The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-11-17
LECTURE BY ARCHIBALD FORBES.
Meeting with Royalty, and Descriptions Of
its Life behind the Blazonry Of
it's shams.

AAA ALnIOV kOG dDDlhuSC tudl
greeted him, he quietly opened his manu-
script, and in a calm and business-like way
began to read his lecture. Of unusual height,
with broad, square shoulders, deep, full
chest, q long, thick trunk, clearly cut TANKS
and powerful limbs, the slightest movement
showed the possession Of wonderful muscular
strength evenly and fully developed. His
square head is u%prightly poised on q full, we'll
rounded neck. His thin hair, scrupulously
parted in the middle, left the broad outlines
Of his forehead distinctly visible. Heavy, al
most bushy eyebrows overhung deep-set, pen
etrating eyes. A sandy, brist]ing moustache
half concealed the firm outlines Of his mouth,
while his massive chin was bare. Will and
determination were imprinted on the strong
lines Of his face. There was a sort Of bull
dog resolution that made spectators readily
believe in Archibald Forbes wonderful rides
over painless Wilds and heroic conduct under
fire.
"Itwas in July, 1870" quietly began Mr..
Forbes, ''that I took up the trade Of war
correspondent, and I have followed it ever
since. I have served five campaigns in Eu-
rope, one in Asia, one in Africa, visited King
Theebaw in Burmah, called on Stanley in
Africa, witnessed the fight at the Schipka
Pass, been a prisoner six times, been half
killed by q mob, and mentioned in the dis
patches for saving life, and I therefore
might be rardoned for relating merely per-
sonal experiences. But instead, I have chos-
en- to give some account Of persons with
whom I have been brought in contact. It
was in the Franco-Prussian war, when
Prince Frederick Charles was marching on
Metz, that [ first saw, in the market place OF
a little village, St. Abcold, the Emperor VIII
liam-bluff, keen.eyed, frank Of speech, but
genial. With him were Won Moltke, thin,
gaunt, wrinkled, knowing how to be silent
in seven languages, and the rugged Bismarck,
locking more like q soldier than q statesman.
For two hours William stood there, sur
rounded by wondering cadets from the mil
itary school, watching the army deflle before
him now White-coated, steel-breasted CUR
a%ssiers, and now files Of infantry with their
bands. He personally criticized the discip-
line and equipment Of the soldiers.
August IS, 1870, at Gra7ellotte, I saw
Prince Frederick Charles, who had risen at
daybreak, and was consulting with his lead
ers. He WAS a square-shouldered, upright
man, with a broad, square brow, keen eye
and wide mouth. Clad in q red tlnic, and
mounted On q bay horse, he at last brought
his hand down on his thigh, exolaiming
'Your duty is to march forward, find the
enemy, prevent his escape, and fight him
wherever you find him." During the roar Of
battle that day, with 60, 900 men dead or
dying, the King was sitting leaning against q
wall aanked by a dead horse and broken
wagon, with Bismarck near him pretending
to be indifferently reading letters. A shout
was heard, and Won Moltke galloped up.
s'We have WOE the battle the victory is with
your majesty"
'sGod be thanked !" exclaimed the Emper-
or, and Bismarck nervously crushed the
letter in bis hand.
At Sedan the Emperor William sat on a
hill overlooking the battlefield, with the
American Generals Sheridan and Forsyth,
when the news of the capitulation came, and
the French bearer Of the flag Of truce was
seen riding sadly back. AT dawn the next
morning Bismarck, who had been drinking
and eating sandwiches with
and myself until l, and arguing terms
of surrender the rest OF the night, was mount
ed on his bay, fresh and clean shaver, riding
towards Sedan, while we followed. A shabby
low carriage, from which came the CLEAN Of
gold lace, approached. Bismarck sprang
from his horse, letting it go, and bowed low.
The leaden-colored, gaunt-eyed, deep-lined
man with disheYelled mustache, in the car
was Napoleon III. Alighting at a
weaYer's cottage, Napoleon and Bismarck
down and talked in an undertone, while
stood and talked at the garden hedge, the
calmly looked on from his window,
and eager troops and proyision-carts streamed
by. Then Bismarck rode back to the En-
peror and Napoleon waited alone, walking
back and forth, limping slightly, and smok-
countless cigarettes. The proudest mon
arch il Europe was cooling his heels at a
v%eaver's cottage, waiting in attendance upon
! Prussian. Soon . troop Of cuisassiers
around the cottage, Bismarck re-
urned, and Napoleon was escorted to q
house in Sedan. Won Moltke had dis
oelled the obstinacy Of the French command
IT by showing him the German cannon, and