Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-25
mine host of the Croix dor and the Prus-
sian officer.
CHAPTER II.

! ings became him well, set OH his broad
shoulders and deep chest, and his peaked
cap shaded pair of frank blue eyes, keen
as an eagles. His men were soldierly
likely-looking troop Big, brawny fellows
with sunbrowned, determined faces, ant
that smart, capable look all the Prussar
regiments have.
He was 1nterrogating Jules Deriveau, as
I learned the landlord of the Croix d'Ol
was called, as to the different people likely
to provide the food and forage he required
| "Corn?" he queried briefly.
"Simon lie Ceur."
"Who else?"
'Paul Febre."
| "Who else? Come, my man, out with it.
Forage I have come tor and forage will
have, so it is no use trying to conceal the
names of those who have it to sell. Re.
member, we buy, we do not take your
| things without payment. You will receive
the value of your grain when the war is
over"
"Humph" growled Deriveau, with a
| scowl at his interlocutor, looking as though
he would like to fly at his throat. Never
theless he raped out string of names,
men likely to have what was wanted, for
every man of The troop held his lance in hand
"Now bread?"
'victor Stile, Jacques Rouvre."
"Hay?" And so on went the Of
fcer, and when he had list
of names, he reigned back his horse little
and shouted out: 'Simon lie Ceur"
The person to whom that name belonged,
shuffied out from the crowd of angry, gap
ing Frenchmen. and being questioned,
owned to possessing some corn, which he
was briefly ordered to bring in bags at once.
When he went of, Paul Febre was sum-
moned, the Uhlan going through the list
until, when he got to the last name, there
was Simon lie Ceur back once more before
the Uhlan, with a big sack-like bag of corn
in either hand
"What do you value it at?" asked the
officer. Simon named so many francs, the
Prussian turned it into thalers, wrote it
down in his notebook, tore out the leaf and
gave it to Simon. This performance he re-
peated with each one who brought food or
forage, until there was quite a goodly heap
of bags and bundles lying in the road near
them, as much as he and his Uhlans could
carry of, and they began fastening the bags
to their saddles, for the requisition had oc-
cupied considerable time. While they
were thus occupied trooper who had been
stationed to keep a look out at that end of
galloping furiously along crying:
'The French are coming with field guns.
Away! away!'
In the twinkling of an eve every Uhlan
was in his saddle, the reins gathered up,
going as hard as he could, one
or two of the more daring snatching
up a bag as they mounted; but the
greater part of the requisitioned things
were left in heapby the roadside.
Away they tore, riding like fury, their
horses hoofs raising perfect cloud of
white dust, toward Metz, the young officer
leading, urging his men on to ride as fast as
Montague, turn of the road hid them from
sight, when down the road from Longwy,
two field-pieces thundered, each drawn by
six horses, and manned by the full compile
ment of men, while several officers and
more artillerymen rode alongside and be-
hind, their blue uniforms looking indistinct
and blurry in the waning light of the au-
tumn day. They passed through the vii
lage like flash of lightning; maddened
with defeat, full of hatred and bitterness,
they lusted for the blood of the invaders.
'gThe work will be warm" remarked |
Earle, a man who had come down from |
Arlon with the fourgons.
eyes, we may be wanted" suggested.
'"True, Lancross (the doctor with us) had |
better bring some lint and splints," and
giving some directions to one of the men,
bers of the society, he called out, "Come |
along, We're" and began running like mad |
along the road leading to Metz, while i, |
seized with sudden desire to see some of |
she horrors of war, began running, too.
When we got round the curve we could |
zee the Uhlans in the distance going as
hard as they could, for the road ran per-
fectlv straight for couple of miles, and the
moon was riding up on the e'crest of star
lay, and nearer the French artillery
men, who had stopped and were
hastily embarrassing the horses from the
They unlimbered the guns,
,wung them round, an officer calculated the
distance, gunner cut the fuse. There was
puff of white smoke, boom. A sbrapnel
hell went hurtling through the air after
he flying Prussians, bnrst, scattered. Four
adde's were emptied, then one horse fell,
While the other riderless steeds went gal
oping after their companions. The French,
lot to be cheated of a full revenge on their
lated enemies, loaded and fired again. But
We could not see if much mischief was
lone. the Uhlans had gone on too far.
Then arose lively discussion amongst
he Frenchmen. Some were for going on,
md doing further damage, others recon-
nended caution, saying the Prussians had
low obtained too long start to be
lurt much, while to go on further would
We unwise, as they might at any minute fall
n with some of the Red Princes army, who
would avenge their comrades fate terribly.
20 they remained there while the landlord
# the Croix dor, the garcon, Lancross,
myself and some others vert on to where
he Uhlhns had fallen. Three lay still, one
- l.. H. |
lis hand as we came up. In moment
vas at his side He was a mere youth
With a smooth comelv face, comely, even
hough the shadow of death was stealing
cross it, and close-cropped iaxen hair. I
fitted him very gently, and pillowed the
eavy head on my shoulder, though the
lood was gushing in streams from q terri
lie wound the shrapnel had torn in his
ack.
The languid eyes opened and gazed up at
ne for a moment. Such a look! Full of
he most awful anguish and despair
hen shiver ran through his whole frame,
is eyes strained outwards as though they
Tould burst from their sockets, a bloody
pam rose to the lips that were vainly try
lg to shape some word, his form seemed to |
tretch cut, he groaned terribly and then
ollapsed.
'tLancross, I cried quickly. "Come
ere. Can you do anything for this poor
oy?"
The doctor came at once, and with one
lance at the young CHASTITY face, ex-
aimed with professional brevity:
Nothing He is dead" Nevertheless he
nbuttoned the gaily-faced tunic and threw
open and the ensanguined shirt, crying
! he did so: "My God! A womanP'
1t was but too true.
One glance at the snowy throat and
reast was enough to show me that the
oor creature who had died in my arms a