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


off Immediately. BoUCHARD.
The poor coiffeur, unwilling to lose
so excellent customer for pomades
and other capillary ungeauts, and yet
compelled to obey the imperative man
date. was in despair.
"Would itnot be possible, monsieur, "
he suggested, Ito obtain from the lady
/ superior a certificate that the effect of
the operation might be injurious TO an
| invalid?''
CASTOR could not help smiling at the
| idea. ST don't quite see." he said,
| 'Nwhat cropped head has to do with
a Druise on the knee, but there can be
no harm in trying.
AS good luck would have If, Sister
Angelique, in whose memory, perhaps,
! still fingered the fondly cherished Iec-
| 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
| pathetic, she agreed without much per-
suas!on 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 lieu
tenant burst into the infirmary in a
| paroxysm of fury.
80, youngsterl'' 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 smooth as a billiard
| ballr'
With the 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 infirmary lie
could see his companions noun ting
their horses in the courtyard, and cara
coling gayly as they passed, and on
Sundays-moSt painful trial of all
could hear with u pang of envy the
Joyous shouts of his more fortunate col
leagues, emancipated 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 l4th of July-a
date never to be forgotten by DE Lam
y
were suddenly startled by tremendous
uproar Immediately under their win
dows, and, on looking out, imagined
for moment that pandemonlum had
broken loose.
Such spectacle had assuredly never
been witnessed at st. Cyr. The entire
quadrangle was thronged by an excited
multitude, rushing TO and fro in tu-
multuous disorder, flinging their caps
high in the air, and bursting every now
and then into loud and prolonged hur-
rahl Was it revolt, marveled the
| sisters and their patients, or what coull
it possibly mean?
a few minutes sufliced 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 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 stu
pefaction, 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
Sister Angelique, after described as
little short of miraculous, was the first
to rejoin 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 IA frank,
CHEEKY smile.
"Well, lieutenant" he said, "you
won't have me cropped nowl'
80 1t SEEMS" grimly replied the
other, returning somewhat reluctantly
the proffered grasp. "You lave more
luck than you deserve; for, depend
upon it, L should have shown you no
mercy"
Each of the seniors entitled to promo
tion having notified to the adiutant on
duty the regiment to which he was de-
sirious of being attached, the prepara-
tions for departure were speedily COM
pleted. at an early hour III the after
noon the band of eXulting youngsters
started for Paris, intent on making the
most of the three days allowed them
before Joining their respective co ps.
Gaston's regiment being stationed at
Lille, he had ample leisure, after par
taking of a farewell repast at Brebant's 5
with his old companions, to carry into
execution his long cherished project of
paying a flying visit to his cousin
Louise at TrOuyille; and, repairing on
the third day to headquarters, reported
himself TO the colonel of the Forty
cond Dragons, who received him
most cordially.
"You are dispensed 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 the week Is out W, shall =
on our way to the 'front.'
On his first appearance at mess De
Langeais discovered TO Lis astonfsh-
ment that every one Of his new COM
panIons, without exception, was closely
cropped "a very necessary pIecau-
ton" :" said the president, ''in war time;
the less encumbrance we carry about
US the better. a long beard and as
little hair as possible; no comb or razor
wanted, nothing but simple brush
up.'''
Not to mention" chimed in an old
campaigner of proverbial badness,
THAT a heavy helmet plays the very
deuce with ones hair
CASTOR listened with due respect to
these well meant exhortatIons, but
without fhe 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
regimental barber.
Nevertheless, he instinctively felt
that a continued refusal TO conform to
the general custom, must inevitably en-