Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-02-07

drink your wine. have so longed to
tell il to some German officer. 1t is
about my son, my only child Eustace.
who was taken and died in escaping. 1t
is a curious little story, and think
can promise you that you never will
forget it.
You must know then. that my boy
was in the artillery. enc young fel.
low, Capt Baumgarten, and the pride
of his mother She died within a week
of the news of his death reaching us.
1t was brought BY brother officer
who was at his side throughout. and
who escaped while my lad died.
want to tell you all that he told me.
Eustace was taken at Weissenburg
on the 4th of August. The prisoners
were broken up into parties and sent
back into Germany by different routes.
Eustace was taken upon the fifth to
village called Lauterbnrg. where he
met with kindness from the German
officer in command. This good colonel
had the hungry lad to supper, offered
him the best he had, opened bottle of
good wine, as have tried do for you,
and gave him cigar from his own
case. Might ] entreat you to take one
from mine?-
The German again shook his head.
His horror of his companion had in
creased az he sat watching the lips that
smiled, and the eyes that glared.
The colonel, as | say, was good to
my boy But unluckily. the prisoners
were moved next day across the Rhine
IN Nfffinnar. V11nx,
fortunate then.
The officer who guarded them was
aruffian and villain. Capt. Baumgarten.
He took pleasure in humiliating and
i'll treating the brave men who had
fallen into his power. That night.
upon my son answering fiercely back to
some taunt of his, he struck him in the
eye like this"
The crash of the blow rang through
the hall. The Germans face fell for
ward. his hand up, and blood oozing
through his fingers. The count set
tied down in his chair once more.
My boy was disfigured by the blow.
and this villain made his appearance
the object of his jeers. BY She way.
you look a little comical yourself at
the present moment. captain. and your
colonel would certainly say that you
had been getting into mischief To
continue, however, my boys youth and
his destitution-for his pockets were
empty moved the pity If kind
hearted major and he advanced him
ten napaleons from his own pocket
without security of any kind Into
your hands, Capt. Baumgarten, re-
turn these ten gold pieces, since !, can
net learn the name Of the lender am
grateful from my heart for this kind.
ness shown to my boy.
The vile tyrant who commanded the
escort accompanied the prisoners ia
Durlach. and from there to Carlsruhe.
He heaped very outrage upon my lad,
because the spirit Of the Chateaux,
Noirs would not stoop to turn away his
wrath by feigned submission. Aye,
this cowardly villain. whose hearts
blood shall still clot upon this hand.
dared to strike my son with his open
hand, to kick him. to tear hairs from
his mustacheto use him thus-and
thus--and thusl''
The German vrithed and struggled.
liz w III tkiC
giant. whose blows were raining upon
him. When at last. blinded and half
scnseless, he staggered to his feet it
was only to be hurled back again into
the great oalen chair. He sobbed in
his impotent anger and shame
My boy was frequently moved to
tears by the humiliation of his posi-
tioIl." continued the count. You win
understand when say that it is bit
ter thing to be helpless in the hands of
an insolent and remorseless enemy.
On arriving at Carlsruhe, however, his
face, which had been wounded
by the brutality of his guard, was
bound up by a young Bavarian sub
altern, who was touched by his appear
ance. | regret to see that your eye is
bleeding SO. VIII you permit me to
bind it with my silk handkerchief"
lie leaned forward. but the German
dashed his hand aside. II am in your
power, you monster" he cried. II can
endure your brutality. but not your
hypocrisy"
The count shrugged his shoulders.
Il am taking things in their order,
just as they occurred" said he. II
was under vow to tell it to the first
German officer with whom could talk
tete-a-tete. Let me see, had got so
far as the young Bavarian at Carlsruhe
| regret extremely that you will not
permit me to use such slight skill in
surgery as possess. At Carlsruhe my
lad was shut up in the old caserne.
where he remained for fortnight
The worst pang of his captivity was
that some unmannerly ours in the gar
rison would taunt him with his position
as he sat by his window in the evening.
That reminds me, captain, that you are
not quite situated upon bed of roses
yourself, are you now? You came to
trap wolf, my man. and now the
beast has you down with his fangs in
your throat. a family man, too. /
should judge, by the well-filled tunic
Well, a widow the more viii make lit
tie matter, and they do not usually re-
main widows long. Get back into the