The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-05-31

udppy, yOuuSS HOpClul, uhu JCt ICuNluS ils
unharmed, to bear the burden OF Il hidder
woe that haunted every hour of his exist
ence.
life CT hard ship, discipline, suffering
was his daily portion, but for all externa
discomfort he cared but little, scarce felt or
noticed it. Hunger, wearness, coarse food
ceaseless toll, terrible danger, all these
looked but traes to eyes that had grown
blind with one hours shattered bliss, with
the agony of a doubt that had turned love to
madness.
But tho war-iire awokc in him at last and
became the one thing that kept him from
utter despair. Severe campaigning, ho
skirmishos. and incessant watchfulness, al
the demands on his time and attention that
each day rendered moro necessary, these
brought him excitement, and gave him the
utter disregard and recklessness as to life
and danger that awoke tho involuntary ad-
miration of his comrades.
Pierre Leroux was a man with the born in.
stincts of soldier. and his previous que
uneventful life in no way untitled him for his
present experiences. Its necessities called
many latent faculties into play, and taught
him the two greatest lessons of life-patienc,
and endurance; and this man, who but n few
months befoce had known no greater anxiety
than the fail are of q crop or the drought OF a
season, non bore privations as calmly, and
risked death as recklessly, as the hardest
soldier who had spent lifetime in the ser.
vice of war and the toll of camps.
Tonight, when the carousal was over, and
the soldiers slept for the few brief hours that
We're alone permitted, he stood as sentinel
over the little troop.
The air was chilly-there was no light, for
moon and stars were shrouded by gray heavy
clouds. With ears alert, and eyes keen
and sharp as long habit could make them, ho
paced to and fro in that ceaseless monoton-
Gus round that is so wearisome even to the
trained soldier. The darkness deepened, and
the wind grew f1ercer. Into his brain stolo
the thoughts that could still so inccssantly
came the memory of that night when tho
woman he loved had crouched at his feet.
and with the pallor of guilt on her face and
yet the denial of guilt on her lips, had prayed
him to believe her innocent. Innocent! He
almost laughed as he thought Of it. week
old wife would not steal away through the
midnight shadows to the presence of any liv.
ing man, who was not beloved by her.
would not leave her husbands side and risk
the Interpretation that conld not fail to be put
on her doing so, without somo terribly strong
motive.
And yet now, In the stiffness and ST.
lAnce, and with the shadow of close peril
beside him, he knew he loved her as f1ercely,
adoringly, passionatcly as ever. He could
not forget or Danish the remembrance that
haunted him. The fever-mist of pain that
blinded his senses to every hardship and his
eyes to every peril, were yetnot deep enough
or dense enough to blind them to this one
memory, to cover with oblivion this one
love.
AS he paced to and fro in that monotonous
march, he bent his head, and low groan Of
intense suffering escaped his lips.
"To forget?" he implored. "Oh God! for
one hour to forget"
In an instant all thought of duty escaped
him, tho vigiIant eyes no longer swept the
horizon, the keen ears grew deaf to all but
the dull agonized beating Of a heart that felt
it would never again find rest or peace on the
earth's wide face. Suddenly he started and
looked round. Alas for that trance of pain,
that short forgetfulness The dull thud Of
horses feet came loud and distinct to his
ears-in the shadow-play of night and dawn
he saw the flash ofarms, and while his alarum
ran clarion-clear throughout the slumbering
ho lyro Il i'm tba p;,,s,
In an instant all was stir, hustle, oonfu-
sion.
With marvellous celebrity the troops got
under arms, but their actions were not rapid
enough for the charging sweep of the foe,
who trebled their scanty numbers and bore
down on them with an eagles swoop.
The hoofs of rearing chargers struck at
them on every side, the clash Of swords and
crash oil shot and steel filled all the air. 1t
was a conflict sharp and short, a conflict
hand to hand, breast TO breast, over which
the morning broke gray, and silvery, and
beautiful. as though in mockery Of the brute
passions and murderous follies Of men.
The struggle was brief. Outnumbered six
to one, there was little doubt how it must
end. Escape or victory were alike impossi-
BILE. The Prussians were victors ere the day
was an hour old.
The prisoners OF war-humiliated, dis.
armed, furions as trapped beasts-were
handed over to q detachment of the Prus-
sian corps. Their ultimate fate was not yet
decided upon. The victory of Sedan had led
to its evacuation, and the Bavarian and Prus
sian corps were marching rapidly toward
Paris. The conquerors were exultant-the
fate OF war seemed certain now. Ali Paris
was in revolt, confusion and excitement
reigned everywhere. In military circles but
one issue seemed possible, and though
"Guerre outrance" was still in every French.
mans mouth, the German armies treated il
ms mere question OF time.
The improvised and Republican armies OF
France, drawn from all sources, and in many
cases unframed and undisciplined. might
certainly convert the war OF arms into one
of SIEGE but with Metz and Sedan in theii
hands, and the flower of the French army,
either killed or prisoners, the Prussians
might we'll be confident, and treat their enc
my's defiance as mere bravado,
Pierre Leroux had been severely wounded
Unconscious of all that was passing around
him, he lay throughout the long weary day,
Pain held him powerless, his strong frame
lay bruised and stricken, his eyes were
closed as if lead weighed down their lids
Unfamiliar voices sounded in his ears, but he
had no consciousness of their words. Weak
with loss of blood, dizzy and faint with the
axbanStiOn IF lnnO fastinry and incaasant