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

horse had knocked him against one
the posts in the riding school, and gooo
natured DR.. Pontiac reported him III
gain of another day. The next day. o
parade, q new inspection, and this tim
eight days in the guard-house. ma
took his punishment like . stole, an
when he reappeared the ninth day, g
two weeks more, followed by specls
report to the general. Still he had oni
lone month longer to hold out, and re
NAMED obstinate, but finding that q
this rate he was risking his epaulets, D.
again consulted the worthy doctor, VIII
this time sent him to the infrmary.
He had begun to entertain seriou
thoughts of giving in, when one day, tn
18th of July, 1870, q tremendous cnee
was heard in the court yard outside, foi
lowed by thunders of applause. The In
valids rushed to the windows, when
scene of the widest disorder met thell
eyes. Through the windows were fyinl
Typographical charts, sketches, and book
caps were. wbirling in the air and thu
noise was growing louder every moment
All at once the door opened and an al
most breathless adjutant cried:
"Order; war is declared. Those II
their second year are commissioned sub
lieutenants by imperial decree of the 14tt
of july"
Never was there such q spectacle. AL
the sick were instantly cured. Tearing
off their night caps, shouting, singing
leaping, the "invalids" rushed down into
the court yard, where they were receiv'
ed with frantic congratulations by theil
companions. Officers! They were Of
ficers! No examination-no rank list
n adjutant merely asked in which reg.
iment 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-arms."
"You may consider yourself lucky
he replied, laughing in spite of himself
"For should not have let you of" and
they shook hands. Max hurriedly pack
ed his trunk end took the train, happy in
being a lieutenant, and having, besides,
one cause of satisfaction that his COM
rades had not "a head of hair.
+
Two days afterwards he presented
himself at Lille to Col. Tournecourt, of
the Thirteenth 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 the next
morning on going to mess to find that
the others had without exception had
had their hair cut off short. "What has
hapr ened to you all?" he asked. my
young friend" said the president, sin a
campaign one must simplify ones man
ner of life. Full beard and hair-comb
and razor suppressed. In the morning a
simple touch of the brush, and there you
are"
without mentioning" added 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 resolved not
to follow it. The war might be short
one, and what would Yolande think of
her handsome cousin when he came
back deprived of his chief ornament?
The regiment set out for Metz and camp
ed before the Mazelle Gate. At table
his mees mates criticized his curly head.
swat until you have worn the helmet q
week." they said. The week passed.
week under the old fashioned tiger skin
helmet that was still worn at that time
and Max not only did not lose hair,
but it grew, on the contrary, stronger and
thicker than ever.
The 10Th of August the Thirteenth was
drawn up at in the afternoon before
the bell tower of Mars. Ia Tour, Max's
company being on the right. Suddenly,
not more than 300 yards in front, they
saw retreating toward them the Second
French Hussars pursued by the Prussian
dragons.
First squadron-forward-march!"
cried Col. Tournecourt. In that one
moment Max seemd 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 gal
loped forward. The Prussian dragons
AONOAAOA OAN WIG VOAS4SOA OAuCIOu q rally,
but Max incautiously became separated
from his men. His chin-strap had been
severed by q sword blow, letting his
helmet roll to the ground, when four
Prussian calvarymen started in his
pursuit. Max stopped two OF them with
his pistol, and would have succeeded in
making good his escape had not q third
seized him by the hair and given him a
sabre stroke that luckily struck fiat and
only stunned him. His horse, mad with
fright, made terrific leap and carried its
master back to his company, bleeding 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 matter,
the happy result of placing him in q
better light in the eyes of his comrades
and he remained as woolly as q sheep.
Nevertheless, he instinctively felt that
it was impossible to hold out alone with
against . universal military
custom, and that he must do something
to make up for it.