Connecticut western news., 1891-04-22
A LOST BATTLE.

days and had passed the preceding night with their hapsacks on their backs be- heath the drenching rain, the soldiers were exhausted. Nevertheless, for three mortal hours they had been kept wait ing, with grounded arms, in the pud- dles 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 hapsacks, and weariness and privation were best pictured on those unbent faces abandoned to slumber. Rain, mud, no fire, no soup, black and threatening sky, and the enemy on all aides. It was wretched,
 What were they doing there? What was taking place?
 The cannon, their muzzles pointed to- ward the woods, had the air of watching something. The masked mitrailleuses stared fxedly at the horizon. Every thing seemed ready for an attack. Why did they not attack? For what were they waiting?
 They were waiting for orders, and the headquarters did not send them.
 The headquarters, however, were not far distant. They were at handsome chateau in the style of Louis XIII, the red bricks of which, washed by the rain, glistened on the hillside among the trees. It was truly 8 princely dwelling, and well worthy of bearing the banner of a marshal of France. Behind great ditch and 8 stone railing which separated them from the highway the grassplats ran straight up 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 lumi- nous gaps; the pond in which swans were swimming stretched out like a mirror; and beneath the pagoda shaped roof of an immense aviary, sending forth shrin cries into the foliage, peacocks and golden pheasants beat their wings and spread their tails
 Although the propretors had departed, nothing there indicated the recklessness, the overwhelming desolation of war; The orihamme of the chief of the army had preserved everything, even to the meanest flowers of the grass plats, and it was something impressive to find so near the field of battle the opulent calm ness which arises from orderly arrange ments, from straight rows of 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 ele- gant, aristocratic shower, brightening the red bricks and the green of the grass plats, adding gloss to the leaves of the orange trees and the white plumage of the swans. Everything shone-every- thing was still. Verify, without the flag which was flying from the peak of the roof, without the two soldiers on guard before the grating, never could one have believed it the military headquarters. The horses were reposing in the stables. Here and there one met grooms, or deries in undress uniform lounging in the vicinity of the kitchens, or some gar dener in red pantaloons tranqui1ly draw ing his rake through the gravel of the principal walks.
 The dining hall, the windows of which opened upon the steps, displaying table half cleared away. uncorked bottles, soiled and empty drinking vessels, look ing wan on the rumpled cloth-an the flag end of 8 dinner deserted by the guests. In an adjoining apartment was heard the sound of voices, of laughter, of rolling billiard balls, of clinkng glass es. The marshal was playing his game, and that was why the army was await ing orders. When the marshal had once commenced bis game the heavens might fall, but nothing on earth could prevent him from finishing it.
 Billiards!
 The game was this great warriors weakness. He stood there, as grave as in battle, in full uniform, his breast cov- cred with decorations, his eyes sparkling and his eyeballs infamed by the dinner, the game and his potatons. His aids de-camp surrounded him, eager and re- spectful, uttering exclamations of ad. miration at each of bis shots. When the marshal made point they all precipi. tated themselves toward the marker. When the marshal was thirsty they all wished to prepare his grog. Twas a crush of epaulets and plumes, clash oi crosses and metal tipped shoulder knots, and the sight of all the agreeable smiles the fawning, courier like reverences oi so much embroidery and so many new uniforms in that lofty oak wainscoted hall, looking out upon parks and courts of honor, recalled the autumns of Com piegne and contracted strangely with the weather stained overcoats vainly waiting along the highways and forming suct somber groups beneath the rain.
 The marshal's opponent was a captain on the staff, belted, with curled hai1 and light colored gloves, who was an ex pert at billiards and capable of van quishing all the marshals in the world but he knew how to keep at 8 respectful distance from bis chiaf, and while hs strove not to win endeavored not to b< beaten too easily. He was, as they say an officer with future before him.
 It was truly an interesting game. Th< balls sped, kissed and crossed their col. ors. Suddenly cannon flash shot acroaf the sky and hollow report made ths window panes rattle. The officers started and looked at each other uneasily. Ths marshal alone had seen nothing, hai heard nothing. Bent over the billiard table he was combining magnificent draw shot. Draw shots were his forte.
 But another flash came, then another The cannon reports multiplied. Tn aids-de-camp ran to the windows. Wer the Prussians going to attack?
 "Well, let them attackw said tn marshal, chalhng his cue. ''Yor tun to play, captain"
 The sta6 dnttsred with admirA4ion