The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-02-10
miscellaneous.
CAMPFIRE "REMINISCENCES
THE INNER LIFE OF A WAR
CORRESPONDENT.
.ArOAIAaVd Forbes Lecture at Cincinnati on
Sunday, January 80,

Pixies Opera House, at Cincinnati,
was jammed from pit to dome Sunday
afternoon by one of the largest audi
ences that ever gathered together within
its walls to hear Archibald Forbes, of
worldwide fame, relate some of The
Inner Life of War Correspondent.
Standing room only was at a premium
on the first floor, balcony and gallery,
and every aisle was packed. Mr.. Murat
Halstead introduced the lecturer in a
few words, in which he referred to his
meeting with the correspondent during
the Franco. Prus;ian war, MIR. Forbes
recognized the plaudits of his great
audience with a family perceptible bow.
He is tall of stature and of excellent
physique and pleasant features. He
wore mustache, bristling and tinged
with gray, but no beard. His eye was
clear and bright and his step firm. He
was attired in a short sack>coat of dark
cloth, and upon his left breast a dozen
or more medals sparkled. His posture
during delivery was not a studied one.
At times he held his hands clasped be-
hind him. Again he half-bent over his
MSS. and rested an arm upon the table.
He employed no gestures whatever in
his expression. His eyebrows were
heavy; they might almost be termed
bushy, and his thin hair was parted
scrupulously in the middle, disclosing
high, broad forehead.-ENqHirer.
THE LECTURE.
Mr.. Forbes began his lecture by Civ
ing his idea of the requisite qualities
good war correspondent should possess,
among them naming the character of a
gentle woman, as we'll as that of brist-
ling man, whose very appearance would
say that it would be dangerous to play
with him. He should be able to ride
hundreds Of miles, and at the end Of the
journey to write letter in good round
hand at a rate Of column an hour. He
thought Julius Cesar would have made
good correspondent, and that if Ma.
poleon had ever told the truth he might
be able to eclipse Caesar and knock
William Howard Russell into cooked
hat. He spoke of the time when it was
possible for one to witness battle with
out danger of being struck. Now, since
the introduction of the gun that sends
ball nine miles, and the rifle that kills
at two miles without the aid Of the
clergy, he said correspondent might
as well stay at home with his mother if
he hoped to escape danger. He spoke
Of little engagement in which three
out of little camp Of twelve correspon-
dents had been killed. Continuing, he
8Aid: American correspondents have
always held their own in the field in the
old country. The Daily NeaOS, of Lon
don, published two-column telegraphic
report of the capture OF Metz day or
two before any other journal. | was
generally accredited with sending the
dispatch, but the honor did not belong
to me. A young American named Mil
Ter, volunteer surgeon in the German
service, sent it. He rode fifty miles
from Metz Immediately after its down
fall, and conveyed the news by wire
from there. When the capitulation of
Paris was talked of about fifty rivals
were congregated on the outer walls
eager to enter. was alone at the north |
of the city. AS soon as they surren-
dered obtained a pass which carried |
me through the German lines, after |
which was enabled to get in at the |
La Chapelle gate without any trouble.
went straight to Minister Washburne,
the only member of the Embassy who |
had remained in Paris during the siege, |
and until the bitter end. investigated
the misery that had been wrought. The |
FIVE pounds of ham carried in my bag |
was shown about as curiosity. found |
several Of my colleagues who had been
in the city enjoying steak Of horse or
few dog chops. Horse flesh is very
good, but you are required to get accus-
toned to 1t before you like it, 1t has a
Sweetish taste, and the fat is scarce and |
not very satisfactory. The tenderest
hesh is from young gray flly, and the
toughest steaks found came from
chestnut horse. After being in the city
a short time | ciught an outgoing train
from Strasburg, and at Calias succeeded
in getting four-column telegraphc re-
port of the capitulation into London be-
fore daylight. at once returned to
Paris, and within forty-eight hours had
ridden five hur dred miles, Coming in
l met two of my fellow correspondents,
who crowed over me because, as they
thought, they'd beaten me in, but when
few days after the news arrived | saw
and'heacd no more from them. That
same afternoon fell into the hands of
a French mob who accused me Of being
spy. Think printed my trademark
rather forcbly on several of my prose
cutors, but | was finally knocked down
and dragged through the gutter, while
other of the party danced war-dance
about me, and my clothing was torn off
piece by piece, and | had about given
myself up for lost when picket. guard
dashed out and surrounded my assall-
ants. | was taken by them before
local magistrate in company with a wo-
man who had stolen something, and an,
other female who had been seen talking
with German soldier. But | had not
lost my passport, and | was dismissed
with an injunction to overlook what the
Justice termed the over-excited state of
the Paris populace. Bruised, battered,
bloody, travelled on foot to Severne
and from there went to Dover, and then
to Ca!las. telegraphed not to let the
printers go, and by daylight l was in
Londonga ! wrote my letter, and by that
time found out that journalist could
not stand all things. threw myself on
the floor with a LONDON Directory for a
pillow, and very soon fell asleep. When
| awoke / found the whole staff looking
down u on me with the utmost concern
depicted upon their countenances. It
took about square yard of sticking>
plaster to patch me up, and after that