The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-11-30


man, and I used TO tell him 80 when l
passed through here, and could get .
days shooting with him at Edelsheim-a
grand place his governor had then. II
is sold now Never was a more CHEEKY
or better companion than Rudy Eisen-
herg. He could ride as well ss Lord
Cork and shoot snap shots with any one
you like 10 name. 1t wasn't all glitter
either about him. He had been out in .
big war and done all sorts OF fine things.
His nerves were said to be wonderfully
steady under fre, and be had ridden well
to the front in one of the boldest hand-
to-hsnd fights on record. Of course he
did not rise in rank very quickly, for the
Marshal would not hear of bis being
promoted out of his turn, and there was
nothing Of the cocktail about him, so be
did not put himself In the way OF spe.
cial service to shirk his regimental do
tiess but everyhody looked upon lttp'
with good reason, as men who was
booked for every prize Of life that does
not 90 by favor. Nota chap 10 his reg
iment, from the colonel to the piper, had
word to say against him. s.
"Uuluckily," mused Captain Bolton,
again throwing his head back, perhaps
for philosophers sake this time, ".that
WASH just it. People liked him too much,
especially ladies. There was whisper
that an illustrious beauty, not far off
from the reigning dynasty, hal fretted
herself nearly crazy about him; and
though even the court officials agreed
that be had behaved very we'll in mys
terious business that it would not do to
talk about Ru.ly Esenberg went to ps-
rade with face white as q ghost after
a masked ball. where it was thought
some scandal had taken place. / would
advise you never to touch on this part
Of the story, II you mean to make any
stay here. One thing only oozed out,
and this was that the love, if there was
love, had been mutual and have heard
that Rudy got little wrong in the head
after it was all over. The doctors spoke
of brain fever, and recommended change
Of air; so the old Marshal, who knew
nothing about money. gave his son
about enough to keep him for q week,
and sent him of to Homburg for the
waters. The DEVILS own play was going
on at that picturesque little hole in those
days, and young Eisenberg naturally
found himself tumble headlong into the
set who lived where it was hottest
There was Bob Cheyke, of the Life
Guards, and Agincourt. who had just
come into his title; with Ivry de Vide
sac, the crack Frenchmsn, who went
such tremendous smash two years la.
ter; and Chrichton and Mauleverer, with
Jack. Nortimau, Birbaniaki Pasha, old
Lord Chowser, and DO not know how
many more OF the same lot / fancy
Rudy Eisenberg did not know what to
make of them at first. Their ways we're
not his ways; but he soon fell into
them As miscbance would have it,
too, be spoke little English, and that
helped, dare cay, for he had got many
Of tue stolid, honest ideas OF his coun-
about improving himsesfv~a1dE
very likely thought at times that he
might some day have to act his part in
a Battle Of Korking, so that it might be
as we'll to prepare for the emergencies
that would probably arise out OF such a
whether he was among the
or the conquered. For
while Cheyke and the rest Of them used
to always find him in his den on the fith
floor of cheap hotel, pouring over
books of tactics and working out mill
tary problems with corks and pins, or
one OF those wonderfully accurate maps
issued by his native war Office. But
they soon bsdgered him out of that, and
at last he was forever with them when
they we're going fastest. He rode .
on Agincourt's horse and
won it CALAMITY for him, but he also
held the bank against Ivry de Videsac
and Lord Chowser for three nights run
ming without going to bed, and he Won
as you may expect, ct that
game. The Lord knows what happen
ed next. 1t was never made quite clear.
Some fellows will have it that Nortiman
and Bob Cheyke. who had won q whole
pot of money from him, insisted on
having it at once. and it is certain that
cheQue, bearing the Field Marshal's sig
nature, given in payment to Cbeyke. was
refused by the Bikendorfs, his bankers |
But, by the frst express train afterward,
the old count came to Homburg him
self, stalked into Bub's rooms, at the
best hotel, laid down the money on his
toilet table, and then stalked out without
again word. l hardly like to tell on
my own responsibility what followed.
but Lord Chowser says that be met the
Marshal upon the stairs leading to Ru-
dy's room, and that he could not help
hearing what passed between them
through the half open door OF young
Eisenberg's apartment. 1t was very
brief. The old soldier sternly confront
ed his son.
".Iche habe,' then said he, sdas
schmutzes geld bezahlt. / have paid
the foul gold for which you have dis.
honored us. Now do your part And
as he ceased speaking, he placed on the
table between them o pist6 be fhaA
brought with him. sss =.
"The young man made no answer,
but the next moment there was loud
report, and the Marshal came forth
from the presence of his dead son With
that white, ashen face you have just
seen. He never smiled again.
Gall the set who were mixed up IN
the affair naturally tried to put the best
face on it. Bob says he had right to
get his money, and 90 does Nortimsn; !;
but Cho wser, though he is hariish old
boy, doesn't like to talk much on the
subject, and l believe had to consult bis
doctor respecting ghost. or somsthing
OF that sort, which he fancied vas fol-
lowing him about, and wanted to catch