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

of tiny curls. Then, turning to the
adiutant who accompanied him, he
briefly consigned the offender for four
days to the ''salle de police" and con-
tinued his round of inspection with a
self-satisfied grin.
During the last day of his seclusion
CASTOR practically employed his leisure
in decorating his knee, by judicious
mixture of blue and green paint, with
tolerably exact imitation of bruise,
which he showed to the regimental
doctor, pretending that the confusion
had been caused by his coming in con-
tact with post in the riding-school.
Whether he implicitly believed the
statement or not, the good-natured
medico put him on the sick list. and
thus twenty-fours were gained. His re-
appearance on parade, however, became
at length n matter of necessity. and
this time his continued disobedience
entailed on him weeks further con-
fnement; at the expiration of which he
was again consigned to durance vile
for an entire fortnight.
This will never do" thought de
Langeais. 1.-The earthenware pot
must in the long run be smashed by the
iron one, and shall have to give in at
last. / had better try old Grison once
more"
| Whereupon, having previously, by
way of precaution, added few touches
to the pictorial establishment of his
knee, he limped into the consulting
room of DR.. Grison, who was for
tunately too much engaged with other
| patients to bestow more than q cursory
glance at the bruise, and, not knowing
precisely what to make of the case,
gave the newcomer an order of admis-
sion to the infirmary, then under the
charge of half d dozen Sisters of
Charity, presided over by Lady
Superior.
Castor had hardly changed his or
/ binary attire for the regulation loose
gray coat and cotton night-cap when
Pitrot. the tonsor of the establishment,
was announced, bearing an enormous
pair of scissors and a laconic note,
which ran as follows:
The pupil de Langeais's hair is to be cut of
Immediately. BoUCHARD"
The poor coiffeur, unwilling to lose
so excellent a customer for pomades
and other capillary unguents, and yet
compelled to obey the imperative man.
date, was in despair.
'"Would it not be possible, mon
sieur," he suggested. to obtain from
the Lady Superior certificate that the
effect of the operation might be iniuri-
Gus to an invalid?'
Castor could not help smiling at the
idea. Il don't quite see." he said,
what cropped head has to do with a
bruise on the knee; but there can be
no harm in trying"
AS good luck would have it, Sister
Angelique. in whose memory, perhaps,
still fingered the fondly cherished rec
objection of some romantic episode of
her youthful days. listened with inter-
est to the handsome Breton, while he
related to her his hopes and fears, and
his attachment to his cousin Louise.
Being naturally kind-hearted and SYM
thetic. she agreed without much per-
suasion to his rather homogeneous re-
quest, so that Pere Pitrot. relieved
from his disagreeable responsibility,
went on his way rejoicing.
A quarter of an hour later the lieu
tenant burst into the infrmary in q
paroxysm of fury.
so, youngster!" he cried, sit seems
you are bent on Drawing me! Well,
we shall see. You can not stay sham
ming here forever; and mark my
words-when you do come out, I'll
have that head of yours as smooth as
billiard ball!''
With this parting threat he bounced
out of the room; and next day every
one of the future cavalry otficers-the
prisoner alone Xcepted-underwen
the summary operation of cropping"
at the hands of the tonsor, Pitrot.
Meanwhile, CASTOR S position was by
no means an enviable one. Through
the grated windows of the infirmary he
could see his comrades mounting their
horses in the courtyard, and caracoling
gayly as they passed, and on Sundays
most painful trial of all-could hear
with pang of envy the joyous shouts
of his more fortunate colleagues, eman-
cipated for few hours from duty,
and on their way to catch the first
train to Paris.
The day of deliverance, however, was
at hand. Early on the 18th of July
date never to be forgotten by de
Langeais-the occupants of the in
/ Urinary were suddenly startled by a
tremendous uproar Immediately under
their windows, and, on looking out,
imagined for a moment that pande-
monium had broken loose.
Such spectacle had assuredly never
been witnessed at St. Cyr. The entire
quadrangle was throngtd by an ex-
cited multitude, rushing to and fro in
tumultuous disorder, Ringing their
caps high in the air, aud bursting
every now and then into loud and
prolonged hurrah! Was it a revolt.