Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-10

cape under penalty of imprisonment.
He went to Gen. c., confded to him
his scheme of passing the lines, and re-
ceived q letter from him for Gen. de
! Paladines advising him that the army
of Frederick Charles, set at liberty by
the capitulation of Metz, would in a
few days attack the Army of the Loire.
He then hurried to the hotel of the Fai-
san Dore, disguised himself with a
blouse and wide straw hat, and taking
on his arm basket of eggs set out
calmly toward the 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. rs explanations
to the first 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 favorably disposed toward the
pseudo-peasant.
Where do you come from?" demand
ed the Colonel, frowning.
From Ladonchamps. I am going to
Grigy to carry eggs"
''You know well enough that this is
no time to be carrying eggs across the
| country"
'Poor men cannot choose their
time," replied Max. The officers con-
suited. His hands were very white for
peasants, and there was something
in his bearing that did not suggest a
man used to STOPPING and tilling the
ground. "All this is 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 white-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 Colonel fixed his
piercing eye moment on MaX's stolid
countenance, and, not finding the
slightest trace of emotion, said: "Give
him passport and let him 60 and be
hanged somewhere else.
A week afterward Max reached the
Army of the Loire, handed his letter to
the Commander-in-C Chief, and was
straightway made Lieutenant. Three
months later he took the rank of Cap
tain, and wherever there was work to
do Max was to be found foremost
among the defenders of his country.
The bitter war with Prussia came to an
end; the bearded Teutons marched past
the Arc de rEtoile 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 Communards,
the social otfscourings of the great
Capital, rose and for time deted the
feeble and unofficered police. Among
the assaulting column from Versailles
was Max, feeling himself already an
old soldier, and all his ideas as a loyal
Breton and professional soldier out
ragged at the idea of this order and re-
volt against constituted authority.
There was some sharp fighting from
street to street, and after the capture
of a barricade Capt. Max was ordered
to take his dismounted men and clear
out certain avenue leading toward
the hill of Montmartre. Fired at from
a barricaded house, Max ordered its
capture, and, the great doors being
battered down, himself led the way.
Within were captured number of
prisoners, men and women of the low
est type, drunken wretches who had
helped to fire the public buildings and
museums. In one room guarded by q
haglike petroleuse was found an elder
ly gentleman, from whom half the
clothing had been torn, and fair
young girl half dead with terror and
: suspense.
AS the young officer entered she rose
and with wild cry of ''Maximer' 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
and his wife, the fair cousin Yolande,
object of his earliest love, now make so
charming.
YES" said the young soldier, 81
found myself at two-and-twenty Cap
tain and decorated with the Cross OF
the Legion of Honor, all because !
would not have my hair cut, and that
was because wished to look my best
in the pretty eyes of Madame yonder
who has deigned to take pity on me-. -
''Ah, yes" returned the fair Yolan-
de, ''his hair is lovely-but, if it were
not that it might make him too vain, |
could tell you in confidence l would
have been glad to marry my Max if he
had had no more hair than the Abbot
of our old convent at home, and as he
is 80 and as bald as a looking glass. -
Chicago Tribune.