The sun., 1903-11-29
VATARNING FROM
w THE OTHER WORLD
A Cavalry Offieer's Marrow Escape
From a Trap in the Franco
German War.

We are living in the age of discoveries
md solutions OF great mysteries. Who,
fifty years ago, would have dreamed Of the
existence of the X-rays. OF all the marvels
of electricity, of bacilli and serums?
Yet the human intellect is far from having
attained the goal of it's desire of investi-
CATION, On the contrary. the wonderful
discoveries of the great scientists have
but stimulated and urged 1t more swiftly
than ever along the great raoecourse
whose prize and goal are invention and
success!
What marvel if the learning of the
twentieth century. which has already
made 80 many impossible things possible,
seeks to transform the pretence OF con-
Juring up ghosts into earnest and to cast
light even into th" gloom of the grave?
Ghost stories arc told by the thousand.
and, if the tales Of old women could be be-
Geved, we should all have walked long ago
in blaze of light and known that pre-
ciselv at IL O'Clock" skeletons danced in
the churohyards and pallid ancestral
danes wandered restlcssly through every
old castle.
But such tales would possess absolutely
no interest for the public, who desire to see
this subject treated seriously, Therefore
the following one is related on the au-
thority Of persons whose character is n
guarantee, Of trust wort thiuess
The incident was related to Joseph Vic
tor Won Scheae,. the famous author of
sEkkehard," 10y an intimate friend, cav
airy officer. whom he called S. and de-
scribed in the following terms:
"His chara cter' excludes the possibiy V
= II.
practical in his mode Of thou ght, frank to
bluntness. yet genuinely religious; a man
who. though he never talks of his piety,
In the hour of need sends forth a prayer
from the inmoet depths of his heart.
He was a cavalry officer and, during the
campaign of 1870 and 1871, WAS principally
engaged In pursuing Frane-tireurs, SER
vice for which his caIti'n, c,'ylress and
courage bordering upon rcch lesSncss, ren
dered bin specially fitted.
The following story was told me with
his own lips"
1t was a warm moonlight night when,
with n few picked men of my squadron. l
Get out to reconnuitre the enemys posi-
ton.
We had only general knowledge of the
country we were aware that in front OF
us was a wood Of moderate size. behind it
open meadows and TILED land, and adjoin.
ing the latter farmhouse which we sus-
pected to be the principal hiding place and
etoreroom OF ammunition of the Franc
tireuls
The wood, however, proved larger and
more difficult 70 traverse than we expected.
and although We used every possible pre-
caution we were often disturbed by sounds
as il the enemy was at hand and watch
Ing us.
We were already considering whether,
under the circumstances it would be adj
visable to pass out Of the protecting gloom
- - ,..s. H. / t.l1 :a-l-s
when the rising storm covered the sky with
clouds, Transforming the brilliant moon
hight into the most intense darkness.
We had reached the edge 2f The woods .;., .
out upon the dark. silent plain. The wind
bowed the treestops and swept bowling
over the level country. the raindrops pat
tered down and night birds. with hoarss
cries huttered over our heads.
We could not see an inch beyond our
eyes. and it seemed an impossibility to
fnd the way t" The farmhouse. / was
Just making up my nlird to turn back when
alight glearned some dist before us.
The house Hurah--ttere's the house,
whispered one e the men, and took my
field glasses and anXiously fied to discover
the building
Yes, The light was shining through the
glass it mus be- the window pane. and
al times was ohscured as though shadows
were q ding pofpre il.
The room vas evidently occupied by the
enemy.
We rejoiced. Tho stormy weather fav-
ored o,Ir approach, the wind and rain
would drown he noise of the horses hoofs.
We had the best prospect of being able to
reronnOitre Unseen.
50 We rode forward, first cautiously e2-
amiring the ground then, as it proved to
BE- grassy, "eivcty meadow land. growing
bolder and moving more rapidly.
We advanced for some time noiselessiy
and swiftly, then the ground suddenly be-
came harder and sometimes there was
grating noise. as il from loose pebbles.
Yet we rode on at a rapid pace. for we
were coming nearer and nearer to the light
and, according to our calcuiat ions, must
rec ii il in ten minutes at the latest.
il seemed strange that neither plonghed
land nor fcrccs appeared in the vicinity OF
the house, but it was possible That these
signs Of habiatio were on the opposite
sid While tho front overlooked the open
mr"r. "
The 'ight burned steadily and brightly in
the midst of he raging gale.
was riding in advance of my men. with
nv ewes fixed intently on the flame, whose
brightness grew st i'll more dazzling on ac-
count of the darkness
Suddenly started so violently that AL
mos unconsciouslv refined my horse pack'
thus stopping he riders behind me.
With dilated ewes and hair fairly br,si ing
with terror gazed at the white, robed form
Of woman who had appeared out OF th9
darkness waving me back-my mother!