The Florence daily tribune., 1899-03-24

~ time for the writing of letter and
the sayiDg Of an adicu. he departed for
that place. md gratifying his own wish
he went there on Bossues horse
His new grenadiers grumhled among
themselves Is it with that plug.
thuy said. that he means to lead usY''
La puysaye's friends looked at the
benst critically An ensign lifted its
lip mo use. said the count: ''he' 5
an old horse, and his teeth no longer
mark his nge,
But why didn't you come 81 yaur
black fellow
"Oh Constantine broke his leg. and
hut do not laugh. messieurs
and old ms is this charger he is good
enongb for the campaign. l judged that
we should he only amusing ourselves
here. and did not wish to honor the
enemy by riding too fine horse.
The officers saluted smilingly. and
the colonel. wishing to see the marshal,
NJ de Coigny inquired the way to his
quarters Before going thither he left
his horse with his orderly. who was go
ing toward the trenches Bring him
back to me tonight. said the count
and the man departed with the horse.
But not more than an hour had pass
ed and La Puysaye was just leaving
the mHrshals quarters, when Hn attack
was ordered ON strong point where
l.sO0 men had been killed the night
before The tfnmpets sounded and the
army hastened 10 respond. All other
tasks were ahuadoued 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. NJ. de Ia Puysayo conducted
il behind certain emhankment, then
sou ht TO so after his horse But his
friends stopped him Not now, they
said. The place is exposed You would
be risfnR your life needlessly
Ia PuySaye returned to his place and
gave vcut to his vexption. Miserable
ordmlyl he cried My horsei See
wha, he has done with my horsor'
"Cioll" exclaimed captain in as
toni7hmcnt why are you so concerned
about the BEAST From whom did you
get himr
La Puysave, tired of keeping HIS Sc
cret revealed it From De Bossue. He
was alas. cue Of my old friends '
The news was murmurcd through the
ranl.s while the officers marveled audi.
hly ~ hat mn ideal" they said
"Wherc is he. that we may observe
him aaninr
''In chat trench over there, which is
so exposed Ny orderly must have been
drums to leave him in such place.
"Oh, cried an officer, IL have no
Gem Bossue's horsel The horse of a
coward He'll crouch when the bullet
fly You'll find him again safe an,
sound
"Af,er all " said the other, ''the
trench covers him. Hos satisfied to
stay in it, r. won't come out.
AT that momont bomb came sing
ing through the air, and from the
trench calmly proudly, defiautly. n
horse emerged He stood alone in the.
middle of the field, in great open
plnce- alone, 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 horsol' thought the
army
Just then the place seemed to fill
with saohe, while the city beyond
trenlbled as with an earthquake shock
three more bombs in the ranks Of
France, and 10 files were cut down like
so much gram
The trumpets sounded the attack
and at that moment suddenly, magniii
Gently the last rays of the setting sun
clothed the horse in gold He raised hi
head as the brave stecd does when the
battle is ON and the rider encourages
him to advance; then boldly eagerly
joyously, he charged on the city at !;
gallon Deaf to the thunder of the can
non. Indifferent to the shot that whis
tied ahout 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 so nadly to atfront death so grand.
lyr Was il the memory of Bossue's
glorious hattlesl Was it the force of
habit acquired after a score OF engage.
ments the result of lesson learned
ON mGny tcldsy
They who followed swiftly after him
did not know, but they. swore after
ward that they had seen hand ON his
bride. feet messing his sides, a shad
owy form ON his back, and for one brief
instant face. with long scar ON its
left cheek and a look such as no coward
ever wore
The poor beast at length fell, bleed
ing from score of wounds. but he had
done enough In the eyes of the army
he whose, horse this had been was win
dicated Bossuc was not a coward. -
From the French For Argonaut
Coal Used by Romans.
II 10 boIiava1 bx- srn,a h;ato,;o,-, ,.,,s