Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-03-05

nOtOnOuS march, ne OenC MS neau anu t
a low groan escaped his lips.
ITO forget?" he implored. ''Oh.
God! for one hour to forget!"
In an instant all thought of duty !
escaped him, the vigilant eyes no
longer swept the horizon. the keen
ears grew deaf to all but the dull.
agonizen beating of heart that felt it
would never again find rest or peacc
on the earth's wide face. Suddenly he
started and looked round. Alas for
that trance OF pain, that short forget
fullness! The dull thud of horses feet
came loud and distinct to his ears-in
the shadow play of night and dawn he
saw the flash Of arms, and while his
alarm rang clarion clear throughout
the slumbering camp, he knew how
vain the warning was.
In an instant all was stir. hustle, |
confusion.
With marvellous celebrity the troops |
got under arms, but their actions were
not rapid enough for the charging
sweep of the foe, who trebled their
scanty numbers and bore down on
them with an eagles swoop.
The hoofs of rearing chargers
struck at them on every side,
the clash of swords and
crash OF shot and steel filed all the
air. It was conflict sharp and short.
a conflict hand to hand, breast to
breast over which the morning broke
gray, and silvery, and beautiful, as
though in mockery of the brute pas
sions and the murderous follies OF
men.
The struggle was brief. Outnum-
bered six to one, there was little doubt
of how it must end. Escape or victo-
nv were alike impossible. The Prus-
slams we're victors ere the day was an
hour old.
The prisoners of war-humiliated;
disarmcd. furious as trapped beasts
were handed over to a detachment OF
, the Prussian corps. Their ultimate
fate was not yet decided upon. The
victory of Sedan had led to its evacua-
, ton, and the Bavarian and Prussian
corps were marching rapidly toward
Paris. The conquerors were exultant
the fate of war seemed certain now.
All Paris was in revolt, confusion
| and excitement reigned everywhere.
| In military circles but one issue SEEM
I ed possible, and though '.Guerre out
s trance" was still in every Frenchman's
: mouth, the German armies treated it
g as a mere matter of time.
q The imprOvised and Republica n
a armies of France, drawn from all
I: sources, and in many cases unframed
and undisciplined, might certainly
4 convert the war of arms into one oil
: siege, but with Metz and Sedan in
. French army, either killed or prison
;, ers, the Prussians might well be con.
8 fident, and treat their enemy's def
a ance as mere bravadO.
If Pierre Leroux had been severely
wounded. Unconscious Of all that was
= passing around him, he lay through
i, out the long weary day. Pain held hin
, powerless, his strong frame lay bruis
- ed and stricken, his eyes were closed
! as if lead weighed down their lids
II Unfamiliar voices sounded in his ears
a but he had no consciousness of theil
!, words. Weak with loss of blood, dir
n Nv and faint with the exhaustion o
long fasting and incessant fatigue, 81
At he lay, wondering dimly if death wa
~ at hand now-the death he had prayet
% for so long.
If his captors had been as merciles
"a as he desired, another dawn woul'
h never have greeted his earthly sight
10 but with certain rough kindness ant
70 compassion they had tended hi
9, wounds, and when consciousness re
70 turned, and fever at last left him, h
~ found himself in an ambulance-wago
in part Of the country totally ne'
and strange to him.
nc With sense and feeling came bac
no the remembrance of his fate. He wa
AZ prisoner. Doubtless his captol
A. were about to take him to their ow
=. land; stray words he caught here an
~ ~ there, all seemed to point to this ,
-. conclusive. He glanced round tn
~ straw lined vehicle as it jolted owe
." the rough uneven roads. Four otht
~ figures were stretched there like hin
w. self. Now and then q moan OF pa:
~ escaped them. One he recognized I
on the gay young soldier who had laug
W ed and TESTED at the wine tavern Il
" evening before that sharp and sho
,os encounter with he enemy, whose l.
~ suits had been so disastrous.
AN 'It is you, then, Poupard, is it?"
ho said languidly. "Are you hurt?"
''Should ! be here else?" grunt
M the other ungraciouslv. 'Devil ta
i'd those brutes, they have crushed eve
,rs bone in my body,I veryily believe"
ne "How was it?' Pierre asked langui
led ly.
m at was one OF their horses; I
IN hoofs struck me down. / was bragg
oss out from under the animal afterwa,
err. so they say. A shot had killed hi
hat and he fell on me. Dame! why did
md not kill me outright? 'Twould
the better than to be MANNED for life, a
nm. assuredly shall be now"