Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-19
TRYING TO SEE MOLTKE.
MURAT HALSTEAD'S EXPERIENCE AT
ST. AVOID IN 1870.

In the first week of August, 1870 attempt
ing to witness the invasion of France by
the armies Of Germany, my equipment was
belt of French gold, a Partisan silk hat
and Scotch cap, suit of gray clothes
and brown blanket. a field glass and
travelling bag with shoulder strap, and
the bag contained a portfolio, with writing
materials, some cakes of chocolate,
change of underclothing, with two pairs of
socks, bunch of cigars, box Of matches
and pocket knife with one large blade
and a small corkscrew; also a combination
fork and spoon, and glass cup in leather
case. My trunks had been expressed to
London, and my valise was abandoned at
Mannheim.
My plan of campaign was based on the
theory that the army of invasion must fol
low the railroads, and | camped out, as it
were, in coupe car. NJ. ID. Conway, then
of London, was my companion, philoso
pher and friend and we were resolved to
see the big war. We did not buy railway
tickets, as there was none for sale, and our
original strength was in misunderstood
ing orders and disregarding all expostula
tons. | remember to have been utterly
unable to comprehend even very good En-
glish as it was spoken. Just before taking
possession of a car, where we had no bust
ness whatever to be, we succeeded in pur
chasing loaf of bread and two bottles of
wine, one red, one white, and these were
our reserved stores.
We proceeded in fine style for eight
miles, when we reached the town where
Thomas Mast, the artist, was born, and
there, for that or some other reason, was
detention of eleven hours, occupied in lit
erary labors.
The second night out we struck small,
wet town-Homburg- the watering
place or the great seaport-and by aston
ishing luck got a room with bed in it,
and 1t seemed that all night there was an
astounding tramping in the street. This
might have been a dream, but | was as
sured heavy column of troops passed
through and were in a hurry. A cheerful
young man with gift of tongues stated
that the king and Bismarck and Moltke
had been there but "the day before yester-
day"
ENTERING FRANCE.
This was good news, for it was assurance
that we were not too late. The cheerful
young man said of course the king was
known by everybody, there was no mis-
taking him, and Bismarck was "the man
with the tigers eye" while Moltke was
tall and slender, pale and thin faced, and
said nothing but you could tell he knew
everything.
We were ordered not to cross the frontier
into France, but evaded that restriction by
climbing into car and distributing cigars
so plenty among the soldiers that the in
specting officers did not make out that
civilians were improperly present. The
Oh . IaI
stopped within two miles of st. Avoid
and walking across the country there
were the king and Bismarck and Moltkt
apparently waiting for us. The king bowed
graciously from window above the post
office, a two story stone house, and Bis
marck. walking in front of headquarters
was told Of the presence of American ed
itors, and was at pains at once to tell then
he was pleased to see them, that there wa,
no reason why they should starve, and W,
were welcome on account of the million,
of German blood in America
Moltke was not visible, but | had occa
sion to know where he was. was putting
up at the Hotel de Paris, and that meant
was allowed to sit in the barroom and 4
sleep on billiard table. The latter cere
mony managed with my Paris hat for
pillow. | had ascertained that hat mus
go. As il was the only one in the army, i
seemed to remind the soldiers in enormou
numbers of something amusing, and the!
grew so hilarious that their cordial mani
festations became monotonous, in the sens
that Mark Twain uses that word.
| should not have minded phase of IN
popularity on account of my hat, but eX
cess of appreciation was embarrassing
Therefore | concluded to use it as PILLOW
lust once, and leave it in the house as
mysterious souvenir. 1t was very good a
a support for the head, but somewhat stii
at first.
DISTURBED AT MIDNIGHT.
About half way between midnight an
daylight | became conscious of the pre-
ence, in the door which opened on a cour
OF a tall man wearing a Prussian cap an
buttons, and that he was asking in Frenc
whether Moltke was there | sat up on m
couch (which was restful change Of p
sition) and the tall man and myself strul
gled with the language of the country
had Just succeeded in saying that Moltl
was not in that room TO the best of m
knowledge and belief, when a man with
dripping candle emerged from what II
novelists would call secret passage al
stated that the field marshal had the apar
ment Immediately above. So / have slel
under the same roof with him. IL has o
CURED to me since that the tall man vii
the buttons was an orderly sent to Moltl
with dispatches that the French were n
trying to defend the line of the Mosel
above Metz.
The next day an officer, who was pleas,
to air his English and carried sma
volume containing Shakespeare's plays
painfully small print, told me that If
wanted to see the great general he WI
soon to cross the railroad by stone bridI
which carried the turnpike over it, and
placed myself by the roadside, as with
sharp turn it entered the bridge. Pre-
emily squad of lancers appeared, the
pennons fluttering under the sparklin
spears, and then came carriage drawn |
four horses. guided by bootedand squire
positions, and behind it another squad
iancers In the carriage was the field ma
shal, and the top that sheltered him fro
the sun was one that dropped, protectir
the single seat.
The speed of the turnout was rapi
plunging, Gathering trot There was
deep limestone dust on the road, and ju
as the carriage whirled Tor the bridg
where Moltke was to be fully seen face
face. the dust became dense cloud and
saw only pair of long, slender, high
polished boot legs. was very sorry abol
that dust, for IL nearly choked me besid
spelling the view. The king was off
visible, and Bismarck, too, but Moltke w
beone who was invisible. -Murat Halste;
rap,rnorcial Gazafta