A FRENCH FRONTIER STORY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 4050, 1 October 1887, Page 3

A FRENCH FRONTIER STORY.

A day or two ago the adventures were related of a Prussian soldier who, having deserted from the Kaiser's army, made his appearance m full uniform m tho Btreets of Nancy for the purpose of enrolling himself m the Foreign Legion. A sorgeant belonging to the sth battalion of Rifles, which is stationed on the French frontier, has just returned the compliment. Having got into a scrape, and having the fear of the lock-up before his eyes, this son of Mars tripped lightly across the boundary line when he thought nobody was looking, and after walking a good mile, turned into a farmhouse to rest and refresh himstlf. Now, it ao happened that he had been perceived by a party of French youths, who, moreover, noticed that ho had carried his rifle away with him. Convinced that this was one of the new weapons,and that the soldier intended to present it to Germany, the young men formed the projectof recovering possosion of it. They therefore stopped boldly across the frontier, and, keeping the deserter well m view, followed him into the farmhouse. They got into conversation with the chasseur, and after a time succeeded m persuading him to bring down his rifle from a bedroom upstairs, m which it had been placed. Then the youths, pretending that they were going to drill for fun, made their way into the farmyard, and as soon as they had secured a good start bolted. The deserter and the people of the farm rushed after them, raising a hue and cry, and soon a regular hunt was organised, m which the peasantry, the custom officials, and some German officers who were passing by, joined. But the young men maintained their advantage and got safely back ipto France with the rifle m their posseaion. They modestly sent it (the weapon) m a case with an explanatory note to the local gendarmes, who were astounded when they found what a narrow eacnpe one of the new rifles had had of finding its way into Gertnaa hands.