The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-05-09

self, and always maintains a certain re-
served mien; but under his humble ex-
terror Is concealed a nature strongly
tempered and capable Of the highest de-
votion. Besides, he is not wanting in
.shrewdness or intelligence. The short
lip wears a smile very peculiar. When
he is animated, his small, keen eye seems
to fash. his features acquire all at once
an expression Of singular energy, and he
is then at no loss for language.
"But how was it, said General,
THAT YOU we're able, without any assist
ance, TO kill 50 manyg'
Because | could !" replied HoF
II Is n generally accredited principle
that greatness reveals itself in men in
early life; but whether ]; was through
prejudice or not we can not say, HoI
had not, previous to the war, disclosed in
any manner or in any phase of his life
any marks Of that greatness which was
suddenly to break upon the world. lie
was born in Alsatia, in the canton Of
Marmonticr, a short distance from Sa-
verne. A plasterer by trade, at the age
Of fourteen years he left the paternal
roof TO commence his tour Of France.
In 1856 the oonscription took him. and
he entered the regiment. He knew al
most nothing then; he could read a
little, write a little. and only in German.
II was in the army he learned French.
Hence his promotion was very slow, and
It was ten years before he was made cor
poral. Besides, by a singular fortune,
during this long period he had not served
in any campaign, and this old soldier,
who in the carly part of the seige Of
Paris displayed such bravery and skill,
had never before been under FIRE. The
nearest he ever came TO campaign service
was few months passed at Rome with
the army Of occupation. The beginning
of the war found him drill-sergeant al
Belle-Isle en- Mer, where the Twenty-fith
regiment Of the line was in barracks.
What could he dog Nobody knew what
except his duty, most certainly; for he
was considered good subordinate, or.
derby and steady; but an unexpected
event all at once aroused his energy and
strengthened his faculties ten fold.
About the middle Of August he learn
ell that his father. an old man sixty-foul
year, Of age, had been seized and sho
by the Prussians while defending his fire
side. Fortunately the news was false, Al
he afterwards found out, but the blow
was struck. From this time war became
TO Hof personal matter, and his pri
vate feelings were intensified into tha
bitter hatred nursed by every Alsatiar
in the bottom Of his heart against tn
people beyond the Rhine, and during
the entire campaign he thought Of moth
ing but revonging his father. He woulC
set out Immediately, even rs private
they had need Of men, and he could keeI
his rank. In "a few days he went from
Belle Isle To Nannes, and from Nanne
10 Paris. lie was enrolled on the 9TH o
March. set out for Chalons with th'
corps Of General Ninoy, and ON thu
morning Of the lst Of September founC
himself on the outposts in front o
Rheims. In the distance lac heard th,
rumbling Of cannon at Sedan, the inces
SAINT discharges Of which spoke in unmis
taxable language of the terrible characte
OF the contest. Soon came the sad new
of disaster, and then the order to retreat
Ii was timo. The Prussians entere,
Rheims in almost two hours after W
left. Early in the evening, woman in
formed the videttes that three of the en-
emy's scouts were sleeping at neighbor
ing farm. IIof volunteered TO lool
after them, but the officer had no orders
and the good woman was sent away
Then, all alone, without saying a word
and for the first time disobeying orders
the Sergeant struck out on a campaign
lie hunted for three hours he did no
know the country; he lost his way, an,
had to return as he had set out. Tn
Prussisns, however, lost nothing b.
waiting.
One, when going out from Paris b,
the Bois de Vinoennes, soes ON the lef
hand the village of Nogent, with il
little red and white houses buried in tn
foliage, its deserted little streets EN-
balm0d with the odors of It's gardens
and in the background its magnifcen
viaduct with gigantic arches, which
crossing the Marne with two long strides
gradually diminishes in each direction
and is sketched on the horizon like
fringe Of stone. On the left, along tn
bank of the river, lies the road frou
Strasburg, which leads from Nogeni
through the outskirts Of Perreux, B
Neuilly and Ville-Evrard. From thi
point there Is an uninterrupted view Q
the other side Of the Marine. Below
Petet-Bry, with its rustic belffy and il
terrace-grouped houses; on the left
Noisy le Grand, on the right, the exter
sive farms of rromblay, and still hrthe
beyond, and on the higher grounds, VII
liers, Comilly, all those villages in tn
suburbs of Paris with names formerly 5
cheerful, nov become sinister, becaus
the scenes of war, and still retaining III
traces Of that war, as IL everything