Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-30

! tionary, for they moved with such er-
asperating slowness.
Lieutenant, a sergeant whispered
in my ear, ''there they come-there
they comet"
drew myself up.
"Attention, comrades! On no &C.
count fire without the word of COM
mand. Our lives depend upon it. Do
you understands"
The trot of the horses became more
and more distinct. Suddenly it ceased.
The Prussians consulted together before
entering the Etourneaux woods. Soon
one of them rode forward as a scout, re-
volver in his hand, and passed about
ten PAGES before us-a handsome fell
low, sitting upright Oh his horse, whose
crupper was covered by the long cape
his colors, black and white, floating be-
hind him in the wind.
He advanced a few steps, carefully
scrutinizing both sides of the road. He
hesitated a moment and listened then
he drew up his horse's bride, and al
most Immediately a whistle sounded,
telling his companions that the road
was clear.
From our shelter we could hear the
uhlans laugh and joke, chopping their
harsh Teutonic syllables and swearing
at their sturdy Mechlenburg horses
when they stumbled i'll the heavy leaves,
wet with dew.
A strange emotion took me in the
throat, as if a hand grasped me there.
certainly had no fear, but it seemed to
me as if | was about to commit a COW
ardly act in killing these men by sur.
prise, almost by treachery, without al.
lowing them to defend themselves. Yes,
I hated the Germans, those odius con.
querors, whose hating places were
marked by executions, pillages and ar.
son, and yet there was a feeling stron.
ger than myself, a supreme pity tool
possession of me, my flesh revolted. and
I would have wished to beg for mercy.
They were plainly in view against
the blue sky as they came toward US,
their bodies shaking gently, their bel.
l1lCt6 SCGuICAy l0bUCAOu ONOA bAAOAA AoAo'
heads, the lance resting in the %stirruI
and held by a strap beneath. The scab'
bards of their swords FLASHED against
the saddles, their horses bits flashed in
the green reflections Of the wood, and
the uhlans continued to laugh and joke.
One was quite young, almost a boy,
and did not laugh with the others. J
noticed him especially and thought o.
the mother he had doubtless left behind
in Germany. I imagined a room, shin
ing with neatness, with a large earthen
ware stove, the father seated in his easy
chair smoking his porcelain pipe, ant
beside the table sat the mother and sis
ter raveling lint for the wounded
There is a knock. "Ah, it is the post
man," cries the young girl joyfully,
"news from brother" going quickly tx
open the door, while the mother rise
hastily.
"Why, this is strange! It is not hi
writing!"
For a moment nothing is heard il
the room but the roar Of the stove ant
the rustling Of the envelope hastily tori
> open. Then the poor woman falls back
-. ward with a loud cry: "He is dead! H
, is dead!''
, But now the riders were just passin|
us. There was no time to hesitate.
Strengthened up and gave the command
, "Fire!"
. Ten, reports sounded at once, togethe
!, with cries of pain and the sound Of
, furious gallop. Then we perceived fou
men and two horses lying upon tn
r road, mortally wounded, and anon
, them the little uhlan, with a bulle
!, hole through his forehead, stretche
, upon his back with his legs apart an
his hands clinched. The others ha
turned horse and fled on a gallop towar
Damouzy.
a We returned without being molested
were cheered by our comrades, congrat
, ulated by our colonel and received on
, orders for the day. But in spite of al
!, there remained with me for a long tim
a nervous depression, a bitter memor
something like emorse for q dut
! fulilled.-From the French For Shol
Gt0riac