New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-23
AHAIR-BREADTH ESCAPE.

In 1870, MUn1n War W. one Of the most prcms-
! Eno cadets. or, as they are commonly styleo,
Pupils Of the military eose 9Se Ia last reprssepts
s ~ an ancient family in Brittany, whose ira
S;,Sonal obstinacy and lmpatience VI SonIroi no
nd Inherited 10 an extent winch teodefsd niln
more popular win MS '0A'
Sn, ~ he was especially remarkable for tur-
.,imc. or insubordinatson, or that his nrractlons
'a ,ra,e more frequent than those OF the ma
OF fulee ~ elbows ON one point alone he was
.tntraotable, and exercised all ms ingenuity IN n"
!nS ,oS ATTEMPTS TO escape regulation winch was
PesasHunresshv repugnant TO him. Gifted by nature
;h an abundance of uXuriantly curling hair, or
wb;ch he was Unfortunately vain, the prescrlped
necessity of having it cropped short was pefpet-
neI Grievance to him; and ne looked anXlouSly
sorws, d 10 his second year at ST. Cyr, and to ms
CONSEQUENT emancipation from the too close scru-
tiny to which he had hitherto been per1oalcalV
In two months" he said eXulungy to one OF
his ;ntimates my time here Will be up, ana once
named officer shall be free as air. ana nP longer
a.hamed TO show myself TO my cousin Louise FOR
rou Sec be added, lifting his cap ana dlspny1ng
= thick growth of short curls carefully tattenea
down, - still have some hair left"
Castles in the air, however are apt TO cslhpse;
and Gastons visionary projects were, TO say the
few mornings later, at the usual hour OF
parade the corps Of youngsters Wett unrH - ty
summoned TO undergo the Inspection OF the IN
fantry lieutenant Bouchard, lynS-eyed martlheS
by no means fayorbly disposed toward puplIs
destined for cavalry regiments, whom ne Con-
tnmptuousN designated as coxcomps. Ds
fans,ais. as the recognized leader of the band,
WAS particularly obnoxious TO HIM; ana ms keca
ewes twinkled malicOuSy as he stopped suorC
before the young man. ana eAalnineu hiih eu''
ously, o,a
CASTOR obeyed with an inward shlver OF appre-
II thought as much,' growled the lieutenant
"If that supcr1 uous hair has not disappeared oy
this time tomorrow you Will pass the heA' iour
a"yS ya - src in Sor II now whispered his sympa
thizing comrade when the terrible boncnSru hou
Not a hit Of it replied de Langeais, Struggling
his shoulde uncOnCernedY.
Why, what earth can you DO ,,,,, 30
az don't exactly know; but intend 10 put o"
the evil day e. lOus as | possible can 80
Next morning, with the aid Of couple OF
brushes we'll soaked in water, he succeeded Ill
dwelling the rebellious locks so as TO acc'iE"
even a practised eye, and appeared on ph!h'H
with his wonted laun,y arr ".inous I'm mS ordeal
nervous to the result tAc COMING ino,,sit
Presently the lieutenant arri\ "a with an onln3sS
Slow step and pausing ss before eAsctB IN iLon'
of CASTOR, repeated the order Oh tl1 pie'iOu N"'
Take of your cap , , n
For moment Bouchard appeared puzzled by
the apparently smooth surface oI the pupil
head, but bent on ascertalnnS ths ro sD % %
the aattened hair with his fopehnger, thereny aus
closing q substrstum Of tiny curS, linen, burning
10 the adjutsnt who accompanied him, ne briefly
cosis the offender for four days TO the sale
De- police. and continued his round Of inspection
with self.sausfed grin.
During the last day Of his seclusion naSton
practically employed his leisure in decorating has
knee BY iudicious mixture OF blne anu green
paint, with tolerably exact imitation OF
bruisa which he showed to the reglmentai doctor,
pretending that the confusion haa oeG en-
school Whether he implicitly believed the state
ment or not, the good natured medico put nm
on the SICK list, and thus twenty-four hours were
paA is !,
became at length a matter OF necessary, ana this
time his continued disObcdience epOalleo on MN d
weeks further confinement; at the expiration OF
which he was again consigned TO DURANGO vile
for an entire fortnight, ,r
This win never do thought de- Lsngrais q" The
earthenware pot must IN me long run pe SniaSs ~
last / had better try old Grisor once more
Whereupon, having previously, by way o! pre-;
caution, added few touches 10 1nd Pe,ot me
consulting room Of DR.. GrisOn, who was fortunate
" too much engaged with other patients To De
stow more than very cursory glnnce al the Dtu!Sf
and not knowing precisely what to make OF the
case gave the newcomer an order OF admission
to the infrmary. then under the charge of half a
dozen Sisters Of Charity, presided over Lazy
Superior.
CASTOR had hardly changed his ordinary attire
for Die regulation loose gray coat and cotton night
cap when Ptrot, the tOnsOr OF the esta DhShmcnt
was announced, bearing an enormous ~3ir Oh
scissors and q hconic note, which ran as follows:
Immediately. BOUCHARD,7
The poor coifTeur unwilling to lose so excellent
q customer for pomadcs and other capillary I'M
guents and yet compelled TO obey the Imperative
mandate, was in despair
Would il not be possible. monsieur he sug.
gested, q" to obtain from the Lady Superior a Ger
titicate that the effect OF the operation might
be iriurious 70 AN invalid?7
CASTOR could not help smiling at the idea
don't quite see,' lac said, "whnt cropped head
has 70 do with bruse on the knee; but there
can be no harm in trying
As good luck would have II, Sister Angelique,
In whose memory, perhaps, still fingered the fondy
cherished recollection Of some romantic episode
OF her youthful days. listened with interest TO the
handsome Breton while he related 10 her his hopes
and fears and his attachment TO his cousin Louise
Being naturally kind hearted and sympathetic,
she agreed without much persuasion TO his rather
from his dsagrecable responsibility, went Oh his
way rejoicing.
A quarter Of an hour later the lieutenant burst
into the infrinary in a paroxysm OF fury.
bent on braving me! Well, we shall SEE. You
cannot stay shammng here forever: and mark
ny words-when you do come ont, ~ have that
head OF yours a smooth rs "a billiard ballH
With this parting threat he bOupccd out Of the
room and next day every one Of the future cav
airy ofioers-the prisoner alone exccptcdgundGr-
went the summary operation Of cropping at the
hands Of the tonsOr, PltrOt.
Meanwhile, Caston's position was by no means
an enviabIe one. Through the grated windows
Of the iniirmary he could see his comrades mount.
ing thrdr horses In the courtyard, and caracoling
gsyy as they pa ssed, and on Sundays most painful
TRIAL OF all-eould hear with pang of cnvs the
Joyous shouts of his more fortunate colleagues,
euanc.patcd for few hours from duty,and or their
way TO catch the first train 10 Paris
The day OF dcliversncc, however was at hand.
Early OIL the IIth OF July-a date never TO DO
forgotten by dc Iaugeais-the occupants Of the
nirmary were suddenly startled by tremendous
qproar Immediately under their windows and, on
looking out, ina ined for O moment that pande'
monium Ind broken loose. =.
Snch q spectacle had assurrdly never been wit
messed at St. Cyr. The entire quadrangle was
throngcd by an excited multitude, rushing to and
fro In tumultuous disorder hinging their caps
high IN the Cir. and bursting every now and then
into loud and prolonged hurrah! Was 1t ne.
volt, maryelled the sisters and thsir patients, or
what could II possibly mcanp
A few minutes suficcd TO explain the mystery
A hasty step was heard outside the door,
immediately followed by the entrance INTO