Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-08-01

Lady Superior.
CASTOR had hardly changed his ordi-
nary attire for the regulation loose gray
coat and cotton nighteap when Pitrot,
the tOnsor of the establishment, was an
nOunced, bearing an enormous pair of
scissors and lacOnic note, which ran
as follows:
"The pupil de Langeais' hair is to be
cut off Immediately. BOUCHARD."
The poor cOiffeur, unwilling to lose so
excellent customer for pomades and
other capillary unguents, and yet COM
PEELED to obey the imperative mandate,
was in despair.
"Would it not be possible, monsieur"
he suggested, ''tO obtain from the Lady
Superior certificate that the effect of
the operation might be injurious to an
invalid?"
CASTOR could not help smiling at the
idea. ~ don't quite see, he said, ''what
a cropped head has to do with 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 recol-
lection of some romantic episode of her
youthful days, listened with interest to
the handsome Breton, while ne related
to her his hopes and fears, and his at
tachment to his COUSIN Louise. Being
naturally kind-hearted and sympathet
ic, she agreed without much persuasion
to his rather incongruous request, so that
Pere Pitrot, relieved from his disagreed
BILE responsibility, went on his way re-
joicing.
A quarter of an hour later the lieuten-
ant burst into the infirmary in parox
ysm of fury.
$50, youngsterl' he cried, ''it seems
you are bent on Drawing me! Well, we
shall see. You cannot stay shamming
here forever; and, mark my words
when you come out, I'll have that head
of yours as smooth as a billiard ball!'
With this parting threat he bounced
out of the room, and the next day every
one of the cavalry Officers-the prisoner
alone excepted underwent the summa-
ry operation of "copping" 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 he
could see his comrades mounting their
horses in the courtyard, and caracoling
gayly as they passed, and on Sun
drys-most painful trial of all-could
hear with a pang of envy the joyous
shouts of his more fortunate colleagues,
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 18th of July
date never to be forgotten by de Ian
geais the occupants of the intirmary
were suddenly startled by tremendous
uproar Immediately under their windows,
and, on looking out, imagined for mo-
ment that pandemonium 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 tumult-
uous disorder, flinging their caps high
in the air, and bursting every now and
then into loud and prolonged hurrah!
Was it a revolt, marvelled the Sisters
and their patients, or what could tpoSSl-
bly, 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
adiutant, bearing in his hand an Off
cial document, the contents of which,
recited 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 stupe-
faction, they found themselves alone in
the infrmary; the invalids, one and all,
having mustered strength enough to
throw away their wraps and make the
best of their way downstairs.
CASTOR, whose instantaneous cure SIS
Angelique afterward described as little
short of miraculous was the first to re-
ioin his comrades; and, deserving his
prosecutor, Bouchard, standing apart
from the rest, and apparently in no very
good humOr, went up to him with out
stretched hand and a frank, CHEEKY
smile.
"Wen, lieutenant" he said, "yOu won't
have me cropped nOw!"
$50 it seems" grimly replied the 9th
er, returning somewhat reluctantly the
proffered grasp.
"You have more luck than you de-
serve; for, depend upon it, | should have
shown you no mercy"
Each of the seniors entitled to promo
ton having notified to the adJutant on
duty the regiment to which he was de-
siriOus of being attached, the prepara-
tions for departure were speedily COM
Melted. 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 be-
fore Joining their respective corps. Gas
tons regiment being stationed at Lille,
he had ample leisure, after partaking OF
a farewell repaSt at Brebant's with his
old companions, to carry into execution
his long cherished project of paying a
hyinO visit to his cousin Louise at Trou-
vile; and, repairing on the third day to
headquarters, reported himself to the
colonel of the AID Dragons, who re-
ceived 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 be-
fore the week is out we shall be on our
way to the front"
On his first appearance at mess, de
Langeais discovered to his astonishment
that every one of his new companions
without exception, was closely cropped
"a very necessary precaution, said the
president, sin war time; the less ineum-
brance we carry about us the better.
A long beard and as little hair as possl-
HE. NO comb or razor wanted, nothing
but simple brush up,
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