Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-14


THE CAPTURE OF THE STRANGE LADY
The horses were saddled by lantern
light. and we were all mounted befc<e
the dawn At the city gates we joined
three other gentlemen, each leading
ten horsemen. SO together we made n
stout little squad of ~ men and five Of
fcers. Our orders We're to ride until
we met Baron Nossgoff, who was ex-
pecting at any hour an attack from the
second Bohemian army The roads were
better than the ones we had travelled
before; so we pounded along right mer-
rily A few miles out we passed a regi-
ment of pikemen with their officers
mounted on shaggy ponies. They
cheered as we rode by in the ditch. Be
fore noon we came upon the army,
which lay along the crest of three low
Wills, awaiting the Bohemians.
After reporting to the baron we sta
toned our men in a goat pasture and
ordered the preparation Of dinner. The
three officers Of the private companies
we hah ridden along with came to our
ire. Two Of them belonged to great
houses in the west and the third was a
lowly born, we'll tested soldier like Red
Harding. While we devoured our Spar
tan fare and told of past adventures we
watched company after company of
horse, foot and artillery creep along
the road and take up position to right
md left We were down little from
the main body of the army, with "a
thicket of birches in front of us but
,,niro G ig+t
and rumor that orr scouts and ont
picllets were riding in, many Of them
wounded Then the bugles began all
along the line, fiercest on the hill to
our left, where most OF the cannon were
planted.
Red Harding filled flaeon with wine
to the brim and got to his feet.
"My lords as the oldest officer in our
circle, with most scars on my body, |
pledge the war emp. To our country
and our king, To the glory Of the
houses we serve and to ourselyes'' he
shouted and, tipping the cup, drained
it.
Nothing about "To the glory Of God
and the saints. which is but a poor
excuse for blowing out mems brains
and emitting off their heads; but we
lifted our swords and swore to hSht Ike
loyal men and the troopers cheered.
No sooner were we in our saddles
than the guns Of the enemy began TO
pop and our cannon ana cnlVerihs TO
answer A richly accoutered cavalier
rode up and saluied us we saluted III
return with drawn swords.
, THE generals compliments ana he
!, begs You to fall in behind De Audrey =
, lancers on the left Of the prince 5
| Dragons
Here was honor, for these were the
picked horsemen OF the Kingdom. we
saluted again, and he rode on.
Though we are free companies nm
der none but God and the king, cried
. |, standing in my stirrups, ''let us
, make Nlscount Won Brum our colonel
till the fight he over, that we may
| wheel and charge with one mind.
: The Others agreed. and Won brum
, thanked us and rode to the head OF the
, squad.
: We found DE Audreys lancers ana
, took mp our position without delay.
, There were SO many proad packs ana
big spears IN froht mat l coula see 10
, more of the enemy than II had been
, home at listens. but hearing them was
} another matter,
4 Our 40 fellows were armed win
r swords and pistols and few with car
bines. | had the baron horse pistols IN
9 my holsters and my rapler IN pace OF
1 Il saber Red Harding wore MS broad
t sword and carried Dlunderhuss across
his saddle tie told me IL was 'oaoe"