Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-05-05
TEIE
DEATHS HEAD CUIRASSIERS
A Legend of the Old Guard
BY CAPT. FRED. WHITAKER,
"RED RUDIGER," "NEMo, KING OF
TRAMPs," "THE IRISH CAP
TAIN, ETC, ETC.
CHAPTER w.
A PAIR OF EPAULETTES.

port in the cabinet as soon as he
came off.
The sergeant stared at the snuff
box which Gabriel showed him to
confirm the tale told. The crown
and the letter \ on the box were
He was excused ut once
and went to the palace. Here he
was halted at the foot of a grand
stone staircase by grim old grena-
dier with a gray moustache:
"Not so fast, my little cabbage.
This is not beer saloon. What do
YOU want here? Go back ~
81 want to see his majesty" re-
piled the young man boldly. "He
told me to come to him in his pri-
vate cabinet"
The grenadier gave a scornful
sniff, and threw his bayonet for
ward, aiming at Gabriel's throat.
"Not so fast, my chicken. That
sort of tale won't pass here. You
have been in the canteen, and the
wine has gone to your head"
Gabriel drew the snuff box from
his pocket, and said to the sentry !:
"There! Do you know that ?
The emperor told me to bring it to
him."
Then the grenadier looked puz-
zled, threw up his bayonet, brought
his gun to order, and said doubt
fully:
'.Well, that's different. I'll call
the corporal. Ican't let you pass. "
The corporal, with a long white
moustache, looked at the snuff box /,
scratched his head, and finally said !:
swell, l suppose you can pass
into the ante-room. One of the pa
ges will take you in"
So Gabriel ascended the great
marble staircase, clanking and rat
tling at every step, and went down
a broad corridor to where he saw a
crowd at the end.
AS he came closer, he perceived
that this crowd was made up OF
marshals, generals, diplomats and
high officers of the palace, all biaz-
ing with gold, in the midst of which
he. in his simple dark uniform OF
a private soldier, felt as if every
one must be staring and sneeeing at
him.
Nevertheless, he stalked forwa5
into the middle of the crowd once
as he had expected, becap' while a
the target for every tV face.
slight smile sat on embarrassing
The sltuationew pink, crimson
and Gabrifl rapid Succession. till
ana Pu50y in blue and gold came
a ll4cilliously up to him and
Sped out:
II say my friend, you've made a
little mistake, / think. This is not
the barracks by any means"
Then the smile became a litter as
the great people looked on, expect
ing to see the boy quiz the recruit,
for waiting in an antoroOm is dull,
and a Joke to pass the time is very
welcome.
Gabriel, feeling very much like
dog in a crowd of strange dogs, an
swered in an apologize way:
81 beg, pardon, little gentleman;
but is not this the anteroom to his
cabinet ?'
The page tossed his head.
"Of course it is. What do you
want in here? Come, right about
face, march !"
But Gabriel grew calmer the mo-
ment he found active opposition,
and said:
"Excuse me, little gentleman
but | was told by his majesty to
come here and bring this back to
him. You see l was on guard by
the Pavilion of Diana"
AS soon as he said the words
"PaviliOn of Diana," there was 6
Stir in the crowd of officials and as
Gabriel held out the silver snutt
box, the crowd made movement
toward the cuirassier, just as rudely
and curiously as if they had all beer
peasants.
AS for the page, he looked as |
isome one had boxed his ears, anC
answered, civilly:
"Oh! is that it? Give me tn
box and / will take it in to his MAJ
esty." ,.,
"No, if you please, little gentle
man." said the young culrassler
firmly. "My orders are to delive
it personally"
Then some one in the crow'
laughed, and Gabriel heard a roug
voice say:
"Parbleu, marshal, / told you n
one could fool one of my babes. III
will go in, too" :.
Gabriel knew the voice OF hi
grim colonel, and looking rounC
saw that stalWart warrior talking t
no less a person than Marshal Ne
himself.
The Young man knew the ma
shal by sight, as well as Mura
What soldier of the Grand Arm
did not?
The marshal nodded kindly
him in answer to his salute, an
said to the page, in his brusqu
way:
%Weli, well, why don't you go i
and report? If his majesty wan
| to see a soldier, depend upon it /
has reasons. Go in quickly"
The boy, looking scared, vanlshe
by a low doorway in the side OF II
room, and presently came sidlu
back through the crowd, saying
{ Gabriel;
"Follow me, cuirassier."
Then, indeed, there was buzz
intense amazement as the slmp
: soldier, in his black uniform, WI
his funeral plumes and clanKlr
cuirass, stalked by princes, duke
counts, marshals and barOns, klc
ing their heels in the anterOOm al
= entered before them all into the
= cred precincts of the emperOr's p
vate and special cabinet.
"Who is he"'
"What is he"
: "What fine-lookIng fellow J"
!, "He was on guard at the Paw
: iOn."
: "He must have heard what "
;, said"
Il "Such were few of the whispe
# that Gabriel caught as he passed {
to all outward seeming stiff a
impassive, but quaking inward
/ at the idea of again facing the e
/ perOr.
n He had to stoOp his crest to en-
under the curtains that shaded
door: and then he stood bolt
right in a small room, where
the emperor at a desk, writing S
natures on heap OF papers a
tossing them on the floor.
Behind the emperor's chair ste
g. a tall, handsome gentleman, in
m most gorgeous uniform Gabriel I
IS, vet seen, and which he recognli
as as that of an aid-de-camp of the
n, peror.