St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-02-18
LOVE AND WAR.
BY WILLIAM WESTFALL,

BY WILLIAM WESTFALL.
A summer night at Geneva, and
nautical fetc on Geneva's historical lake
The narrow stretch of water between
the two sides of the city thronged with
boats, great and small, all aglow with
Chinese lanterns; rockets shooting sky
wards in rapid succession, their course
marked by trails Of fiery rain; at inter
walls the boom of cannon and the shouts
of excited spectators.
GOOD Very we'll done, and how
beautiful !" exclaimed Baron Won Hob
enstein, who, together with DR.. Burt and
myself, were watching the spectacle
from one of the balconies of the Hotel
de la Paix.
eyes, it is very fine. The fireworks
are splendid. How beautifully the lights
are reflected in the water. And then
the cannon thunder You have seen
war, Herr Baron; does it not rather re-
mind you Of battle?"
"A very small one. A single battery
Of light artillery would make more noise.
Yes, | have seen war-seen it on large
scale-and though we Germans are sup
posed to be fond of fighting, I want to
see no more of it. A battlefield strewn
with thousands of corpses is fearful
sight, and when among the slain there
are dear comrades and, it may be, kins-
men, and one thinks Of the sorrowing
hearts at home, it is hard to rejoice even
over the greatest victory. Yet l must
not speak i'll of war, for to war owe the
happiness of my life"
THE happiness of your life? How
was that, Herr Baron?"
Zach, Colt, Meinherr! Thereby hangs
tale"
80 much the better. I like tales,
above all when they relate to love and
war, and if l am not indiscreet-''
"You go too fast. How know you
that my tale relates to love and war;"
"You spoke of owing to war the hap
plness of your life
80! you think, then, that one can
not have life of happiness without love?
You are right. But l am not good at
dear brother-in iasERes9 httttlh though that my
IS born narrator, and knows the story
almost better than know it myself. will
obllSe you. Tell him all about it. Vic
tor. The fete is nearly over, and, while
you discourse on war, our friend here and
myself will smoke the calumet of peace.
"A very convenient arrangement.
said the Doctor, smiling. II don't smoke.
SO you are willing that l should have ali
the talk to myself. Convenient. vet
scarcely far; and Hermann does hi mself
scant justice. He can talk almost as
well as he can fight"
'Ach! That is paying my power to
night very poor compliment, Victor"
"on the contrary, it is paying your
power OF talk a high one. However, /
Will tell my part of the story-that in
which | played the principal part, on
condition that you do the rest"
Good! It's bargain" returned Won
Hohensteln. "By the time YOU have fin
lshed your tale | shall have finished nv
pipe. Then l will begin; for smoke
though good listener, is bad talker.
Go on"
Whcreupon DR.. Bart, turning to me-
began as follows:
I'm the year 1870 was young sur
ycon living here in nv native CITY very
eager to work, yet with very little work
% 90. 30 when the war broke out 7 Of
cred my services, first to the Germans,
hen to the French, and failing to find
from either, l enrolled my
'elt as volunteer il the International
Ambulance Corps, which took the field
lnder the protection of the Red Cross of
he Geneva Convention. In that ca
'aclty l made the campaign of Sedan
With the army of Marshal MacMahon,
"On August 25, 1870, we found our
elves at Vouziers, a small town of three
thousand inhabitants, between Mezieres
nd Verdun, in that same forest of Ar
onne which, in the previous century.
'as made classic by the exploits of Du,
louriez We had marched from Rheims
nd Chalons with MacMahon's army, and
ere attached to the Seventh Corns
'Armee, then commanded by General .
Quay. !
Our first care was to establish O field
ospital, which was soon filled with '
ounded soldiers, for though no gen I
al engagement had recently taken |
ace there were continual affairs of out E
,sts. >
meanwhile the army was in state of |
re confusion, marching and counter |
arching without apparent object, for O
9 Marshal hesitated; he could not O
axe up his mind whether to follow the b
ctatcs or prudence and fall back on s,
ms, threatened by the third German h
my, under the command of the Grown h
1nces OF Prussia and Saxony, or, Weld k
to the entreaties of the Government =,
srch to the rescue of Bazaine, who was O.
bay under the walls Of Metz.
while MacMahon was hating be- o
cen two opinions, the Germans were t.
shing forward with characteristic Ell re
~ On the Goth their cavalry patrols 1t