THE MAN WHO WOULD NOT BE A SOLDIER.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 645, 11 February 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAN WHO WOULD NOT BE A SOLDIER.

Romairi 1 Bissori 1 was a-fisher:bf Etretat, and had bean accustomed from-iflfancy to ; range these shores in -search of to gather the sea-wrack in'Ordert'O maktf soda—the latter,/in these; days, ja ■ thriving branch of industry.. Hik: solitary life, the habit of constant communion: with wild riature,, joined* to the semi- barbarous.,' habits of his parents, made him a sombre and moody man-while still very young. .He had •no friends save his - parents, he imade; no acquaintances, f/but kept. all his .brother, ■ fishers at* a distance. He had never rambled cliffs,-and knew nothing of-the.

great world that lay around him. At the. beginning of the present century came the J imperial conscription, and Rornairi was, ordered to leave. Etretat and fight; for Kis 1 country. The other conscripts were gay sis larks at the prospect, for Erenchirien are soldiers by instinct; but it was far otherwise with Bpmain. He was no coward, but J one whose wild daring had on more than one occasion filled the fishers with wonder; yet the thought of quitting mother, and father,, and these wild waves that were his only playmates, was more than he could bear.. He would rather leap from the heights and.' die. Encouraged by his parents,.'he took' refuge in a hole midway down the cliffs, arid' so evaded those who were searching for him high and low. His parents, at dead of night, let down provisions to him by a cord, and supplied him, moreover, with' wood for firing. The lad tolerated his solitary quarters, and remained in them throughout the course of a whole year, 1813. One night, however, some fishers in a sailingboat, returning from the open channel, perceived to their astonishment a bright light in the centrr of the cliffs. Crossing themselves arid calling on the Virgin, they spoke of what they had seen,, and were speedily confirmed by others who had had the same experience. The coastguards, hearing of the affair, suspected a nest of contrabandists, and kept sharp watch. It was soon discovered whose hands lit the fire, and the news spread that Rpmain was living in the pave. ' The authorities'rflocked to the foot of ' the cave;' They summoned him with'a speakirig-trutriv; pet to come down. "I will never,be ;a" soldier !" he shouted back. They 'threatened,, if he did hot descend, to take him by f6rce. and- have him shot, " Good," he returned; ''l would rather die than be a','. spldier." They, attempted to ascend, but 'in vain; and of what good were ladders, to reach a height of two hundred feet. Certain daring hien volunteered to go down by ropes from; the top of .the cliff; But Rpiriairi seized :arid shook the cords,' and they desisted just in time to save their necks. They began cutting steps below.'; but a; shower of' huge stones soon made'therii give jip the ;attempt in despair. 1 ; 'Th4y the! sous-prifet. ''The example is *a dangerous one'." cried thej functionary ;", he must be,.taken, dead bf'aliyel" So .after more parleying, they began popping at, Romain' with ;the-guns ; but he : w'as safe in his cave, and retaliated now and. then with stories and boulders. The.siege continued for four days. On the fourth' dayi Romain found all 'his provisions gone. He was faintingfor thirst. He must make his escape or'perish. * 'Now, the cliffs in whose midst; he lay secure were, at least three hundred feet in. height,' and J entirely perpendicular ;. but almost rindfer the cave,

and leaning against the cliff, was a rock one hundred feet high, arid projecting about fifteen feet seaward. At high tide the'sea : dashed right against tbis rock, rendering 1 iriipossible all passage from 'side to side, but leaving a narrow space of dry shingle'to right and left. Fortunately for Romairi, it was then full moon. There was full sea 'by ten at night. In the rock, and in l the full tide,' lay his only hope. He spent -the'-whole day : collecting huge stones. As the- tide crept up, Romain suffered'none of the soldiers beneath' to remain under his cave; but compelled them, by fearful showers of stones, to take refuge on the other side of; the* rock. Nor : did his volleys cease till it -was high sea, 1 arid the passage beyond the rock was impossible. In the full moonlight he emerged ■, from his cave, and commenced to descend,'' aided only by his feet and hands* The soldiers on the other side fired at him again and again, but he continued his way undaunted; and passed down uninjured behind the rock, leaving the baffled soldiers wondering at his courage and cursing his success. Next day his blouse and sabots were found' on the shore, but he himself had disappeared; and they sought him in vain. j He turned up, however, a year afterwards, wherithe amnesty granted to : deserters made it safe to.appear. But he was changed. There was a wild light in his eyes; the sufferings he had undergone in the cavern, the strange visions of the long stOrniy nights, the dreamy terror of it all, had made him mad, though harmless. For ten years he haunted-the cliffs, a wild woe-begone man; supported by public charity ; but finally; in a-wild fit, he leapt from the heights and was dashed;to pieces.— The Argosy.