Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-05
A HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPE.

In 1870, a month or two before the out
break of the Franco G. erman war, one of
the most promising cadets, Or, as they are
commonly styled, "Pupils," of the mill
tary college of st. Cyr was CASTOR de
Langeais. He was the last representative
of an ancient family in Brittany, whose
traditional obstInacy and inpatIence of
control he had inherited to an extent
which rendered him more popular with
his comrades than with the presiding
authorities.
Not tina 6 he was especially remarkable
for -urbulance or INSTRUMENTATION, or that
his mfr actions of rules were more fire.
quent than those of the majority of his
fellows. On one point alone he was in
tractable, and exercised all his ingenuity
ip repeated attem pts to escape a regula-
ton which was inexpressibly repugnant
to him. Gifted by nature with an abun-
dance ofluxuriantiy curling hair, of which
he was Unfortunately vain, the prescribed
necessity of having it cropped short was a
perpetual grievance to him; and he looked
anxiousy forward to his second year at
st. Cyr, and to his consequent emanci-
patton from the 100 close scrutiny to
which he had hitherto been periodically
subjected.
ain two months" he said exultingly to
one of his inmates, "Iny time here will be
up, and once named officer [ shall be as
free as air, aud no longer ashamed to
show myself to my cousin Louise. For
you see," he added, lifting his cap, and
displaying thick growth of short curls
carefully fattened down, 81 still have
son @ hair left"
in he mir nj fn
collapse; and Gaston's visionary projects
were to say the least, premature.
A few mornings later, at the usual hour
of parade, the corps of youngsters were
unex pectedly summoned TO undergo the
inspection Of Sthe Infantry lieutenant,
Bouchard, the lynx eyed martinez, by no
means favorably disposed toward pupils
destined for cavalry regiments, whom he
contemporary designated as "coxcombs."
De Langeais, as the recognized leader
of the band, was particularly obnoxious
to him; and his keen eyes twinkled
maliciously as he stopped short before
the young man and examined him Curl
ously.
stake off your cap" ne said.
CASTOR obeyed with an inward shiver of
apprehension.
tenant off that supeTfnous hair has not
disappeared by this time tomorrow, you
will pass the next four days in the sale
de police"
''You are in for it now" whis pered his
sympathising oomrede when the terrible
Bouchard had passed on.
''Not pit of it," replied De Langeais,
smuggling his shoulders uneoncerntdly.
'Why, what on earth can you dor"
81 don't exactly know; but l intend to
put eff the evil dav as long as possibly
can"
Next morning, with the aid of a couple
of brushes, well soaked in water, ne sue
ceeded in leveling the rebellious locks so
as to deceive even a pr acticed eye, and
appeared on parade with his wonted
jaunty air, although not little nervous
as TO the result OF the coming ordeal.
Presently the lieutenant arrived with an
ominously slow step, and pausing as be-
fore exactly in front of CASTOR, repeated
the order of the previous day.
"Take off your cap"
For a moment Bouchard appeared puz-
zled by the apparently smooth surface of
the "pupii'5" head, but bent on ascer-
tanning the real state of the case, be I'M
ceremoniously lifted portion of the fiat
tened hair with his fore-fnger, thereby
disclosing a sub-stratum of tiny ourls.
Then, turning I'd the adjutant who ac-
ompanled him, he briefly consigned the
offender for four days TO the "salle de
police" and continued his round of in
spection with self-satisfied grin.
During the last day of his seclusion
CASTOR practically employed mis- leisure
in decorating his knee, by judicious
mixture of blue and green paint, with a
toerably exact imitation of a bruise,
which he showed to the regimental doc
tor pretending that the confusion had
been caused by his coming in contact with
q post in the riding school. Whether he
implicitly believed the statement or not,
the good natured medico put him on the
sick list, and thus twentg tours were
gained. His appearance GA parade, how
ever, became at length matter of ne
cessity, and this time his continued dis
obedience entailed on him weeks furth-
er COZ fnement, at The expiration OF
which he was again consigned to dursnce
vile for fortnight.
"This will never do" thought De Ian
geais. "The earthen ware pot must in the
long run be smashed by the iron one, and
1 shall have to give in at last. had bet
ter try ole Grisou once more"
WhereUpo pom, having previously, by the
way of precautlon, added a few touches
to the pictorial establishment of his
knee he limped into the consulting room
of DR.. Grison, who was fortunately toe
much engaged with other patients 30 be-
stow more than 8 cursory glance at the
bruise, and, not knowing precisely what
to make of the case, gave the new conner
an order of admission to the infirmary
then under she charge of half q dozeI
Sisters of Charity, presided over by alady
superior.
CASTOR had hardly changed his ordinary
attire for the regulation loose gay Goa
and cotton night cap, when Pitrot, the
tonso- of the establishment, was an
nounced, bearing an enormous pair o
scissors and a laconic note which ran a
follows:
''The pupil De Laugeais's hair is to b,
cut Of imme diately. BoUCHARD."
The poor Coiffeur unwilling to lose S,
excellent q customer for pomades ant
other capillary unghnts, and yet compellet
to obey the imperative mandate, was IL
despair.
ssWould it not be possible, monsieur,
he suggested, "to obtain from the lad
superior certificate that the effect of tn
operation might be injurious to an in
validr
CASTOR could not help smiling at tn
idea.
81 don't quite see," he said, "what
copper head hes to do with brulse o
the knee; but there can be no harm III try
ing"
AS good luck would have it, Siste
Apgelique, in whose memory, perhaps