The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-08-03

enough to throw aside their wrapsand
make the best of their way downstirs
CASTOR, whose instantaneous epra
Sister Angelique afterward descibed
as little short of miraculous, was ne
first to rejoin his comrades; and, de-
scrying his prosecutor, Bouchard
standing apart from the rest, and an
parently in no very good humor, vent
up to him with outstretched hand and
frank, CHEEKY smile.
We'll, lieutenant" he said, vou
won't have me cropped nowr
so it seems" gr,mly replied the
other, returning somewhat Reluctantly
the proffered grasp. "You have nere
luck than you deserve; for, devend
upon it. should have shown YOU no
mercyw
Each of the seniors entitled to BRO
motion having notified to the adjuant
on duty the regiment to which hewas
DESTROYS of being attached, the pnpa-
rations for departure were speedily
completed. At an early hour 1.-THE
afternoon the band of exulting yong
sters started for Paris, intent on nak-
ing the most of the three days allwed
them before joining their respeive
corps. Gaston's regiment hing
stationed at Lille, he had ample leinre,
after partaking of a farewell repat DC
| oil ~ ~
carry into execution his long-ehe
project of paying flying visit MS
cousin Louise at Trouville; ant re-
pairing on the third day to healclar-
tiers, reported himself to the coleel OF
the Forty-second Dragons, w re-
ceived him most cordially.
"You are dispensed from du, SAID
his chief. until you have gofour kit
in order. Ma fol, young IN, you
have arrived in the very nictof time,
for before the week is out e shall be
on our way to the front"
On his first appearance mess, de
Langeais discovered to is astonlsh-
ment that every one of b new COM
panions, without exceptic, was closely
cropped. "a very necessary pre-
caution" said the precedent, Gin war
time; the less incumbrnce we carry
about us the better. Aong beard and
as little hair as possibl; no comb or
razor wanted, nothing but a simple
'brush-up.
mot to MENTION" cimed in an old
campaigner of provebial badness,
that a heavy helmet plays the very
deuce with ones hair.
CASTOR listened win due respect to
these well-meant elhortatlons, but
without the slightest Intention OF being
influenced by them and, on the ar
rival of his divisionAt Metz some days
later, had already, more than once,
declined to avail himself of the services
of the regimental barber.
Nevertheless, he instinctively felt
that continued refusal to conform to
the general custom must inevitably en-
danger his popularity, and that the
only way to atone for this obnoxious
singularity was to distinguish himself
by some exploit which might obtain
for him an honorable mention n<ar
order of the day.
An opportunity soon canes On the
18th of August his regiment, posted
near St. Private, behind an avenueof
poplars bordering the road to Sasr-
bruck, had been exposed for several
hours to CALLING fire of the German
artillery; and had suffered severely
from an incessant storm of shells,
which were beginning to set the trees
on fire. The position of the French
corps became untenable, and the
colonel, deciding that the enemy S
guns must at any cost be silenced, or
dered u small detachment of dragons
commanded by de Langeais to charge,
and cut them off from the main body.
The Germans, taken by surprise and
imagining they were about to be at
tackled by the entire regiment. ceased
firing and hastily reiterated. leaving
one OF their guns on the field, which
CASTOR, at the head of fifteen men, bore
down upon, and, sabering the gunners,
carried it triumphantly into the French
lines.
"Bravo" cried the colonel, warmly
grasping the young sub-lieutenant's
hands; you have deserved the Cross
for this. and 1 will take care that you
get it,
Stimulated by this first success, and
eager to justify by some further act OF
daring the good opinion of his chief,
de Langeais neglected no opportunity
of proving himself worthy of it. Dis
patched on foraging expedition, and
attacked by an outpost of infantry, he
completely routed them and brought
ten prisoners to the camp, and few
days later held his ground for half az
hour, unsupported, save by his -
men, against an entire corps Of tn,
enemy. His gallantry did not pas
unrewarded. Not only was the eros
of the Legion of Honor conferred OF
him, but his name was three time
mentioned for exceptional bravery il
the order of the day, and his speed,
promotion to the rank of lieutenan
was generally regarded as a certainty
I H.