The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-07-06
(COpWiqh, ls90
CHAPTER l,


honorinG me you are honorlng both
France and yourselves, It ia not only
an old gray.moustpched officer whom
you sec eating his omOlstte or draining
his glass, but 1t ia q piece Of history,
aud OF the most glorious history which
our own or any country ever had. In
me you SEQ one OF the last of those Won
lsriul men, tho men who were veterans
when they were yet boys, who learned
10 pse q sword earlier than razor, and
who during hundred battles had never
once lot the enemy SEQ the color OF their
knap'sacks. For twenty years We were
teaching Europe how to fight, aud even
when they learned their lesson 1t was
only tho Thermometers and never the
bayonet which could break the grand
army down. Berlin, Naples, Vienna,
Madrid, Lisbon, Moscow-wO stabbed
our horses in Thorn all. Yes, my friends,
! say again that you do we'll to send
your children TO me with flowers, toI
these cara have heard the trumpet call
Of France, and these eyes have seen her
standards in lands where they may
never be Been again.
EVea now when ! dozo in my arm.
chair l eau 500 those great warriors
stream before me, the gr6en'iackeIed
chAsseuTl, the giant cuirasslerS, Dom.
broVskps lancers, the white manifold
dragons, the nodding beArskins OF the
horse grenadiers And there comes the
thick, low rattle of the drums, aad
through wreaths OF dust aud smoke |
see the line OF high bounsts, the row OF
brown faces, the swing and toss OF the
long red plumes amid the sloping line
OF steel. And there rides Ney with hia
red head, and Leiebvre with his bulldog
Jaw, and IAnnes with his Galcon sWa2'
ger, and then amidst the CLEAN OF
brass and the Haunting feathers | catch
q glimpse OF him, the man with tho pale
smile, tho rounded shoulders and tho
far-oG eyes. There Is an end Of my
sleep, my friends, for sprung from my
chair with cracked volco calling aud 4
silly hand outstretched, 80 that Mad
anne Titaux has one more laugh NJ the
old fellow who lives among tho shad'
owa
Although waI full chief Of brigade
whom the wars came to an end, aud had
every hope OF soon being made gem
eral OF division, 1t is still rather TO my
earlier days that turn when | wish 10
talk OF the gloriea aud the trials OF
soldiers life. For you will understand
that when an officer has so many men
and horses under him no has his mind
full OF recruits and remouuts, fodder
aud iaTriers and quarters, so that oven
when be lie not in the face Of the enemy,
life iS q very serious matter for him.
But when he is only lieutenant or u
captain he has nothing heavier than
his opRutets upon his shoulders, so
that no can clink his spura aud swing
his dolman, drain his glass and kiss his
girl, thinking OF nothing save enjoying
a gallant life. That is the time when
he is likely to have adventures, aud so
II iS most often TO that time that shall
turn In the stories which may toll YOU.
So 1t will be tonight when tell you OF
my visit to the Gaelic Of Gloom, OF the
strange mission oil Sab.ltsatsnant Dutoc
and OF the horrible death oil the man
who was once known as Jean Carabin
and afterwards as the Barou Strauben-
thai.
You must know, thon, that in tho
February Of 1907, Immediately after the
taking OF Danzig, Major Legontro aud |
were commissioned 10 bring 400 re-
mounts from Prussia into Eastern
Poland.
Tho hard weather and especially the
great battle at Eylau had killed so many
OF the horses that there was some DAN
ger OF our beautiful tenth Of hussars be.
coming 4 battalion Of light infantry.
We knew, therefore, both tho major
and |, that We would be very welcome
at the front. We did not advance very
rapidly, however, for the snow was
deep, tho roads detoItablo, and wo had
but twenty returning invalids to assist
us. Besides, 1t 10 impossible when you
have daily change Of forage, and some
tines mono at ali. TO lnovO horses faster
than n walk. am aware that in tho
story books the cavalry whlrlS past at
the maddest OF gallops, but for my own
part after twelve campaigns, / should
DO very satisfied to know that my
brigade could always walk upon the
march and trot in tho presence Of tho
enemy. This say Of the HuSSars and
Chasieurs, mark you, so that 1t 10 far
more tho cato with ChasseaFs and dFa.
Hoons.
For myself, am fond Of horses, and
10 have 400 OF them, OF every ago and
shade and character, all under my own
hands was n very great pleasure to mo.
ThOy were from PomorAnia for the mOSL
part, though some were from Normandy
a