The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-24
A HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPE.

a F7Aih-6hEAD n ESCAFE. :.
In 1870, a month OF two before The
outbreak Of the Frsnco-German war, one
Of the most promising cadets. or. as they
are commonly styled. pupils Of the
military college at St CyT, was Castor de
Lanee4is lie vas the last representa-.
tive Of an ancient family in Brittany
whose traditional obsiinacy and impa4
( tience Of control he had inherited TO an
entent which rendered him more lsopu-
lar with his comrades than with the pre-
siding authorities
Not that ne was especially remarkable
for turbulence or insubOrdination, or that
his infractions Of rules were more fire.
quent than those OF the majority of his
fellows. On one point alone he was in-
tractabie, and exercised all bis ingenuity
I il repeated attempts TO escape a regula-
ton which was inexpressihly repugnant
20 him. Gifted by nature with an abun-
lance Of luxurisntly curling hair, Of
which he was inordiEaiely vain, the pre-
scribed necessity Of having il cropped
short was q perpetual grievance TO him
and be looked anxious.y forward to his
second year at ST Cyr, and to his eonse-
quent emancipation from the too close
scrutiny to which he had hitherto been
periodically subjected.
In two months" he said exuitingIy
10 one OF his intimates, =" my time here
VIII be up, AMI once named officer l
shall be free as air, and no longer asham-
ei to show myself to my cousin Louise.
For you see" he added, lifting bis cap
and displaying a thick growth Of short
euris very carefully fiattened down, Il
shall have sSme hair left-
Castles IN the air, however, are apt TO
collapse; and Gaston's visionary projects
were, to say the least, extremely pre-
mature.
4 few mornings later, at the usual
hour OF parade, the corps Of youngsters
we're unexpectedly summoned to under
60 the inspection of the infantry Iieuten-
ant, BOuchard, lynx-eyed martinez, by
no means favorably disposed toward pu-
pills destined for cavalry regiments, whom
I he eonteinptuously designated as cox
combs" De Lsngeais, as the recognized
leader Of the band, was particularly OBJ
n9xious to him and ais keen eyes twin-
kled maiiciously as he stopped short be-
fore the young man, and examined him
curiously.
Take of your cap" ne said.
Castor obeYed with an inward shiyer
Z Of apprehension.
l thought as much, growled thelieu-
tenant IF that super;iuOus hair has
not disappeared by this time tomorrow,
I you viii pass the next four DAYS in the
salie-de-police.'
You are in tor it now whispered his
sympathiziDg oornrade when the terrible
BOuchard had passed on.
Not bit Of it, replied lie Llngeais,
Struggling his shoulders very uncon-
cernedly
Why, what on earth can you do?~
! dontexsctly know but intend 10
put of the evil day as long as possibly
can"
Next morning, with the aid Of couple
Of brushes, well soaked in water, he sue
oeeded in leveling the rebellious locks 50
as TO deceive even prae,iced eye, and
appeared or parade with his wonted
jaunty air, although not little nervous
as to the result Of the coming ordeal.
Presently the lieutenant arrived with an
ominoHsly slow step, and pausing as be-
fore exactly in front Of CASTOR, repeated
the order Of the previous day
Take of your cap"
For moment Bouehard appeared to
be puzzled by the apparently smooth
surface Of the pupils" head, but, bent
on asoertaining tie real state Of the case.
he uneeremoniously lifted a portion Of
the hattened hair with his foreiincer,
thereby disclosing a substrafnm Of tiny
curls. Then, turning to the adjuisnt who
accompanied him, he briefly consigned
the offender for four days 10 the sale
de police" and con ntinued his round Of
inspection with self-satisfed grin.
During Tie last day Of his seclnsion
Castor practically employed his leisure
in decorating his knee, by a judicious
mixture Of blue and green paint, with a
tolerably exact imitation Of bruise,
which he showed to the regimental doc
tor. pretending that the confusion had
been caused by his coming in contact
with post in the riding school. WhetIl-
er he implicitly believed the statement
or not, the good-natured medico put him
on the sick list, and thus twenty-f5ur
hours were gained. His reappeArance on
parade, however, became at length a
matter Of necessity, and this time his
continued disohedience eniailed on him
a weeks further confinement, at the ex-
piration OF which be was again oonsign-
ed to durance vile for an entire fort
night
This viii never do thought de Ian
geais. The earthenware pot must in
the long run be smashed by the iron one
and shall have 10 give in at last. had
a great deal better try old Grison once
more
Wifereupon, having previously, by way
Of precaUtiOn, added few touches to lie
pictorial establishment Of his knee, he
limped into the consulting room Of Dr..
Griscon, who was fortunately TOO much
engaged with other patients to besiow
more than a very eursory glance at the
bruise, and, not knowing precisely what
to make Of the case, gave the newcomer
an order Of admission to the infirmary,
then under the charge Of half 4 dozen
Sisters Of Charity. presided over by a
Lady Superior.
Castor had hardly changed his or,ii-
nary attire for the regulation loose grey
coat and cotton nighteap when Pitfes.
the fonsor Of the establishment, was an
noUneed, bearing an enormons n4ir of
scissors, and lac0nic note, whiEa ran as
follows
The pupil De L1ngeaisis aaiE Is TO be
cut of Immediately.
BorcHAED.-