Gloucester County Democrat., 1899-03-16

and the man departed with the horse.
But not more than an hour had pass
ed, and La Puysaye was just leaving
the marshal's quarters. when an attack
was ordered ON strong point where
1900 men had been killed the night
before. The trumpets sounded and the
army hastened to respond All other
tasks were abandoned and, with the
others. their uniforms in order, their
arms in readiness. the grenadiers fell
into line.
Being ordered to hold his regiment
in reserve, M. de la Puysaye conducted
it behind a certain embankment, then
sought to go after his horse But his
friends stopped him mot now, they
said. 1.-The place is exposed You would
be risking your life needlessly. /"
La Puysaye returned to his place and
gave vent to his vexation. Miserable
orderlyr' he cried MY horsel See
what he has done with my horsel'
"Cieli' exclaimed a captain in as
constituent why are you so concerned
about the beast From whom did you
get him2''
La Puysaye, tired of keeping his Sc
cret, revealed it. From De Bossue. He
was, alas. cne of my old friends. =
The news was murmured through the
ranks while the officers marveled audi
bly, what an ideal'' they said
"Where is he that we may observe
him again q
SIN that trench over there which is
SO exposed. My orderly must have been
drunk to leave him in such a place :
"Oh, cried an officer. 81 have no
fearl Bossues horsel The horse of a
coward He'll crouch when the bullets
fly You'll find him again safe and
sound
"After all, said the other, "the
trench covers him. He's satisfied to
stay in it. He won't come out.
At that moment bomb came sing
ing through the air, and from the
trench calmly proudly. defantly, a
horse emerged He stood alone in the
middle of the field. in q great open
place-alon The saddle was on his
back, the bit in his mouth. and. though
he had lowered his neck in the silence
following the first bomb. he seemed
waiting only for signal on his bride
''The towards horser' thought the
army
Just then the place seemed to fill
with smoke, while the city beyond
trembled as with an earthquake shock
three moro bombs in the ranks of
France, and 10 files were cut down like
SO much grain
The trumpets sounded the attack.
and at that moment suddenly. magnifi-
Gently. the last rays Of the setting sun
clothed the horse in gold. He raised his
head. as the brave steed does when the
battle is on and the rider encourages
him to advance; then boldly. eagerly.
joyously, he charged on the city at a
gallop. Deaf to the thunder of the can
non. indifferent to the shot that whis-
tied about him, glad to sniff again the
smoke of powder, to feel once more the
excitement of the combat the gallant
horse dashed on and on-a sublime
spectacle for a whole army to witness.
What moved him TO rush on the enc
my 90 madIy to affront death so grand
ly2 Was it the memory of Bossue's s
glorious battles2 Was it the force of a
habit acquired after a score of engage
ments-the result of lesson learned
on many fields7
They who followed swiftly after him
did not know. but they swore after
ward that they had seen hand on his
bride, feet pressing his sides, shad
owy form on his back, and for one brief
instant a face, with long scar on it's
left cheek and a look such as no coward
ever wore
The poor beast at length fell, bleed
ing from a score of wounds, but he had
done enough In the eyes of the army
he whose horse this had been was vim
dicated. Bossue was not coward. =
From the French For Argonaut