Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-14
PART PLAYED BY THEM IN HIS
TORY.
HATEFUL NOD OF A PEASANT AT
WATERLOO.
A ttila and the Lost Miniature-Two
Casual Walks-Flies and the Decla
ration Of Independence-War
Caused by a Glass of Water.

of Waterloo, says the Globe-Democrat
drawn with touches as bold and mas
terful as the crayon strokes in one of
Michael Angeles cartons, Victor Hugo
describes the fate of the world as
hanging on the nod of a peasant.
| When Napoleon was examining the
ground on which the English forces
were awaiting his attack, he searched
every spot carefully with his glass,
but failed to discover the sunken road
of Chain, which did not make so much
as a ripple on the hillside, so COM
pletely was it hidden from view.
Turning to the guide, peasant Of the
neighborhood, he asked if there was
any obstacle to the advance of cavalry.
The guide shook his head. The cav
airy We're ordered to charge. They
did SO, and Hugo says that 1000
| horses and 100 men were buried lit
the sunken road. This he declares to
be the beginning of the long list of
disasters which determined the fate
| of Napoleon at Waterloo Had the
guide nodded instead of shaking his
head tile cavalry might have been or
dered forward by another route, and
the fortune of the French emperor and
the history Of the world might have
been changed. AS though, however,
to counterbalance this, the same
writer says that had the little cowboy
, who acted as guide to Butcher advised
him to debouche from the forest above
FriSchemont, rather than below Plan
chenot, the shaping of the nineteenth
| century might have BEEN different.
Both incidents aIe probably apCcry-
| phal, for only one authority, and he by
hearsay, speaks of the Butcher cow
boy, and tie existence of the Sunken
road Of Chain is disputed by several
who bodily assert that there was no
such road at the point indicated: but
either incident is significant as show
ing by what trihes the course Of his
tory is DETECTED.
According to the testimony of at
least two reliable historians of his
own time, Attila's invasion of the
western empire, an event that brought
incalculable misery Oh half of Europe
for several years, was brought about
by the sheerest accident. From A. d.
445 to 449 Attila was engaged in con-
tinual hostilities with the eastern en-
pre- but in the latter year, both sides
being tired Of the war, an attempt was
; made to patch up a treaty. An en-
baSSy from the court of TheOdOSiuS
was sent to the camp Of Attila, and in
the party was young man from
+ Rome, who was then on a visit to
ConstantinOple. He was of noble birth
and had a sweetheart in the person of
HonOria, relative of the Roman i'm
perial family. AS lovers have been
known to do, he carried on his person
the miniatu Of his sweetheart, and
while the party was in the presence
of the savage chief he CHANGED to drop
+ the picture out Of his pocket. 1t fell
/ unnoticed in the straw which covered
the ground in Attilas tent, where, on
the following day, it was found by an
attendant and shown to the Hunnish
monarch himself. Struck by the
beauty of the face, the amorous king
inquired in what part of the world
such women were to be found, and
when told from the inscription on the
back of the picture that the counter
felt presentment was that of an
Italian beauty he at once made up his
mind to go thither SO he started iii
$50, with his hordes of Asiatics, raw
aged the heart of Europe with fire and
sword, marched through q part of
Germany into France, and, at Chalons,
encountered one of the most tremen-
dous defeats recorded in history. 1t
Is. presumed that he forgot all about
the Roman HcnOria after this event,
for he retired into Hungary, where he
found another beauty, and while ceIe-
brating his marriage with her he died,
either Of bursting a blood vessel, as
was given out, or Of poison.
There is the testimony Of the Book
Of Samuel to prove that the history of
Israel was materially changed by a
chance walk taken by King David on
the roof Of his palace. 1t WIS during
this promenade that he saw the beau
tiful Bathsbeba, the wife Of Uriah,
the Hittite officer, who, though prob
ably only a meIcenary in the royal
army, was still a faithful soldier-too
faithful, in fact, for his own good, for
David, after vainiy trying several
schemes, finally utilized the bravery
Of tie deluded soldier to secure his re- !
moval. No more cowardly device
could have been conceived to get rid !
Of the deceived husband, and the !
crime Of his blood was amply repaid
by the long series Of harem intrigues, !
revolts. murders and rebelliOps i
through which the son of Bathsheba |
was finally established on the throne !
AS David's successor. An equally |
casual promenade had consequences |
quite as momcntous for Italy during
the second Punic war. 1t was after
the great Hannibal had crossed the
Alps and entered Italy. The Romans
had been defeated at the Tieinus and /
Trebia, at Lake Thrasymenus, and,
worst of all, at Cannae, and Hannibal
had taken up winter quarters at Ca
pua- Here he took possession of one
of the best houses in the city for his
own use, and, while walking in the
garden. heard female voice singing
not far away. He could understand
nothing Of what was sung, but was
struck by the plaintiye melody. In
the rough and ready way Of those good
old days he commanded the singer to
be brought into his presence, and