The Press., 1897-12-30
LOST HIS BEARD.

LOST HIS BEARD.
 "Rezonvillei Gravelottei Montre- toutl What long time ago it all seems half lifetime, monsieurP P' said my old friend, Philippe Albert, the ex-dra- goon, as. we stood before Brisset's pic ture in the salon of 1894. "Yes, that is Gravelotte-I was there. Is the picture like it?. Oh, no doubt The artist knows Il cannot tell. had to fight, not look about
 You want an anecdote of our troop, monsieur? We'll, you shall have one. You may take it that we were picked men, There was but one youngster among us, and to us old mustaches his beardless face seemed strange. An, he was handsome, with the beauty du di- able, fairly tall and very slim. He had 8 caustic tongue. and nothing pleased him better than to use it on us, his comrades in such manner that we feared him and left him to himself. How it was we could not tell. but Leon St. Paul carried everything before him. Did one of us offer attention to a pretty grisette mere ly pour passer le temps, Leon would out him out and. cover him in his retreat with confusion. This, ill truth, was bad enough when the intent was merely to anluse oneself, but, sacre, it is hard to bear when a man was in earnest, as poor Cambert was with Nam 'selle Ma rie Emmanuel, the vivandiere.
 "A good creature, that Marie, We were devoted to her to man, but she reserved her smiles for Leon, and, if must say what think, the inmost re- cesses of her heart for monsieur le doc teur. .t Poor MarieI NJ. Veudome thought nothing of her.
 "Cambert hated Leon and would of ten say while stroking his thick, black beard This young cockerel crows toe loud, messieurs We must cut his comb for him..
 "'There are plenty of Prussian combs for cutting Corporal Cambert, our ser. geant would reply. Let us carve them, my friend, before we practice on each other. Who knows?' he added thought fully on one occasion. The time may come when we shall none of us have the heart TOT CTOWluS.
 "Ah, we'll, the campaign was in its infancy then, and France, like bride who decks herself for her nuptials had gone out to espouse the god of war, lit tie dreaming what the children of her marriage bed would be. But to my story, monsieur. It was the eve oi Gravelotte, and Cambert, moody as usual, came across Leon trifing with Marie, the vivandiere. He found he1 smiling into the youths handsome, beardless face, and in a burst of sar. casm unusual with him-for monsieur will understand that he had no great command of language except for CUTS ing-he said to her, Nam selle Marie Emmanuel, if you would have us con tinue to be your slaves, at least give us a man for a rival
 "Leon's face turned scarlet Man ol boy, he answered, I will wager my silver rosary, blessed by the holy ia ther himself, against that beard oi yours, of which you think so much that I ride before you into the fight when next we charge the Prussians.'
 "'Agreedl' replied Cambert lightly, Have the goodness to accept my assur ! ance mademoiselle, that shall present you with a silver rosary in a little ! time,!u.a. ..;.x.,.
 Marie shall have the rosary, but she shall also have your beard to stuff pillow for her favorite poodle, an swered Leon, and then, looking daggers at each other, they parted. T ,+"
 "The morrow was the day of Grave or1 honrA fhok ff charge the blue tuniss and drive then out of the plantation of hop vines be hind which they lay concealed.
 "'Ah, this is work for men, gruntet Cambert, as he looked to the left, or which side rode Leon, with myself nex " in line. "'Look to your beard, Cambert,' an swered Leon, laughing scornfully. 'YoI will never carry it into another fight.
 "The word was given, and of WI went Tell you about it? What shall say? Only that the air was thick witt a mist which smelled of sulphur anC that swarm of bees from he'll itsel seemed buzzing round our ears
 "Pihg We were not half way acros the space which intervened betweel of hop vines, each one masking blu, coated Prussian. when I got iti M! right arm was stung by one of thos bees and the bone shattered. I transfer red my saber to my left hand and le my reins fall on the neck of my gra, mare. On she went, her head down, he neck stretched out, her nose to tn ground. 7,t. . .. ... 5; .-
 "'God of warr Isaid to myself. 'Ha' it only been my left arm some Prussial should pay for this!' l was thinking O myself, of course, for 1t is not good O