The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-03-15

BOUND TO KEEP HIS HAIR.
A Story of the French and
German War.
In the boulevards the other day, L
met quite q number Of young OH
GERS from st. CVr. 1 noticed par
ticularly q young officer of dragons,
who was evidently wearing his brill
liant uniform for the fret time and
was probably one of those promot-
ed in October. He stalked along
proudly, head erect, left hand toying
with the handle of his gold-tasseled
saber, returning with great polite
ness and evident satisfaction the
bows and greetings he received.
The attempted part down the back
of the head where the halr was too
thin to sanction any such distinction,
awoke in me Q world of Feminiscen-
ces of seven or eight years ago. In
imagination I was once more with
the class of 1869, was once more
in the engineer corps of st. Cyr,
and particularly with my comrane
Maxine de l., 80 gay, so full OF
life, and exuberant spirits. He was
a Breton, tall, of magnificent build,
strong as a bull, and as curly-headed
as q poodle. How merry he was,
how we loved him, and how he low
ed his professionI He found but
one fault with it and that was the
necessity of having his head shaved,
and shaved as old Jousse shaved us,
i. g., a quarter of an inch from the
scalp. Like his Armorican ancest-
ors, Maxine attached great impor-
lance to the hair, and-there was a
certain cousin, Yolande de Precy
Bussac, before whom he did not
care to appear disfigured.
With 10y he hailed the end of the
second year, at which time disci-
pine relaxes somewhat toward the
seniors, and longer locks are some
times tolerated if the temples are
carefully barred.
He would say to me, with child
ish joy and anticipation: 1u two
months 1 will be at Trouville, an
officer, free, happy. I will spend
the day on the beach in the eve
ming I will dance the cotillon with
Yolande, and he would add, raising
his kept, under which clustered al
ready . thick crop of curls, 4 will
have some hair on my head 7
One morning-day of i'll omen
the infantry Lieutenant, Pechard,
who was inspecting on parade, and
who did not like those Connected
cavalry officers stopped suddenly
before Msxime:
Take off your kept
Maxine shuddered and obeyed.
Very we'll, il that ia not all shaw
ee off by to morrow, you will have
four DAYS in the guard ROOM
And he continued his inspection
odd fellow, you are cropped this
time said 1 to, Maxine, after pa
rade.
Indeed I am not answered he
do you think 1 am going to give
IMP"
Then what will 20 do?'
q don't know; 1 will try tricks
I will dissimulate, will move heav
en- and earth, but keep my hair
Next morning, in the dormitory
we worked with vim, with two
brushes dipped in the pitcher. By
dint of perseverance succeeded IL
smoothing stubborn yellow locks
that would curl up from under my
fingers, and in making Maxine looE
as though he had on 8 wig. WheT
the time for parade approached Max.
ime looked uneasy; perhaps Pech.
ard would forget and pass him by
The Lieutenant came along slow.
ly, with his hands behind him, and
as the day before, stopped in front
of NJ. and ordered of his kept; al
first he was astonished at the extra.
ordinary appearance of the hair
then passing his hand over the tor
of Ms head. the blonde locks were
as curly IS ever.
sAdjutant, four days guard room
for Monsieur de l. And hi
went of saying; Those cavalry of.
lficers can never do like other PEG.
ple.'
| at the end of the fourth day Max.
lime went to work, and carefully
manufactured q mixture of greenisl
blue paint, which he applied to hi
knee so as to simulate perfectly {
severe bruise, which he attributed
to blow against q post in the riding
school; good old DIR. Poonillac re
ported him i'll. One more day gain
ed.
The next day was parade, inspec-
ton and eight days in the guard
room, followed by q report to the
| General; Maxine endured his pun
ishment stolcally, he had gotten
another to battle for. Maxime's
resolution not TO give up was more
confirmed than ever, but as one day
In the guard room equals four OF
Suspension, It was 8 serious matter
and he was risking his position.
So he returned to DIR. Pouillac, who,
taken aback by the appearance OF
his knee, which was becoming
Igreener and Rreener, sent him ia
the infirmary.
4 Hardly was he there, wrapped in
the gray robe, his cherished locks
hidden under the traditional cotton
cap, when in came old Jousse
bearing his enormous shears and q
i note. The note was laconic:
Ordered to cut Maxine de LIS
hair Immediately. (Signeda
/ LIEUTENANT PECHARD.'
i Believe me, SIR said old Jousse,
who gratefully remembered the nu-
merous pots Of pomatum which be
had sold to Maxine, Il perform q
very painful duty, and perhaps you
might obtain Q few words from the
Sister Superior, to the effect that q
chilli would increase your indlspo-
sition.'
A chill for . bruised kHeeI How.
ever, IL might be attempted. The
good Sister was well disposed to.
wards the handsome Breton, who
wen all hearts. He told her hii
story, his hopes for the vacation
his views on his cousin; in fact, hG
succeeded in Winnisg her over; shI
wrote the note, and old Jousse tool
away his shears. Ten minutes af
tar Pechard bounced IN, in . terri
BILE rage. 'Ah, you are going 4
night il out, eh 2 said be 20 Maxine
Very we'll come day you will have
20 leave the infirmary, and that day
mind. will have you shaved q
smooth as en- egg.
One me day, July 14th. 1870