Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-09-18

bruise on the knee, but there can be no
harm in trying"
AS good luck would have it, Sister An
gelique, in whose memory, perhaps,
still fingered the fondly cherished rec
objection of some romantic episode of
her youthful days, listened with interest
to the handsome Breton, while he re-
lated to her his hopes and fears, and
his attachment to his cousin Louise.
Being naturally kind-hearted and SYM
pathetic, she agreed without much per-
suasion to his rather incongruous re-
quest, so that Pere Pitrot, relieved from
his disagreeable responsibility, went on
his way rejoicing.
A quarter of an hour later the lieuten-
ant burst into the infrmary in a par
oxysm of fury.
$50. youngster J" he cried, sit seems
you are bent on Drawing me- Well, we
shall see. You cannot stay shamming
here forever; and, mark my words
when you do come out, I'll have that
head of yours as bald as billiard ball I"
With this parting threat he bounced
out of the room; and next day every
one of the future cavalry officers-the
prisoner alone excepted = underwent
the summary operation of cropping"
at the hands Of the tonsor, Pitrot.
Meanwhile. Gaston's position was by
no means an enviable one. Through the
grated windows of the infrmary 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, enamel
pated for few hours from duty, and on
their way to catch the first train for
Paris.
The day of deliverance, however, was
at hand. Early on the 18th of July-a
date never to be forgotten by de Lam
geais-the occupants of the infrmary
were suddenly startled by tremend-
Gus uproar Immediately under their
windows, and, on looking out, imagined
for a moment that pandemonium had
broken loose.
Such spectacle had assuredly never
been witnessed at st. Cyr. The entire
quadrangle was ttronged by the excited
multitude, rushing to and fro in tumult-
uous disorder, fiinging their caps high in
the air, and bursting every now and
then into loud and prolonged hurrah !
Was it a revolt, marvelled the sisters
and their patients, or what could 1t pos
sibly mean?
A few minutes sufficed to explain the
mystery. A hasty step was heard out
side the door, imme dIately followed by
the entrance into the sick room of an
adiutant, bearing in his hand an official
document, the contents of which, re-
cited by him in a sonorous voice, were
greeted with an enthusiasm bordering
on frenzy.
"War is declared with Prussia. By
imperial decree, the seniors are hence
forth sub-lieutenants."
Before the sisters, deafened by the
clamor, had recovered from their stupe-
faction, they found themselves alone in
the infrmary; the invalids, one and all,
having mustered strength enough to
throw aside their wraps and make the
best of their way down stairs.
CASTOR, whose instantaneous cure Sis
ter Angelique afterward described as
little short of miraculous, was the first
to rejoln his comrades; and, deserving
his prosecutor, Bouchard, standing apart
from the rest, and apparently in no
very good humor, went up to him with
outstretched hand and frank, cherry
smile.
"Well, Lieutenant" he said, ''you
won't have me cropped now"
$50 it seems" grimly replied the
other, returning, somewhat reluctantly,
the preferred grasp. "You have more
luck than you deserve; for, depend
upon it, / should have shown you no
mercy ~
Each of the seniors entitled to promo
ton having notified the adjutant on
duty the regiment to which he was de-
sirous of being attached, the prepare
tons for departure were speedily COM
pleted At an early hour in the after
noon the band CT exultIng youngsters
started for Paris, intent upon making
the most of the three days allowed them
before joining their respective corps.
Gaston's regiment being stationed at
Lille, he had ample leisure, after par
taking Of a farewell repast at Brebant' s
with his old companions, to carry into
execution his loog-cherished project of
paving flying visit to his cousin Louise,
at Trouville; and repairing on the third
day to headquarters, reported himself
to the colonel o. the Forty-second
Dragons, who received him most cor
daily.
You are excused from duty" said
his chief, until you have got your kit
| in order. Ma fol. young man, you have
arrived in the very nick OF time, for
| before this week is out we shall be on
| our way to the front"
| On his first appearance at mess. de
| Langeals discovered to his astOnlsh-
ment that every one of bis new COM
panions, without exception, was closely
| cropped. IA very necessary precau-
tion,'' said the president, Sin war time
| the less incumbrance we carry about us
the better. A long beard and as little
| hair as possible; no comb or razor
wanted; nothing but d simple brush
up"
''Not to MENTION chimed in an old
campaigner of proverbisl badness,
that heavy helmet plays the very
deuce with ones hair"
Castor listened with due respect tc
these well-mesnt exhortations, but
without the slightest intention of being
Influenced by them; and. On the arrival
of his division at Metz some days later
had already, more than once, declined
| to avail himself of the services of the
regir1ental barber.
| Nevertheless, he instinctiveiy felt that
| a continued refusal to conform to the
| general custom must inevitably endan-
ger his popularity. and that the only
| way to atone for this obnoxious singu.
larity was to distinguish himself by
some exploit which might obtain fol
/ him an honorable mention in the order