Show A dog story tho battle had lasted nil tiny and had yet in the sound of fin irida might catill bo heard in the distance alic wood was licud ly i battalion of feruch gnp hil to cover the retreat the ahle village was on fire from did to alie other the heavy tread of the prussian columns us they through the main street re sounded with dull monotony on the icy snow the mounted acro in long overcoats and when alie steeds snorted the breath of the horses nostrils seemed to freeze in the air the quiet gloomy slur lit ky toward alich a aug fug cloud of smoke soared upward in the distance appeared to rest on a broad basement of riven flame outside out side the village extended the open of a farm which although it stood abour has also become a prey to alio devouring clement the hal gained alie roof cock bolt and cattle iou and formed a steadily advancing of fire A thousand am be nt tongues of elanio cliot beyond the charred walls toward alie orchard fruit trees and the tall poplars along the road A corpse was stretched full length in front of the courtyard door but beyond the hissing and crackling ot the flames everything around wis silent and deserted suddenly alie niad howl ot a powerful dog broke alie stillness of uio gloom in vain did the poor beast wrench on the chain that throttled him and howl at ats fate the soldiery who ibid left house and home wife and children to eglit their hereditary foe deaf even to the cries of mercy which fell from the lips of a human beina how then could such men be expected to stop in their victorious career to unbind the leaah of so insignificant an as i wretched dg battalion biad ali indy marc lied by anil only a fow remained remi ined li igind one of slopped nil his ri ic yurii did into lie h nv the dog and pitied thy poor bruec tho luin ws a pule and had som libart lie the dear old mastiff which biad left home tn follow liim in alie pressed campaign ind biad died ni i ditch by the hotd side ha cautiously entered tin blazing courtyard and d the kennel the watch dog anne out and took confidence at the light blue cypa and open countenance of the stain art deliverer the pole alis leather collar and the poor animal was free it was a largo white dog with woolly coat long tail and pointed pars it started to follow hie stranger but on reaching alic dead binau lit the farmyard bloor it drew slowly scented lie lifeless body aej began to whine jbf hail recognize d its maiter iud began licking lii brown and callous hand vainly thu soldier and whistled he had to drag the anicil ariy froni alie corpse iniss ing round itt neck a roie which had served alc tlc purpose of a girdle to the dogs dead buo ouo da i fearful bi b i r wis fought when the s was over aind the soldiers werl gitlic red round their camp kettles the dw crouched it his friends feet and looked up at him the bolc offered the now well nigh ramia hed animal the rind of a piece of cheese which had long been stowed csuvay in hie depths of his pocket anc dog for 1 long time scented alic food as it to nuke sure it belonged to his master and nobody alic alic poor this time accepted hie proffered pil hince it hatin to fit slowly ind with i sort oi dignity like one who doca 1 tiling merely to oblige adother au other from that day the aole got the dog s food from alie country stores which lie cime acro iu the soil bac evenings even ingi laiu sergeant nl of iiii said to the what anre on going to du with eliat beast take it with me implied anc pole 1 I neel t u iteli dug and cincot filpi to meet willi a letter one at last the aji concluded and geici proclaimed the lulled at aish other with joyful eyes and clasped hinds in silent tokimi ot better days it the first town they reich cd the whole battalion ww bundled into a triin off in the direction of they ciul 10 sooner thu frontier iliin aliu soldiers eis arcie at ery with camili ss chel diug anil and flowers the aule tilio biad been out to eglit in knew not why liia ut i loii to eliy hiving fonlin fon lit lie wui leoine such of c as silly as thu jog at hii feet a little so for lie dog seemed to have an inkling hint lie surrounded by cne while the Io liik biad grown to be indifferent once only the dog rose from alie alark corner ill which lie crouched it was fit a station in tic coith of A convoy of french prisoners arrived just as alip train entered alic place alie brave hound amhed to window barked and howled ill alie cheers nud songs rne from abc dense throng ol 01 nian with blue coils and icil as alicy oh into captivity losely guird td by the prussian sentinels at the were and bent to their villages set out willi his b i at his sido a stick in his hand md followed by lih do hu att ctt tho high road and tool a short cut the coiner v for two dicy he traveled through an undulating region by crelly streams bertils liila tho firk ebing inci rily neove and the plowman drove hia furrow through iho hardened globe oil every ide jide j fair ind green the of garnis winch hud a winter the kolaks heart beat hiigli when he caught sight of the church WM ann already thoice ho met by the way gruete J liim with alm usual acius Jc ius be praised As as he reached tue inosa grown cross jus hia village be knelt before it und uttered a short heartfelt he thanked his kivior yi vior bot for victory or any glory but for allowing him to got tuck through all hii hi i trials without loss of health or limbs he hurried forward and began to 6 for tue first time ainoo lie bad liis wie and children nut far off could be can the little willi Us root of by the of tin y and its granery gran nry abu boon froin other side of a hedge he was greeted by his young hife and two oung children kaiue bunard him he tool liis aon up lu his aruis and kissed him lie bent over his and stroked tier forehead kiili his hand and llian liv gazed lovingly on his young ditc olio merely biow it is to seu you back herd lie entered ihu large room 0 ills followed by the children ami the flog beast have you got asked lle young woman 1 I brought him ack with me from franco lio replied alie dog went about alic place with gaping boulb and inquisitive nose he scented everything iho bloor benches wall alic large leal table alic hights the stove the cifes sheep skin and the linen on alic line he finally stretched ill alic of the room put his nozzle between his forelegs fore legs and sighed deeply as it to say we have home at last and I 1 have found another country which I 1 may look upon as my own alic children drew near to play with him alic young wife brought him something to cat he listened attentively to iho foreign words aliat acre choken its if to aitch their meaning or discover ahil ans required of iliin but ilie task being a futile one han cyca n hind h ind sought to touch him he growled and showed his teeth hi soon got to be looked upon as a headstrong wicked brute beier braind said alic anian hell keep iho thieves and prowlers at a distance and prove a good watch dog absented to his wife suggestion so a chain was put round the dog x neck alio was by no means surprised at iho ordeal for lie had been used to the thing from ei cry ci cuing as soon as the stars came out bright in the sky alic young housewife lei llie dog loose in the danl thereupon the beast loulu shako himself sniff the air with apparent pleasure and commence liis round of inspection on onti occasion however alic tog was missed buc he did not go far since he gramc back llie next day and was found quietly installed in his kriigel asi if hu had never lall it unc sabbath afternoon after vespers an old man entered llie iio was over tio years of age his stiff bearing bronzed and manly aspect at once revealed the military velyan an open set oaf to advantage ihu spare silvery locks two liblit blau eyes gave a grave and goodly expression to liis face his while grew dowid over his mo ich to his ahin he borc boots that reached to his knees a long overcoat in dark blue cloth a while necktie and a grav lial in his liand for show rather than use lie held a slick wih shinning knob on his breast shone ahe cross of the legion of honor strung to an old piece of faded red ribbon which still bore black strains due to the gunpowder at waterloo the old soldier was with tokens of kindness and reverence lie was shown into the large room which that day offered an unusually solemn aspect with its washed and sanded bloor some flowers in an earthenware pot on alic window still their sweetness over llie place and the sun cheerfully through the little sparkling glass panes alic avo men sal doarn before alic large dial table anil the young woman bad brought brandy licad and salt cheese and sausage alliev began to speak about the war vol niki the events at arn Priva tand Buz enval while attic old trail spoke of lutzin dresden an I 1 leipsic bligny ligny and every tiina france anil alie emperors empe rois were mentioned oll inan liis aliat liat thu children pled in alic yard and that alic holiday be a pen eral one alic jog waa ivl loose liis kennel presently alic ii on alic looked al the ned mau drew near lo 10 and sli libin what sort of a dog is blat inquired alic old soldier lie is not from these parts liim back with france replied Vol niski from framces Fram ce hes a bad animal said the young oman and disobedient ani taic little boy 1 I tried lo 10 leach li aiu a few tricks addad but all to no purpose lie understands nothing absolutely nothing thu old man auy friends said lie ica aon is obvious tlc alc poor brute understand your tongue well now that locals everything why nf course aliu can lie have in people bosc lonac is foreign to liviu lii iu aliu eld veteran of Na how shall obey whon he cannot hii der stand un order tant is givon clial abid is a iliin I 1 never thought of and lie added IB 1 dont know is no liola for it wait a bit aid the old man a he turned toward hie animal avus waru biown iio bagno 0 o to lle doe in gcoy french vernacular you dont a word alic linvs to gay do ou my friend ai abai amorati lucy lull cwi a dog binl you arc n brave I 1 know you will be most obedient w lien cai to in your own lucent language won t you alio dog pricked lii cars beat abc bloor with at the shunil of lie old mans voice lenly as K unable to withstand so direct an appeal alic dog whined bounded forward and leaped tip to the old roans jcck barking with alt lii might I 1 ain glit cx cl alic veteran be me or not alic dog went and camo about alic place ran from one room to another with eyes and quivering limbs like one who had taker leave of iiii senses he back to alie old man barking jumping nr the his hand and finally idowu panting at his feet the poor beasts large red fc tongue lolling out between alic corner of the mouth and llie fore the two men again resumed their conversation and spoke of war battles cavalry at the point of the buy ancl at last alic old man took his de pai iuri followed hy hie dog who mart mc rt to obey him as if lie bail biad master the veteran soldier stood n moment in alic doorway and looked around bin alic sun had set and a bright red ationo out in the west piercing alic twilight and silvery mists of it is thus ahat his glory went down said lie as lie kiili trembling hand toward alii horizon hut his farac shall abide and kiili it alic of france yes my children it was n glorious era he then away and the dog followed never to leave him after ward Translated from the french for chicago inter |