The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-02
TRYING TO SEE MOLTKE.
UuRAT HALSTeAD'S EXPERIENCE AT
ST. AVOID IN 1870.
ue Falls to Get q Glimpse Of tho Great
Fioid Marshal. Though He Slept in the
Same Hotel with the Astute Com
mander-Civilians Among Soldiers.

belt OF French gold, a Parisian silk hat
and Scotch cap, suit of gray clothes
and q brown blanket. n field glass and
travelling bag with shoulder strap, and
!he bag contained portfolio, with writing
materials, some cakes OF chocolate,
change Of underclothing, with two pairs OF
socks, bunch OF cigars, a box Of matches
and poke knife with one large blade
and small corkscrew; also combination
fork and spoon, and glass cup in leather
case. My trunks had been expressed to
London, and my valise was abandoned at
Mannheim.
Ny plan of campaign was based on the
theory that the army of inv.sion must fol-
low the railroads, and camped out, as 1t
were, in coupe car M. D, Conway, then
OF London, was my companion, philoso-
pher and friend, and we were resolved to
sec the big war. We did not buy railway
tickets, as there was none for sale, and our
original strength was in misunderstand-
ing orders and disregarding all expostula-
tions. remember to have been utterly
unable to comprehend even very good En-
glish as it was spoken. Just before taking
possession Of car, where we had no bust
ness whatever to be, we succeeded in pur-
chasing u 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-not the watering
place or the great seaport-and by aston
ishing luck got room with bed in it,
and 1t seemed that all night there was an
astounding tramping In the street. This
might have been u dream, but was as
sured heavy column of troops passed
through and were In hurry. A cheerful
young man with a 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 u car and distributing cigars
so plenty among the soldiers that the in
specting officers did not make out that
civilians were improperly present The
train in which we thus invaded France
stopped within two miles of st. Avoid,
and walking across the country there
were the king and Bismarck and Moltke
apparently waiting for US. The king bowed
gracously from window above the post
office, two story stone house, and Bis
marck, walking in front of headquarters,
was told of tf6 presence of American ed
itors, and was at pains Mt once TO tell them
he was pleased to SEQ them, that there was
no reason why they should starve, and we
were welcome on account Of the millions
OF German blood in America.
Moltke was not visible, but had occa-
sion to know where he was was putting
up ut the Hotel dc Paris, and that meant
was allowed to sit in the barroom and to
sleep on billiard table. The latter cere.
mony managed with my Paris hat for a
pillow. had ascertained that hat must
go. AS it was the only one In the army, il
seemed to remind the soldiers in enormous
numbers of something amusing, and they
grew so hilarious that their cordial mani
festations became mo ,otonous, in the sense
that Mark Twain use that word.
should not have minded q phase of un
popularity on account of my hat, but ex
cess of appreciation was embarrassing
Therefore | concluded to use it as a pillow
Just once, and leave it in the house as {
mysterious souvenir. 1t was very good u!
a support for the head, but somewhat stiff
at first
DISTURBED AT MIDNIGHT.
About half way between midnight ant
daylight l became conscious of the pres
ence, in the door which opened on court
OF q tall man wearing q Prussian cap anC
buttons, and that he was asking in Frencl
whether Moltke was there. sat up on m,
couch (Which was restful change Of po
sition) and the tall man and myself strug
gled with the language of the country.
had just succeeded In saying that Moltk
was not IN that room to the best of III,
knowledge and belief, when man with
dripping candle emerged from what tn
novelists would call secret passage anC
stated that the field marshal had the apart
ment Immediately above. So have slep
under the same roof with him. 1t has oc
Cured to ME since that the tall man witt
the buttons was an orderly sent to Moltk
with dispatches that the French were no
trying to defend the line of the Mosell
above Metz
The next day an officer, who was please
to air his English and carried small
volume containing Shakespeare's plays il
painfully small print, told me that II
wanted to see the great general he wa
soon to cross the railroad by stone bridg
which carried the turnpike over it,and
placed myself by the roadside, rs with
sharp turn it entered the bridge, Pres
emily squad Of lanccr appeared, thei
pennons fluttering under the sparkling
spears, and then came carriage drawn b
four horses guided by booted aud spurret
positions, and behind 1t another squad c
lancers. In the carriage was the field mai
shal, and the top that sheltered him fror
the sun was one that droopei, protectin
the single seat.
The speed of the turnout was rapid
plunging, Gathering trot There was
deep Limestone dust on the road, and jus
as tho carriage whirled for the bridge
where MoltSe was to be fully seen face t
face, tho dust became dense cloud and
saw only a pair Of long, slender, highl
polished boot legs. Twas very sorry abou
that dust, for it nearly choked me bestle
spelling the view. The king was ofte
visible, and Bismarck, too, but Moltke wa
the one who was invisible. e.--Murat Halstea
In Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Next Morning.
The night before had seen Trimkins in
very hilarious humor When he awoke |
the morning his brother asked him If
would like to see himself in glass. /
replied. "Ye5," and one of those conve
affairs that distort the countenance out
all approach to nature was produce
"Great Scottr' was the sick mans ejacul