Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-10

were nylng Typographical charts,
sketches and books-caps were whirl-
ING in the air, and the noise was grow
inc louder every moment. All at once
the door opened and an almost breath
less adjutant cried:
..Order; war is declared. Those in
their second year are commissioned
Sub-Lieutenants by imperial decree of
the 14th of July"
. Never was there such spectacle.
All the sick were instantly cured.
Tearing off their. nightcaps, shouting,
singing, leaping, the ''invalids" rushed
down into the courtyard, where they
were received with frantic congratula-
tions by their companions. Otficers
They were officers! No examination
no rank list An Adjutant merely
asked in which regiment they would
like to serve-the service to begin in
three days time. Amidst the general
GOOD humor Pichard alone remained
gloomy. well, so we are not to be
Clipped after ALL" Max said to him,
my dear brother-in-ar
You may consider yourself lucky"
he replied, laughing in spite of himself.
For | should not have let you off,"
and they shook hands. Max hurriedly
packed his trunk and took the train,
happy in being Lieutenant, and hay
inc. besides, one cause of satisfaction
that his comrades had not-a head of
hair.
Two days afterwards he presented
himself at Lille to Col. Tournecourt of
the Thirtieth Dragons, who received
him cordially and remarked. You
are Just in time. Your epaulets won't
have to wait long for the baptism of
fire, for we start in few days for the
frontier"
Max was much surprised on going to
mess the next morning to find that the
others had without exception had their
hair cut off short. "What has happened
to you all?' he asked. "My young
friend" said the President, ''in a
campaign one must simplify ones
manner of life. Full beard and hair
comb and razor suppressed. In the
morning simple touch of the brush
and there you are!'
without mentioning added q
bald-headed old sergeant" ''that it's
the only way of preserving the hair
under the helmet"
Max received this good advice with
all due Difference, but inwardly re-
solved not to follow it. The war might
be short one, and what would Yo-
lande think of her handsome cousin
when he came back deprived of his
chief ornament?
The regiment set out for Metz and
camped before the Mazelle Gate. At
the table his messmates criticised his
curly head "Wait until you have worn
the helmet week. they said. The
week passed-a week under the old
fashioned tiger-skin helmet that was
worn at the time-and Max not only
did not lose hair; but it grew, on the
contrary, thicker and stronger than
ever.
The 10th of August the Thirtieth was
drawn up at about four in the after
noon before the bell-tower of Marsha
Tour, Max's company being on the
right. Suddenly, not more than 800
yards in front, they saw retreating to-
ward them the Second French Hussars
pursued by the Pruosiau dragoons.
'tlrst quadron-forward- d-marchr'
cried Col. Tournecourt. In that one
moment Max seemed to see before him
his father, his good mother, his cousin
Yolande-every one who had loved
him. Then, putting spurs to his horse,
he galloped forward. The Prussian
dragons recoiled and the Colonel or
dered a rally, but Max incautiously be-
came separated from his men. His
chin-straps had been severed by u
sword blow, letting his helmet roll to
the ground, when four Prussian caval-
rymen started in his pursuit Max
stopped two of them with his pistol,
and would have succeeded in making
good his escape had not third seized
him by the hair and given him sabre
stroke that luckily struck flat and only
stunned him. His horse, mad with
fright, made terrific leap and carried
its master back to his company, bleed
ing and unconscious, but alive. ANY
one else after an accident of this sort
would have gone at once to the barber
of the regiment, but he was in no wise
frightened by this debut-which had,
for that NATTER the happy result of
placing hlm IN better light In the
eyes of his comrades-and he remained
as woolly as sheep.
Nevertheless he instinctively felt that
it was impossible to hold out alone
with impunity against universal mill
tary custom, and that he must do
something to make up for it,
The 18th, at St. Privat, the regiment
was drawn up by echelons behind the
poplars along the Saarbruck road; the
Shells were falling so thick as to set the
trees on fire. The position was no lon
ger tenable.
''Sacrebleu!" cried the Colonel, 1--WE
must have some air. One platoon of
Observation-Disclosures is ready first"
Max at once ordered up his men and
crossed to the other side of the poplars
in the face of a deadly fire of mitrail-
leuse. The enemy, surprised by this