The Forrest City times., 1891-07-03
-------------------------- A LOST BATTLE.

days ard had passed the preceding night with their knapsacks on their backs beneath the drenching rain, the soldiers were exhausted. Neverthe- less, for three mortal hours they had been kept waiting, with grounded arms, in the puddles of the highways and the mud of the soaked fields.
 Overcome with fatigue and loss of sleep, their uniforms heavy with water, they huddled together to keep warm, to sustain themselves. There were some who slept as they stood leaning on their neighbor's knapsacks, and weariness and privatlon were best pictured on those unbent faces abandoned to slumber Rain, mud, no fire, no soup, a black and threat ening sky, and the enemy on all sides. It was wretched.
 What were they doing there? What was taking place.
 The cannon, their muzzles pointed towards the woods, had the air of watching something. The masked mitrailleuses stared fixedlv at the horizon. Everything seemed ready for an attack. Why did they not at tack? For what were they waiting?
 They were waiting for orders. and the headquarters, however, were not far distant. They were at hand some chateau in the style of Louis XIII, the red bricks of which. washed by the rain, glistcned on the hillsides among the trees. It was truly princely dwelling. and well worthy Of bearing the banner of a marshal of France. Behind a great ditch and a stone railing which separated them from the highway the grassplats ran straight ur to the steps of the man. sion. even and green, and bordered with vases of flowers.
 On the other side, the private side of the chateau. the hedge was full of luminous gaps; the pond in which swans were swimming stretched out like n mirror; and beneath the pagoda shaped roof ol m immense ayiary, sending forth shriil cries into the foli- age, peaeocks and golden pheasants beat their wings and spread their ta,ls.
 Although the proprietors had de- parted, nothing there indicated the recklessness. the overwhelming deso- lation of war. The orinamme of the chief of the army had preserved every thing even to the meanes. flowers of the grass plats, and 1t was something impressive to find so near the field of battle the opulent calmness which
 
 from straight rows ot trees and from the silent depths of avenues
 The rain, which filled the highways with such wretched mud and plowed such deep furrows, was there but an elegant, aristocratic shower, brighten ing the red bricks and the green of grass plats, adding gloss to the leaves of the orange trees and the white plumage of the swans. Everything everything was still. Verify, without the flag roof, without the two soldiers on guard before the grating, never could one have believed 1t the military headquarters. The horses were reposing in the stables. Here and there one met grooms, orderlies in undress uniform loung.ng in the vicinity oi the kitchens, or some gar dener in red pantaloons tranquilly drawing his rake through the gravel of the principal walks.
 The dining hall, the windows of which opened npon the steps, dis playing a table half cleared away, uncorked bottles, soiled and empty drinking vessels, looking wan on the rumpled cloth--all the flag end of a dinner deserted by the guests. In an adjoining apart ment was heard the sounds of voices, of laughter, of rolling billiard balls, of clinking glasses. The marshal was playing his game, and that was why the army was awaiting orders. When the marshal had once commenced his game the heavens might fall, but noth- ing on earth could prevent him from finishing 1t.
 Billiardsi
 The game was this great warriors \ weakness. He stood there, as grave as in battle. in full uniform, his breast covered with decorations, his eyes sparkling and his eyeballs inilamed by the dinner, the game and his pota- tions. His aids-de-camp surrounded him, eager and respectful, uttering ex- clamations of admiration at each of his shot-. When the marshal made point they all precipitated themselves toward the marker. When the marshal was thirsty they all wished to prepare his erog, Twas crush of epaulets and plumes. a clash of crosses and metal tipped shoulder knots, and the sight of all tn agree able smiles the iawnine, courier like reverences of so much embroidery and 50 many new uniforms in that lofty oak wainscoted hall, looking out up on parks and courts of honor, recall ed the autumns of Compiesne and contrasted strangely with the weather stained overcoats vainly waiting along the highways and forming such somber groups beneath the rain.
 Tho marshals opponent was a captain on the stati, hclted, with cnrled hair and light (, ,.oyei gloves, who was an expert al billiards and capable of vanquishing all the marsh als in the world, but he knew how to keep at respectful distanc from his chief, and while he strove to win en- Aeavored not to be beaten too easily. He was. as they say, an officer with future before him.
 It waa truly an interesting game. xhs balls sped. kisssd and cresssd