himself Its guardian and an Important person, with comploto satisfaction. And at that, out of tho houso came tho solgneur, big nnd blnck-browcd and solid of tread, and with him that brdkon-honrted fathor whoso face re called all the tragedy. "Francois," his fathor sioko, moro gently than over ho had Bpokon be fore, "I havo takon your future from you, my son. The solgneur wishes to give It back. Ho wiBhcs to mako you his child. Your mother consents and I I consent." His father's arm waa about his nock. Tho general abrupt volcu took up the statement. "Will you como and llvo with mo in tho chateau, Monslour tho Marshal?" he domanded roughly, kindly. "I will treat you as a sonyou shall learn to rldo a horse and shoot a gun and bo a soldior. You ahall lit yourself for tho part which wo know must bo played ono day. Will you como?" For a moment It soemed to Francois that heaven had opened and a miracle of joy como down; then It flashed to hie mind that this dazzling gift had a prlco. With a whole soul Francois cast nwuy tho brilliant dream and hardly felt an effort. "I thank you a thousand times, my solgneur," ho answered with decision. "I cannot go with you. 1 must stay and work for my fathor and my moth er." There wns allonco for a minuto in tho sunshiny garden; tho children had wandered away; tho men did not Bpeak; ono hoard only tho moro Lis otto whom Francois held, who stamped hor light forefoot and whinnied Impa tiently. Then tho gcnornl's grave volco Bounded, moro gravely than ovor. "Francois Beaupro, you own a fine lad," ho throw at tho drooping peasant. "I would llko to havo him for mine. Blnco I cannot, I shnll try at least to bo IiIh friend. Monslour tho Marshal, It must bo as you say. But como to seo mo at tho chateau soon. I Bhall hnvo things to tnlk ovor with you." on a morning Francois waB busy at tho now garden, digging beds for tho plnntB which tho neighbors had eager ly given thorn, and which, put In tho ground now, In tho autumn, would rlso abovo them In brightness noxt spring. Into this contontmont camo, gallop ing gloriously, hoof boats of a horso. Tho busy spado, several sizes too big, Btopped, and Francois lenncd his chin on the handle, tho boy out of drnwiug for tho tool. Tho gonernl Btopped, which was a heavonly surprise to Francois each time that it happened. "Good morning, marshnl. Will you nsK your mouior if I may spoak to hor?" "Mother, mother, tho selgnour wish es you," Francois whispered piercing ly, but Clalro was already on tho little front walk by tho now garden. In a moment alio stood at tho gate In her fresh calico dross, with n white fichu ovor hor head, and tho big ninn towored nnd growlod Bontonces frlond lily. Then the gonernl trottod with Jingling atlrrup down tho village street and Clalro stood with eyes following for a moment. "What did, tho selgnour say, my mother?" Francois demanded. "Old ho say I might como to tho chateau tomorrow? May I? Am I to know what tho general said, my mother?" After his fathor camo homo to din ner ho know. Ho was to go onch morning to tho chateau and do work in copying for tho gonoral. Tho general was writing a book, nothing less than a history of Napoleon hlmsolf. Tho boy's great dreamy oyea glowed. So tho llttlo lad, in his clenn, patched, poaaant clothos, wont up to tho chateau the noxt morning serious nnd Important, nnd was glvon a table and u cornor In tho library and words to copy which thrilled his soul. Often tho general talked to him. "Eh blen, there, tho marshal!" would como thundering from tho great table across tho room; and tho scribe would drop his pen nnd scuttle ovor tho dim wide place "Yos, Monslour tho Solgneur. 1 nm horn." "Listen tlion, my soldior. I am un certain if this that I havo written Is of Importance. It la Interesting to mo, becauuo Gaspard Gourguud was thore, yet I do not wlah to ram Ua8pard Gourgaud down a reader's throat." FrnncolB squatted o'i a atool exactly In front of the gonoral, with his kueos togother nd hiB elbows on them, his chin in tho hollow of his hands. HIh oyos wore glued on tho genornl's faco. In a duop vnlco tho gonoral read. It was an account of that world-trngody, tho retreat from Moscow. First camo a Hat of regiments nnd of olllccrs, with detailed accounts of early aervico in both; It wns exact, accurate. For five minuted the goncral read this; thou his black oyobrows lifted and ho glured over tho paper. "You find it interesting?" ho do manded. Francois, lips compressed, shook his head firmly. "No, my Solgneur. Not at all." "I agreo with you," tho general said, and sorted tho papers over and lnid Bomo away. Solectlng a sheet or two, ho bogan to read ngaln. "Ovor tho frozen roads tho worn nrmy still trudged; overy form of misery trudged with thorn. Hungor was there, and cold, and suffering of woundti, and suffering of lack of cloth ing; moro than this, there was tho constant dread of attack from Hying bands of Cossacks. From tlmo to tlmo frightful explosions mado one turn one's head jt was tho caissons exploded by ordor'of tho Emperor that thoy might no longer encumber us. Tho snow fell. Tho Emperor marched on foot with us. Staff in hand, wrapped In a largo loose cloak, a furred Uuo fllan cap on his head, ho walked In uiii from a Russian whom ho hnd killed It was nlost finprudont, ospoclnlly in tho dress ho wore, which dltl not ahow tho French uniform underneath. It was my turn then to play nurse. Ho was placed In ono of the carriages of tno Emperor, and I cared for him as my own brothor, and ho camo through It all, and wont back to Italy, to his home" Tho general's dcop-sct oyes wore gazing now abovo Francois' head out through tho narrow window where the boy's tnblo stood, across the nfoun tain slopo, to the blue distance "Alessandro, my friend," he Bpoke In his gruff tones, yot softly, "ahall we see each other again? So cIobo through that black time, so far apart now in tho- peace of our homes! Those warm hands which enred for mo when I was freozlng and dying in Russia I shall touch them perhaps never again, never again!" The Little Figure Had Sprung Up, and Stood, Threatening. tho midst of his household, encourag ing with a word, with a smile, every ono who camo near him. "There wore many adventures which showed tho aoula of men shining through tho nightmare of this horrible tlmo. Many noblo deeds were done, many heartbreaking onea. Ono which waa both happened to mo. Thore was nn Itnllan olllcor In tho corps under Prince Eugeno, who had boon my com rado whon I was on the .staff of Lannes; his name was Zappl the Marquis Zappf. On tho day after the dreadful passing of the Beresinn nivor, I suddenly felt my strength go I could walk no longer. A sick loathing seized mo, and I groaned nnd dragged my heavy feet forward, to stay with my friends even a fow stops moro. And with that an arm was around jno suddenly, and I heard Zap pi's qulot volco. " 'Koop up your courage, comrade; wo are going to eco our homes yet,' ho aald. 'I ahall take care of you Look' and I looked,, nnd ho hnd a aledgo with fur robeB on It. I never know whore ho got It from some de serted Russian houso, I suppose. Ho put mo on tho sledgo and wrapped me In tho furs and gavo mo brandy from his flask. For Zappl had done a clover thing. Ho had mado a bargain with soino Jesuits near Polotsk, whoro ho had camped for a while, that his men should cut nnd beat tho wheat neces sary on condition thnt ho should havo a part of tho brandy for them. Ho had kept some of his share yet, and it saved my llfo thnt day, tho brandy of tho monks of Polotsk." "There was a thick fog eovoral duya lator, and out of It, and out of tho wood wo muBt pass, rushed with wild cries a cloud of mounted Cossacks across the road within twenty pacos of tho Emperor himself. But Gonoral Rapp dashed forward at tho head of two mounted squadrons of chasseurs and grenadiers of tho guard who al wijya followed tho Emporor, and tho Cossacks wore put to flight. I was In chnrgo; I was nerving temporarily In the place of ono of Rapp'a ofllcerB, bocauBo, on account of my lato weak ness, It was thought well that I should bo on horseback. So It happened that, as tho skirmish finished, I saw coming toward mo a figure In a furred coat and cap, brandishing a Coasnck lanco niBhlng toward tho Emporor. 1 dashed down on tho mad Cwaack, as I thought him. and passed my groat saber through hla body. And tho man foil, and ns ho fell the fur cap wont off nnd ho groaned and looked up at mo with dying eyes It wns Zappl." "Ah!" The llttlo figure had sprung up and stood, fists clenched, threaten ing. Ono would hnvo thought it was this second that tho gonoral had sa bred Zappl. "Mny I llvo a moment?" tho general Inquired. "Till I explain. Zappl did not die." "Ah!" again. And Francois sank relieved on tho stool, yot with stern ojes still on tho gonoral's faco. Tho gonoral laid tho papers asldo. "Not ho. Ho had seized tho lanco CHAPTER VII. The Crown of Friendship. In the claw-footed, carved, old ma hogany desk of n Virginia house, in a drawer whoro aro packets of yellowed letters tied up and labeled, la a letter written years later, referring to that earlier time in Franco. Perhaps this bit of tho chronicle of Francois Beau pre could not bo told so vividly as in these words of Francois written from his prison. Ho begins with the ac count of an adventure, of a rldo for life "So, dear Allxe," he finishes this tho detailed story of his capture "down wont tho poor horse, and over his head I spun Into the ditch with a bump on tho skull which dazed me. And when I came to thore were tho heavy Austrlans around me, gaping to soo tho Prince. And only Francois Beaupro to see, which they found out pretty promptly, na I have told you before, and also how I defied them. "In a great danger they say ono thinks moro clearly than usual one's mind works with smoothness and at leisure. It waa so during that ride, for I followed out as I dashed along, hearing the shouts of the men back of mo, tho whole train of circum stances from ono of those mornings with Coq in the park, to thlB adven ture of llfo and death. It was the morning you will know before I say it when Jean Phllllppe Molson.lnhls lovely purple clothes, t camo mincing down the graveled drive, as if afraid of spoiling his good shoes and I think ho was to the seigneur, who taught us to rldo Coq. Do you re member how your fathor thundered at him? "'A strango monsieur to see mo? linposalblo! I nm engaged. Tell him I will not seo him.' "And' Joan Phllllppe smiling, for all of them understood tho solgneur, and saying gently, 'Yes, my Selgnour,' turned away with tho message And your father shouted after him: "'Stop! Como back here! What do you mean by that? Bilng tho mon slour to me' And tho purple clothes disappeared and appeared again in a fow minutes gleaming In tho sun ngnlnet the gray old walls I can see It all now, Allxe like a largo violet blossom of a strango flower. And be hind Jean Phllllppe wa8 a tall man in a long traveling cloak, and behind him a tall llttlo boy. And as they came tho aelgncur turned to go to meet them, nnd atopped and stared. And tho monslour In tho cloak stopped and stared; and you, mounted on Coq, BltMufb tJ fitted Into our life and become dear to us. the big, beautiful, silent lad. And how then, because of the death of the murquls, Pietro had como under the charge of your father, the selgnour, and how ho and I wont away togethor to the military school, always more and more like brothers and all tho rest. 1 need not recite thoso things to "you, yet I like to do It. My thoughts, In that wild dangerous mo ment, seemed to go In detail through all, from tho morning that tho Mar quis Zappl arrived with his little eon at the chateau, through the ton years of our llfo together, to my coming Into Italy as his secretary and from that, by a rapid step, to this castle prison." Tho rest of tho letter belongs to a lator part of the story. That llttlo Pietro Zappl should bo led Into the narrative by tho haid of his closest friend was tho object for which the letter was Introduced, and, that ac complished, tho course of history bends back to tho quiet Valley of Delesmontes nnd the children growing up under tho shadows of the castle towers. The general, sitting in his library tho morning after the arrival chron icled in tho quoted letter, atared at hie old friend from under his heavy brows as It trying vigorously to con vince himself of his presence The marquis, an Italian of North Italy, tall and proud and quiet, had tho air more of a student than of a soldier. A llttlo tho air, also, of an Invalid, for he stooped and walked languidly, and a cough caught him at times. Ho was talking, on that morning in the library, while tho general listened; it was not tho usual order of things. "So you seo, Gaspard," tho marquis went on in his quiet reticent way, "that I havo believed In our old friend ship. I have taken for granted a wel come for my boy I could not have done it with another man. The voy age to America and my stay there will last, it may be a year. I have brought Piotro to leave him with you if you will have him." This old officer of Napoleon had. after all hla battles and killings, the simplicity and the heart of hla own little girl. But ho cleared hie throat hurriedly with a bravado of careless ness, and before tho marquis could do moro than smile at him wistfully, he wont on: "It Is all settled; there was no need of a word; Pietro is my son till you claim him from mo, nnd glad enough I am to get him for as long as I may. 1 havo a Hon on a very good manner of hoy already, young Francois Beau pro, whom I wished to adopt, but tho lad would not glvo up his parents. And thnt makes me more eager for another. They will play better to gother and work hotter together, nnd thoy will bo a good brace of brothers for my Allxe." "Your Alixe," tho marquis spoke reflectively. "Sho is a charming per son, that little woman of yours." "Alessandro, shall' I tell you what flashed into my head before you and Pietro had been here an hour?" "What then?" "I saw tho children your boy and my girl together as if lifelong play mates over tho big books in the window-sent thoro, and it camo to me that it would be a joy to crown one's llfo If later on " He stopped and gazed inquiringly at the calm -bluo eyes which mot his. "Yes," the marquis answered qui etly. "It would bo that tho crown of our friendship, If somo day thoy might love each other." him all tho world was kindly, with different manners of kindliness. Tho manner of tho marquis was gravor thnn other people's, perhaps what then? The kindliness was undoubted ly thoro below the gravity. And It was this monsieur who had saved tho lifo of tho seigneur; that, after all, was tho whole matter. Francois wast ed llttlo tlmo thinking of othor people's feeling toward himself. Ho was much too busy with a joyful wonder of his own nt tho ever new goodness of his world. To tho marquis, who hardly noticed him, he proceeded to consti tute himself a shadow. At tho llrst sign of a service to bo dono ho was up and at it; always quicker, always moro Intelligent than tho footman. "You havo thrown a charm over my boy Francois, Alessandro," tho gen oral said, well pleased. And tho mar quis anawerod thoughtfully: "It is a boy out of the common, I believe, Gaspard. At first I thought it a mistake that you should raiso a child of his class to the placo you havo given him, but I see that you understand what you are about. Ho is worthy of a good fate" Tho day camo when, on tho next morning, tho Marquis Zappl was due to start on his long journey to Amer ica. Out on tho lawn, in tho shadow of tho beech trees he eat and watched his son playing ball with little Allxe. Then ho was aware of Francois stand ing before him. Tho boy hold some thing in his closed hand, and with that he opened his fingers and stretched it to tho marquis. Tho marquis looked inquiringly at tho yellow metal. "What is thia?" ho asked; ho was - I IU I ttVlO The Marquis Received It With Grave Courtesy. and I, holding Coq's bridle, watched curiously, because of tho ojhor child, and wo Baw how tho solgneur sud denly bognn to shake an If ill, and then with u hoarao about rushed to tho tall man and throw hla arms about him nnd hold him, and sobbod aloud. That was a strango thing to see the solgneur do, and I noVor forgot It. And to think that the child who stood thore, shy and unknown, wiib Piotro! It aoeniB unreasonable that ovor thoro was a tlmo when you and Piotro nnd I did not know ono another well. "As 1 rode that day, with tho Aus trlans nftor mo, 1 thought out tho whole chain of o vents; how Piotro had como nnd had stayed while hie fathor, tho marquis., went to America, and had CHAPTER VIII. For Always. Clalro listened with serious calm eyes as her son told his story when ho camo homo on tho day of the new arrival at tho castle. "Tho great gentleman has come who onco saved our seigneur's llfo!" Bho repented after Francois. "And the seigneur is glad. Of course ho is glad, my Francois. And you ought to bo glad, too, nnd grateful to that gentleman because of all tho good things our selgnour baa dono for you nnd which would not havo happened, assuredly, If Monsieur tho Mnrquis had not snved him. You should do everything that Is possible for Mon- alour tho Marquis to allow your grati tude" Next morning tho llttlo brown fig ure which trudged through tho beech wood was brightened by a largo and vivid bouquet held In his two hands. Whon the tap of Francois at tho library door, where ono heard men's volcos talking, had brought tho gen eral's loud commnnd of "Entrez," tho little brown figure and tho lnrgo bunch of flowers came in togethor nnd tho boy marched straight to the stately Italian. Snapping his heols togother as hie mothor hnd taught hltn ho mado a stiff doop bow. ami presented hla nosegay. Tho marquis, a llttlo astonished at this attention, recolvod It with grave courtesy but without much cordiality; it 8oomod to him rathor an odd whim of Gourgnud'B to hnvo this peasant child about as ono of his own family. But Francois did not know that; to "Yes, Monsieur, the Marquis, Always." prepared now to bo surprised by this boy about once in so often, so ho aim ply suspended judgment at a thing unexpected. "It la for you, Monsieur the Mar quia." Francois smiled radiantly and continued to present tho ton-franc piece. "It la my own; tho selgnour gavo it to me on my birthday, and my father said It was to bo mine to do with as I chose. I choose to give it to you, Monsieur tho Marquis. So that you may have plenty of money I know well what It is not to havo enough monoy." The brown list was outstretched, tho gold pleco glittering In it, and still the marquis stared speechless. Never in his life had any ono presumed to offer him money. Ho looked up at tho faco of the llttlo peasant; It ahono with pcaco and good will; he put out his hand and took tho gold piece and looked at it a long minute, and drew a lenther ca80 from hla pocket and placed it within carefully, and put It away. "Thank you, Francois," said tho mar quis. And then ho considered again tho shining little faco. "Why havo you dono this, Francois?" ho asked. "Why do you always do ao much for mo?" "That thing in Ruasia, for my solgneur. Whon you saved tho llfo of my solgneur." "Oh," said the marquis and stared down at tho boy anxiously explaining. "I have beon afrnid that I could never show you how I thanked you for tho lifo of my seigneur. But I will do more. I will be n frlond of Pietro. He is six months younger than I; I can teach him how to climb and how to fight and how to take care of himself. And l will, becauso of that thing you did. Becauso, too, I think well of Pietro and besides be caiiBc of your kindness to me" "My kindness to you?" "Yes, Monsieur tho Mnrquis be causo you havo beon so kind to me." And tho marquis, In tho Bllence of hi soul, waa ashamed. Tho next day ho went. Aa they stood, gathered in the big carved door way, ho told them all goodby and lifted hla boy nnd hold him without a word. Aa ho act him down ho turned toward tho 'carriage, but In a llaah ho turned back na If by a auddon In spiration, and laid n hand on llttlo Francois' shoulder. "You will remomber that you prom ised to bo n frlond to Pietro, Fran cols?" "Yes, Monsieur tho Marquis, nl ways," tho child answorod gravely. (TO BU CONVINURDJ. A "4 USiPLiJW."