Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-08-21

bruck, had been expo ed for SeNe al
hours to CALLING fire of the German
art llsrY, 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 be-
came untenable, and the colonel, de-
Gliding that the themy'S guns must at
any cost be sileuced, ordered a small
detachment of Dragons commanded
by DE Langeais to charge, and cut
them of from the ma body. The
Germans, taken by surprise and imag-
lining they were about to be attacked
by the entire regiment, ceased firing
and hastily retreI ed. leaving one of
their guns on the field, which CASTOR,
at the head of fifteen men, boz { down
upon, and, sabering the gunn-Is, car
ried it triumphautiy into the french
lines.
'Brayol" cried the colonel, ',y::mly
grasping the young sub-lieut@I;;::It' S
hand; you have deserved the CLOS. for
this, aud l will take care that yna get
iti''
Stimulated 10y this first success, and
eager to justify by some further act Of
daring the good opinion of his chef
De Langeais neglected no opportunity
of proving himself worthy of it. D.S-
patched on foraging expedition s,nsl
attacked by an outpost of infantry, sc
completely routed them and brought
ten prisoners into the camp, and a few
days later held his ground for half All
hour unsupported save by his own men,
against an entire corps of the enemy
His gallantry dId not pass unrewarded.
Not only was the Cross of the Legion
of Honor conferred on him, but his
name was three times mentioned for
exceptional bravery in the order of the
day, and his speedy promotion to the
rank of lieutenant WAS generally re-
garded as a certainty.
At this juncture the unexpected capt
tulation of Metz was a severe blow TO
IN, and, unwilling to accept compara-
tive liberty on parole, he conceived a
project which, although extremely haz.
ardouS, mi! hit enable hIm to join the
Army of the Loire His design being
approved of by the general commanding
under BaZaine, who intrusteI him with
a letter TO his colleague, Aurelle de
Paladines, informing him that the army
of Prince Frederick Charles would
shortly march toward the Loire, Castor
exchanged his uniform for a blouse and
a peasants straw hat, and, carry Ing a
basket of eggs, pursued his way coolly
i'll tine directl IN of the enemy's mes.
at is terrible risk, - he thought,
''but better be shot at once than rot in
German prison -
Challenged by the first man lie met.
and arrested on suspicion, lie was taken
before the colonel of the regiment
who, surrounded by his officers in coun-
Gil, scIutiniZed the prisoner attentlvely
"Where 90 you come from?' lie
inquired in tolerable French.
From Ladonchamps, on my way
with these eggs to Grigy," was tht
young mans reply.
Are you aware that you run the risl.
of being treated as a spy?" pursued his
interrogation.
Necessity has 10 choice" retorteI
De Langeais, with a perfectly indiffer-
ent air.
During this brief colloquy the officers
glanced curiously at the stalwart in IL
yidual before them, whose appearance
contrasted so strangely with the hOfnely
dress he Wore, and were almost unani-
mously of the colonel's openly expressed
opinion that he was no peasant, but an
officer in disguise, and consequently a
spy. A pause boding no good TO the
accused ensued, and III another moment
his fate would have been sealed, when
a gray haired major who had been in-
tently gazing at De Langeais suddt My
rose from his seat.
"Stayl' lie exclaimed; with all sui
mission, ] think you are mistaken. This
man, whoever he may be, Is no officer.
All those we have taken prisoners have
been close cropped, and no one ever
heard of French soldier on active ser
wee with such head of hair as that. >
True, the major is right, s" aSSentei
several of those present.
at may be SO, " said the colonel, only
half convinced, land in that case he j.
entitled to the benefit of the doubt
Give him a pass and let him go and be-
hanged somewhere else"
"a narrow escape" muttered Cas-
ton to himself as lie left the camp. II
wonder what Bouchard would say if b.
knew it,
4 week later our hero reached his
destination, and delivered his credeIi-
tiAls to the general in command, by
whom the grade Of lieutenant was i'm
mediately conferred Oh him. At the
conclusion of the compaign he WAS pro-
NOTED TO a captaincy, and in 1871, after
the final route of the commune, mar
ried his cousin Louise. In the follow
ing year, willie on leave in PARIS, h..
came across his old enemy, BoucharG.
Oh the Boulevard des Italiens.
''HOw goes it with you?" asked tho
latter, as they were slipping their all
sinthe together
Admirably, replied Castor. "Hera
am l, a captain at y, Chevalier of the
Legion of Honor, and the husband of =
charming wife; and ali this-uO thank
10 you, by the way, Bouchard-becau.e
l saved my hair"