Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-09

fresh victim is selected.
While the officers are looking on al
the fun, some OF them feel an itching to
try the tossing on one of themselves. =
Significant looks are rapidly exchanged,
| and suddenly Young officer f1nds HIM
self seized by lis comrades, and, II
spite OF all his-struggles, thrown into
the blanket, While the victim is still
cnrsing four officers relieve the sol
diers who have hitherto held the blank
et. and tha-sport il continued amid the
hearty bursts Of laughter from the by
ISLANDERS. The whole battalion cOngre-
Gates. and heartily enjoys the scene,
While the captain flies into the air,
sweating and laughing by turns, and
then falls back into The blanket, till he
almost strikes the ground.
Further on, the men are amusing
themselves with less dangerous games.
For tossing in blanket, though it ap-
pears comical, has its critical side. Ii
one of the tossers loses his hold as the
victim is falling (which mag easily hap
pen through his weight. the tosser who
thus makes acquaintance with his moth
err earth, fares badly. In the present
case. the N IN who is going to leap over
the backs of his comrades incurs less
risk.
The first bends down towards the
ground, O second sits on his shoulders,
third chambers mp the latter in turn.
Some distance off stands line of sol
iiers. one behind the other. At sig
nal, the first starts and jumps over the
group crouching on the ground. III the
leap succeeds, which is accompanied by
a loud veil from the spectators, the leap
er Is saved; hut should he fail or fall,
he is called on to form the base of the
crouch ng group, until another equally
unsuccessful jumper relieves him. This
game is the csuse of endless amusement
to the bystanders.
/ Strolled past the lighthouse from
which the camp is illuminated at night
by refectors, toward the cavalry camp.
A stamping, snorting. and neighinG
saluted me as passed along the inter
minable rows of horses which stood
there in the open air, held by slender
head ropes. They were all magnificent
Barbs, of so violent temper that it was
found necessary to remove their shoes,
for fear OF their injuring one another.
Not minute passed without some high
spirited steed making bolt; it ran down
| the line nei9hiDg and kicking, pursued
| by active bussars, who laughiDgly hunt
ed the animal down and captured ut,
after it had made acquaintance with the
whole camp. aud set thousand com
panions. who envied its liberty, in &
state of semi-revolt.
a IL, L.
fore reaching the Macadamized road
that rnns down from the imperial pavil
ion of Grand Mourme.on; passed the
engineers and artillery park, and tried
to reach the bosquet, in whose neigh
bOrhOOd there is always a lively scene.
Not only that one horseman after an
other passes me, but countless pedes-
TRANS are hurrying to the spot, where
one amusement maker tries to surpass
the other. Here a ventriloquist is per-
forming; there Is q savage; over there
girls entice you to enter a cLfe chGata11t;
here is an open-air kitchen, through
whose gaping sidewalks the winds
Easses freely, sporting with the light,
SO that the thickest candle is
burned out in half an hour. The
you feed yOu have the fire before you,
and can watch the entire process of
cooking the food you have ordered.
Close by IS a row of brilliant cafes,
the Cafe de Paris, Cafe Napoleon, &c
From the roofs float tricOlor flags, con-
siderably bleached by rain and sun; gil
gantic inscriptions at once inform you
that your are in the midst of French
town, in which putting is one of the
condition of existence. A tent-shaped
verandah, decorated with flags, distin-
cuisines the entrance of the Cafe NapO-
leon; flowers aud shrubs enliyen the
room, which is supplied with mirrors
and curtains. At the bar sits males
tic dame; Idle walters with their white
aprons lounge in the corners. The
large Paris journals are lying on the ia
bles; groups of officers are amusing
themselves with the popular game OF
draughts, and drinking their coffee.
Pension pour les Officers" may be
read everywhere; and the comfort of
the soldiers who cannot stand eight
sous fOr ,!emitdSSe Is equally well
looked alter Hundreds of wine shops
and eStGminets surround the large and
elegant restaurants.
Before / retired to rest at Grand
Mourmelon, strolled again in the cav
airy camp; it was dark, and an alraast
spectral scene was presented to me.
The hussars were leading their horses
to water. The moon cast her pallid
light on the busy throng in this medley
OF gigantic-looking men and dark ami
oil hot II Il no.
me preparations for nocturnal re-
view.
As morning breaks, the officers shout
their orders, the troopers mount, the
sergeants call over the names anil the
snolting of the horses; from the dis
lance the wind bears few notes of the
tunes which the bands are performing
at the head of the infantry battalons.
Suddenly the whole body of horsemen
gets into motion, and it seems as if all
the roads had become alive. From all
sides the cavalry columns advance drawn
up in fours, in order to leave q portion
of the road free. The helmets sparkle
in the sunshine, the sabres glisten as if
they were made of silver, the riders
strike up joyial song, which is not un-
frequently accompanied by the snort
ing of the horses. Ere long all are
drawn up around the Pavilion de rEm-
pereur, in front of which the chapel
tent has been erect d. Before the lat
ter the ensigns of all the regiments are
drawn up with their eagles. Behind
these the sappers of all the battalions
formed a second line; on the right and
1afy fu,o i,aftoIiopc nf auUinaoro AanLod