Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-18
A HAIR BREADTH ESCAPE.

q I1Alh DhEADIn EOUAf L.
In 1870, a month or two before the
outbreak of the Franco-German war, one
of the most promising cadets, or, as they
they are commonly styled, pupils" of
the military college Of St. Cyr was Gas
ton de Langeais. He was the last rep
resentative of an ancient family in Brit
tany, whose traditional obstinacy and
impatience of control he had inherited
to an extent which rendered him more
popular with his comrades than with the
presiding authorities.
Not that he was especially remarkable
for turbulence or INSTRUMENTATION. or that
his attractions 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
in repeated attempts TO escape a regula-
ton which was inexpressibly repugnant
to him. Gifted by nature with an album
dance of fuxuriantly curling hair, of
which he was Unfortunately vain, the pre-
scribed necessity Of having it cropped
short was perpetual grievance to him;
and he looked anxiouslv forward 10 his
second year at St. Cyr, and TO his conse-
quent emancipation from the too close
scrutiny to which he had hitherto been
periodically subjected.
In two months" he said exultingly
TO one of his intimates. my time here
will be up, and once named officer l shall
be free as air, and no longer ashamed to
show myself 10 my cousin Louise. For
you see" he added, lifting his cap, and
displaying a thick growth of short curls
carefully hattened down, Il still have
some hair left.
Castles in the air, however, are apt to
collapse; and Gastou's visionary projects
were, TO say the least, premature.
4 few mornings later, at the usual
hour of parade. the corps Of youngsters
were unexpectedly summoned TO under
go the inspection Of the infantry Heuten-
ant, Bouchard, lynx eyed martinez, by
10 means favorably disposed toward pu-
pills destined for cavalry regiments,
whom he contemptuousiy designated as
-'coxcombs." De Langeais, as the recog-
liked leader of the band, was particularly
obnoxious TO MIN; and his keen eyes
twinl1led maliciously as he stopped short
before the young man, and examined
him curiously.
Take off your cap" he said.
CASTOR obeyed with an inward shiver
of apprehension.
81 thought as much" growled the
lieutenant. IF that superfuous hair
has not disappeared by this time to-
morrow you viii pass the next four days
in the sale de police. "
You are in for it now" whispered his
sympathizing comrade when the terrible
Bouchard had passed on.
Not bit OF it" replied De Langeais,
Struggling his shoulders unconcernedly.
"Why, what on earth can you dor
Il don't exactly know; but l intend TO
put off the evil day as long as L possibly
can"
Next morning, with the aid of a couple
of brushes, well soaked in water. he sue
ceeded in leveling the rebellious locks SO
as to deceive even practiced eye, and
appeared on parade with his wonted
iaunty air, although not a 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 pupils" head, but, bent on ascer-
tanning the real state of the case, he un-
tremendously lifted a portion of the fiat
tered hair with his forehnger, thereby
disclosing subStratum of tiny curls.
Then, turning 10 the adjutant who ac-
conpanied 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 his leisure
in decorating his knee, by a judicious
mixture OF blue and green paint, with
exact imitation of bruise,
which he showed TO the regimental doc
tor. pretending that the confusion had
been caused Oy ms coming Ii contact
with 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 twenty-four
hours were gained. His reappearance
on parade, however, became at length
matter of necessity, and this time his
continued disobedience enraIled on him a
weeks further confinement. at the ex-
piration of which he was again consigned
10 DURANGO vile for an entire fortnight.
This Will never do" thought De Lam
geais. The earthenware pot must IN
the long run be smashed by the iron one,
and shall have to give in at last. had
better Try old Grison once more"
Whereupon, having previously by way
of precaution added few touches 10 the
pictorial embellishments Of his knee, he
iimped into the consulting room OF DR..
Grison, who was fortunately too much
engaged with other patients to bessow
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