Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-07-18

But the last days Of the siees were .
hand. The 22nd of October Nets capit
ulated. It was hard to surrender and g
passively into Germany while there still
i remained chance Of striking g00t
blow or two in France. The 23rd MAJ
was to give mis- word Of honor not to try
j to escape under penalty of imprisonment
He went to Gen. c., confded to him hi
scheme of passing the lines, and receiv
! ed a letter from him for Gen. De Pala
dimes advising him that the army o
Frederick Charles, set at liberty by tn,
capitulation of Metz, would in Q few day
attack the army of the Loire. He theI
hurried to the hotel of the Faisan Dore
| disguised himself with blouse and wild.
straw hat, and taking on his arm bas
ket of eggs set out calmly toward thu
Prussian lines. "Of course" thought he
81 run the risk of being shot on the spot
but even that is better than rotting away
in Germany"
He did not 90 far. His explanation
to the 6rst German sentinel who chal
| lenged him, not being deemed satisfac
tory, he was brought before the assem-
bled officers of the regiment, who, to say
the least, did not have the air of men "a
vorably disposed toward the pseudo
peasant.
"Where do you come from?" demand
ed the colonel, frowning.
"From Ladonchamps. am going to
Griey to carry eggs"
"You know well enough that this is nc
time to be carrying eggs across the coun.
try To- - o. .,oo.o
replied Max. The officers consulted
His hands were very white for peas
ants, and there was something in his
bearing that did not suggest man used
to STOPPING and tilling the ground. Call
this is not very clear" said the colonel
"Take the man away, and if he doesn't
speak tomorrow morning give him the
usual twelve bullets"
The soldiers were about to execute
this order when an old whi:e-haired
major in gold spectacles, cried:
Gentlemen! allow me; think we are
about to commit an injustice. This man
is evidently peasant. A French officer
in campaign never would wear such long
hair as that. Remember that all we
have taken prisoners, were clipped close"
"That's true, added several officers. The
major was an old campaigner. The col
onel fixed his piercing eye moment on
Max's stolid countenance, and, not find
ing the slightest trace of emotion, said:
"Give him a passport and let him 60 and
be hanged somewhere else."
4
A week afterward Max reached the
army of the Loire, handed his letter to
the commander. in-chief, and was
straightway made lieutenant. Three
months later he took the rank of captain,
and wherever there was work to do Max
was to be found foremost among the de.
tenders of his country. The bitter war
with Prussia came to an end; the beard
ed Teutons marched past the Arc de
NEtoile, down the Champs-Elysees, and
then retired. The long siege was over,
but another danger menaced Paris. The
government was overthrown, but no new
force had taken its place, when the col.l-
munards, the social ofscourings of the
great capital, rose and for time defed
the feeblean unOficered police. Among
the assaulting column from Versailles
was Max feeling himself already an old
soldier, and all his ideas as loyal Bre-
ton and a professional soldier outraged
at the idea of this disorder and revolt
against constituted authority. There
was some sharp fighting from street to
street. and after the capture of q barri-
cade Capt. Max was ordered to take his
dismounted men and clear out certain
avenue leading toward the hill of Mont
martre. Fired at from a barricaded
house, Max ordered it's capture, and. the
great doors being battered down, him.
self led the way. Within were captured
a number of prisoners, men and women
of the lowest type, drunken wretches who
had helped to fire the public buildings
and museums. In one room guarded by
a hag-like petroleuse were found an eld-
erly gentleman, from whom half the
clothing had been torn, and fair young
girl half dead with suspense.
As the young officer entered she rose
and with wild cry of "Maxime!" fell
fainting in the arms of her companion,
an uncle to whom she had been sent for
supposed safety.
We were dining with Max the other
day in the pretty suburban home he ard
his wife, the fair cousin Yolande, object
of his earliest love, now made so charm
ing.
Eyes" said the young soldier, II
found myself at two.and-twenty q cap
tain and decorated with the Cross of the
Legion of Honor, all because would not
have my hair cut, and that was because
I wanted to look my best in the pretty
eyes of madame yonder, who has aeign-
ed to take pity on me-"
"Ah, yes" returned the fair Yolande.
"his hair is lovely-but, if it were not
that it might make him too vain, I can
tell you in confidence 1 would have been
glad to marry my Max if he had had no
more hair than the Abbot of our old con-
vent at home, and he is 80 and as bald
as looking glass"
MARTIN TO LAMAR,
The Governor I'm Letter to tho Secretary