The Penn's Grove record., 1889-08-24

nGunced, bearing an enormous pair Il
scissors and a laconic note. which ran
as follows:
The pupil De Langeais' hair to be cut
off Immediately. BoUCHARD.
The poor coiffeur, unwilling to lose
so excellent q customer for pomades
and other capillary ungeants, and yet
compelled to obey the imperative man
date, was In despair.
"Would itnot be possible, monsieur y
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,
"what a cropped head has to do with
a bruise on the knee, but there can be
no harm in trying.
As good luck would have 1t, Sister
AngeliQue, In whose memory, perhaps,
still fingered the fondly cherished rec
| election 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-
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 lieu
tenant burst into the infrmary in a
| paroxysm Of fury.
$50, youn2sterl' he cried, st 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
BALL"
With the parting threat he bounced
out OF the room, and next day every
one of the future cavalry oficers-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 intirmary lie
could see his companions mounting
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
yoyouo oIOueo VI Lio AhOlO AoleuLldtC WI
leagues, emancipated for a few hours
from duty, and on their way to catch
the first train to Paris.
The day OF deliverance, however, was
at hand. Early Oh the 14th of July-a
date never to be forgotten by DE Ian
geais-the occupants Of the infrmary
were suddenly startled by a tremendous
uproar Immediately under their win
dows, and, on looking out. imagined
for a moment that pandemonlum had
broken loose.
Such a 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 a loud and prolonged hur-
rahl Was it a revolt, marveled the
sisters and their patients, OF what could
it possibly mean?
A few minutes suficed 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 al official
document, the contents of which, re-
cited by him in u 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
III the inirmary. the invalids, one and
all, having mustered strength enough
to throw aside their wraps and make
the best of their way down stains.
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 o~utstretched hand and a frank,
CHEEKY smile.
"Well, Lieutenant" he said, "you
won't have me cropped nowI'
$50 it seems" grimly replied the
other, returning somewhat reluctantly
the proffered grasp. "You Eave more
luck than you deserve; for, depend
upon it, I should have shown you no
m~ercy!"
Each of the seniors entitled to promo
ton having notified to the adiutant on
duty the regiment to which he was de-
sirious of being attached, the prepare
tons for departure were speedily COM
plsted. at an early hour in the after
noon the band of exulting youngsters
started for Paris, intent on making the
most Of the three days allowed them
hafprQ JOininn thar raopaofitta nnrno
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 long cherished project of
paying a flying visit to his cousin
Louise at TrOuville; and, repairing on
the thIfi day to headquarters, reported
himself to the colonel of the Forty
8 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 We shall b.
on our way to the from"
On his first appearance at mess, De
Langeais discovered to lis astonish-
ment that every one of his new COM
panIons, without exception, was closely
cropped. "a very necessary precau-
ton" said the president, ''in war time;
he less encumbrance we carry about
us the better. A long beard and as
little hair as possible; no comb or razor
wanted, nothing but a simple brush
up"
mot 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 exhortatlons, 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.
Nc ertheless, he instinctively felt
that a continued refusal to conform to