Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-01

W nelItT ne implicitly DclleNSu Ine
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 a matter of necessity. and
this time his continued disObedience
entailed on him a week 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. The earthenware pot
must in the long run De smashed by the
iron one. and l shall have to give in at
last. Ihad 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 a 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 infrmary, then under the
charge OF half a dozen Sisters of
Charity, presided over by a 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' hair is 10 be cut on
immediately. BOUCHARD."
The poor cOiffeur. unwilling to lose
so excellent a customer for pOmades
and other capillary unguents. and yet
compelled 20 obey the imperative man
date, was in despair.
Would it not be possible. mon
sieur." he suggested. to obtain from
the Lady Superior a certificate that the
effect of the operation might be iniuri-
Gus 20 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 a
parOxysm of fury.
so, yOungster"' he cried, lit 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 a
billiard ballr'
With this parting threat he bounced
out of the room; and next day every
one of the future cavalry otlicers-the
prisoner alone Xcepted-underwen
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, 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
a date never to be forgotten by de
Langeais-the occupants of the in
Urinary were suddenly startled by
tremendous uproar Immediately under
their windows, and. on looking out,
imagined for a moment that pande-
monium had broken loose.
Such a spectacle had assuredly never
been witnessed at St. Cyr. The entire
quadrangle was thronged by an ex-
cited multitude, rushing to and fro in
tumultuous disorder, finging their
caps high in the air, aud bursting
every now and then into a loud and
prolonged hurrahi Was it a revolt.
marveled the sisters and their patients,
or what could it possibly mean?
A few minutes sufficed to explain the
mystery. a haSty step was heard out
side the door, Immediately followed by
the entrance into the sick-rOom of an
adjutant, bearing in his hand an Off
cial document, the contents of which,
recited by him in a sonorous voice,
were greeted with an enthusiasm bor-
dering 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
stupefactiou, 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 downstairs.
Castor, whose instantaneous cure