Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-08-05
The Sturp Teller.
A POINT OF HONOR.

was dining at table 'hote in the only
country of Europe where decent dinner il
still to be got at such places, when my atten
ton was attracted by a tall, reserved man
in the uniform of cavalry officer, who sal
at the head of side table. Beside me was
a Queens messenger, Capt Bolton, who, OF
course knew everything and everybody, from
the gossip Of the legations which he visited in
professional capacity; so asked him who
the grave, looking soldier might be- His re-
ply was startler.
THAT is Field Marshal Eisenberg," an
swered the Queens messenger, coolly, naming
one of the first soldiers of our age. "He
always dimes here, and has done SO ever since
have been in the line"
"Odd place to pick up a Field Marshal, at
a dinner in public house, isn't it, at least in
these piping times of peace?"
"Ha!' exclaimed Capt. Bolton, who, like
several of the distinguished corps to which he
belonged, is an agreeable rattle. "Ha, there.
by hangs a tale-don't you know ?"
I had just returned-for |, too, am "in the
line"-from Barataria, whittier | had been
sent by grateful country for not belonging
to one of the governing families then in power,
so | replied, somewhat to Bottoms astonish-
ment, II did not know"
"Well, then, remarked the Captain, gaily,
81 will tell it to you when | have done with
this pheasant and melon salad, which is too
good to spoil for an anecdote.
He ate for some time in silence and with
such an evident sense of enjoyment that did
not venture to question him further, though
I noticed certain preoccupied air shout him,
as though he were trying to recall some half
forgotten incident, or were, perhaps, trying
to put it into language which would do more
credit to his reputation as an expert narrator.
By and by, when the coffee came he lit a
cigar, which had been sent him by little
Jinks, our vice consul at Havana, and as
the first wreaths of perfumed smoke curled
round about him, he thus delivered himself:
"The marshal used to have son."
AS he spoke the gaunt upright figure of the
famous military commander strobe by. He
turned his haggard face towards us as he did
so, but there was no speculation in his ewes,
and the life chat was in him seemed only to
carry heart that Was dead. Though every
one at the hotel made room for him with a
sort of awestricken respect, he saluted nobody,
but passed out into the street like some
mournfu spectre, not terrible, but unuterably
sad. Then we heard the clank of his sword
in the ante room, and once his sword smote
against his spurs as he girded it on. Then he
was gone. His appearance had served but
to emphasize Capt. Bottoms statement, that
che used to have a son."
The Queens messenger, who had been IN.
terrupted by the solemn apparition above
mentioned, threw back his head, perhaps to
get better view of his subject, took long
pull at mis- cigar, finished his coffee, began his
liquor, and then went on with his story.
"Yes, as l was saying, Field Marshal
Count Eisenberg had son who was one OF
the finest young men in the army. He was
in light cavalry regiment, and all the girls
went mad about him. You never saw fel.
low better built, or with more downright pluck
and 90 in him. Hang it, sir, he deserved to
be an Englishman, and | used to tell him so
when 1 passed through here, and could get
days shooting with him at Edelsheim-a
grand place his governor had then. 1t is sold
now. Never was more CHEEKY or better
companion than Rudy Eisenberg. He could
ride as we'll Lord Cork, and shoot snap shots
with any one you like to name. 1t wasn't
all glitter either about him. He had been
out in big war, and done al! sorts of fine
things. His nerves we're said to be wonder
fully steady under fire, and he had ridden
we'll to the front in one of the blOodiest hand
tohand fights on record. Of course he did
not rise in rank very quickly, for the Mar
shall would not hear of his being promoted
out of his turn, and there was nothing of the
cocktail about him, so he did not put himself
in the way of special service to shrink his
regimental duties but everybody looked upon
him, with good reason, as man who was
booked for every prize of life that does moi
90 by favor. Not chap in the regiment
from the colonel to the piper, had word te
say against him.
"Unluckily," mused Captain Bolton, agair
throwing his head back, perhaps for philoso
phys sake this time, that was just it. Peo
pie liked him too much, especially ladies
There was whisper that an illustrious beauty
not far off from the reigning dynasty, hat
fretted herself nearly crazy about him; ant
though even the court officials agreed that h'
had behaved very we'll in mysterious bust
ness that it would not do 10 talk about, Rud,
WSuG w paiauO VIII At-SS NS "-N'>
as a ghost after masked ball, where it wa
thoug INT some scandal had taken place.
would advise you never to touch on this par
of the story if you mean to make any sta.
here. One thing only had oozed out, ant
this was that the love, if there was love, hat
been mutual; and l have heard that Rud,
got little wrong in the head after it was al
over. The doctors spoke Of brain fever, ant
recommended change of air so the old mar
shal, who knew nothing about money, CAV
his son about enough to keep him for week
and sent him off to Hamburg for the waters
The devils own play was going on at tina
picturesque little hole in those days, AMI
young Eisenberg naturally found himsel
tumble headlong into the set who lived wher
it was hottest. There was Bob Cheyke, o
the Life Guards, and Agincourt, who hat
Just come to title with Ivry de Videsac, tn
crack Frenchman, who went such tremend
Gus smash two years later and Crichton AM
Maulverer, with Jack Nortiman. Birbantak
Pasha, old Lord Chowser, and | do not know
how many more Of the same lot. / fame,
Rudy Eisenberg did not know what to MAX