Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-31

nothing about It. that the engineers now
had the plan Of the castle. and that the
capture Of the place would be effected
without any difficulty. and. TO give them
more confidence, some artillery went IN
front OF them. There Is nothing like
the sight OF cannon to inspire confidence
in Infantry soldiers. / have many times
heard shouts Of JOY from the infantry on
hearing that the cannons we're near and
supporting them. That's all right" they
would yell, "the big drum is with us. Now
We can play a tune"
The men marched more cheerfully than
we expected. Some even began to sing.
which is a great sign Of confidence in
marching French soldiers. We now felt
we were on the road to glory. Still we
advanced very cautiously. Soon we sighted
the castle with its thirty or forty windows
facing us. All guns were aimed at those
windows to silence them at once. We
saw no one appear at the windows We
heard not a sound.
We went on slowly. cautiously, every
hand on the trigger. Another big shout
started from the front. but a shout Of Joy.
We looked with the glasses and saw the
engineers inside the gates Of the castle.
We told the men that the castle was cap
49, III hghA 70 A'AN HAbhAs oAl hNNh "
go on and to take full possession Of the
place. Still we went on with prudence,
as an ambuscade might be feared. We
were now all of us inside the grounds.
Parties were sent to search every part
OF the castle; not a soul was seen any
where. The castle was empty. While we
had run away from the castle toward
Versailles in the night the communists,
after firing a few shots from the windows,
had run away from the castle toward
Paris, leaving their two batteries on the
terrace. A messenger was dispatched to
the marshal to announce that we had taken
possession of the Castle Of Becon. No.
body was decorated for It, but we were
victorious and alive.
How n Little Tobacco worked.
Tragedy was soon to follow this piece of
light comedy. On April IA my egim
received orders to attack the Neuilly
bridge, a formidable position held by the
communists. We had no cavalry to do tho
work. so artillery was ordered to send the
cannons away and TO charge the force
occupying the bridge. Forty men, under
my command, were chosen. reviewed
my men. One of them looked sulky. y
what's the matter with your" l said.
why. lieutenant" he replied. I'VE shall
never any of us come back; the Job is a
big one. I should like to have a pipe be-
fore going and l have no tobacco"
Look here, old fellow" I said, "hlI YOUR
pipe and have a smoke. We charge in ten
minutes"
/ gave him my pouch. He filed his
pipe and smoked. He said nothing beyond
a thank you" We started by a by-street
and as soon as we appeared on the main
road, 400 yards from the bridge, we made
a dash. What the Germans had not done
some compatriot OF mine succeeded in do
ing. 1 fell severely wounded. Out OF
the forty men who started, ten took the
bridge, the other thirty fell dead or
wounded. l was quickly picked up and
taken to a house in safety by one Of my
men-the one whose pipe I had helped to
I'LL. For such a small service a French
soldier will risk his life, and 1 have always
thought ! owed mine to my tobacco pouch.
After spending five monthsain the YER
sailles hospital and three more at Saint
Malo in convalescence. the army surgeons
declared that l should no longer be able
to use my right arm for military purposes.
and l was granted a l~ieutenant's retiring
pension.
But for that wound l should now be in
the French army. perhaps enjoying the
title of colonel, like most OF my American
friends. MAX O'RELL.