The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-06-05
WATERLOO.
A Graphic Account Of a Visit to the Fs-
nous Battlefield.

A Graphic Account Of a Visit to the Fa.
A., NOUS Battlefield.
A Buffalonian Abroad -. =.
The battlefield of Waterloo as it
lies o-day is an uninspiring spectacle
a good place to sit down and muse on
life and men and the vanity Of human
things; but we had vivacious little
guide who spared no time for musing,
but engaged us with a. very dramatic
recital in broken, thong quite intelH-
gible, English of the stirring things
that happened on that bloody Sunday
in 1916, when Bonaparte's brief candle
went out and the European kaleidoscope
ratified itself into fresh combination.
I can't help sympathizing with the bot
tom dog. The dramatic symmetry Of
Napoleon's career wins us against our
reason.
T went out to Waterloo with some
Englishmen, and I took solid comfort
in giving them my small opinion Of
their Iron Duke, although we must al
Tow that he did this business very hand
somely:
But that guide. I shall not soon for:
get him. He made more of an impress
sion on me than all the books I have
read on the subject of Waterloo. He
omitted nothing. He opened his soul
to us, and he suited the action to the
world. He gesticulated, he attitude
nized, in short, he fought the battle
over again for us. His English was
doubly English. He was especially
happy in his ''hup, guards, hand hat
hem" He recited this thrilling Incl
dent over his shoulder as he led us down
the two hundred and odd steps that
mount to the summit Of Mound Of the
Lion, and it was only by the most ex-
traordinary presence of mind that I
grasped the railing in time to escape a
fall.
The Mound of the Lion is an artificial
elevation which has heen reared livery
ill-advisedly, think in the midst Of
the field and Of it's earth, thereby modi-
flying the confguration Of the landscape,
so that one can now gain so accurate an
idea Of the battle ground as might 9TH
erwise have been obtained-unless in
deed, the loss is compensated by the
fact that the summit Of the mound az
fords a commanding view.
The tranquility of the scene is i'm
pressive, and one is reminded of Byron's
line:
elbow that red rain made the harvests grow"
never saw fairer stretch Of coun
try-hills and valleys and winding roads
and shining villages. Every feature OF
this sweet landscape played it's part in the
drama Of that day. On the right is the
Chateau Of Hougomont, against which,
all day long, the French lines beat like
the waves of the seattle key OF the
English position, held to the last by the
gallant Coldstreams Guards, though
the house was burned over their heads.
The old brick wall around the orchard
still stands pierced with loop-holes,
worn away by the pelting rain of mus
ket balls. If you have any sort Of i'm
agination you can stand there to-day
and see the fight. I suppose there has
scarcely been closer, hotter, bloodier
battle in modern times. The lines we're
posted only mile apart, and from the
moment of the first assault upon Hougo-
mont to the low despairing cry Of the
French General, "Tout est perdu!
Sauve qui peut!" the battle was like
the straining struggle OF we'll matched
Wrestlers