Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-09
ITEMS OF THE WAR.

Four women in male attire were dis
covered among the imprisoned Turcos,
at Spandau, in Prussia.
In an exhibition for the aid of the
families Of wounded soldiers, now open
at Brussels, are two life-size caricature
portraits of the ex-Emperor and the
King of Prussia. The first has card
stuck in the corner marked, The prop
erty of the King of Prussia" The
card on the second is inscribed, 1.-THE
property of Count Bismarck"
Horses, it is stated, are among the ar
ticles in Paris which have most greatly
deprecated since the siege. At the
fashionable horse bazars animals which
before the war brought from $500 to
$1,000, are now selling as low as from
IS to $40, and the miserable jades of the
iiacres, which are too small for military
puposes, sell as low as from three to
twenty cents.
On the 29th Of October, the day on
which the Prussians entered Metz, and
occupied the citadel never before passed
by hostile foot since Guise defended it
against Charles the Fifth, of Germany,
all the houses in the city were closed.
The Independence de la Moselle ap-
peared with all its columns in mourning,
and the statute of Marshal Fabert was
draped heavily with Grape from head to
foot
A Paris correspondent says the mill
tary court-martial is doing good work
Cowards and deserters brought up for
trial have short shrift, and remain but
little time to eat rations that belong to
brave men, and taint the atmosphere
with their presence. 1t is stated too,
that several distinguished adherents of
the empire have paid with their lives the
penalty ofplotting against the defence.
1t is related that recent letter to
Bismarck, marked private" was opened
by his confidential clerk, who had
scarcely opened it and read few lines
when he was seized with violent pains in
the head, and fell back in a swoon.
Another clerk picked it up and felt the
same symptoms After little while,
they recovered and carried the document
to chemist, who soon ascertained that
the letter had been poisoned with vera
trim, subtle and dangerous substance,
the odor of which enters the brain, and
is very liable to produce death or in
sanity.
To illustrate the necessity for coolness
during action, an anecdote is related of
staff officer who produced an excellent
effect upon whole column of men under
fire by carrying an order quietly through !
a hot bombardment with cigar between |
his lips. And similar story is told of |
an officer in one of the battles before |
Metz His men were suffering horribly, |
and he was unable to steady them till be |
saw a soldier smoking. He was struck
by the effect produced on his own mind, |
and was wise enough to walk up to the |
man and ask if he would give him light |
for his cigar. Courage is as infectious
as fear.
A Prussian soldier, but just returned
from the front, was standing in the cen
ter of listening group, detailing to an
officer his narrow escape from death by
one of the Chassepot bullets. He took
out his watch, and showed it, pierced
through by the ball, which, having thus
expended its strength on the solid metal,
inflicted but slight wound on his breast.
The people pressed around to get look
at the watch. and one citizen, impulsive-
ly taking out his own gold time-keeper,
put it into the hands of the astonished
soldier, saying: Here, take this onel it
is good one. Yours will never go
again
While the Crown Princess of Prussia
was at Hamburg, recently, her youngest
child narrowly escaped being killed. As
she was passing down stairs with her
the nurse of the youngest
dropped it over the balustrade. 1t twould
doubtless have broken its skull on the
marble floor below had its clothes not
been caught by metal ornament Of the
balustrade Thus it escaped death, and
almost miraculously As it has since
been found out that the nurse, French
girl, had uttered threats that she would
avenge her brother, who had fallen at
she has been arrested and
an investigation ordered.