The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-12-29

TELLING OF
HIS BATTLES

BY fidncee's father had passion 70
a secluded country life and every sum
lnef took his family to place he ha.
built as far as possible from any one
There we We're to be married ia June
took everything needed with mo e1
cert Il razor, for l could never snay,
myself without leaving sundry gashes
and one doesn't wish to appear with 1
hacked face on a day when he would
look his best. But on arriving ut Elm
wood was Mortified to discover tina,
there was no barber there.
On the morning OF my wedding day
awoke with a stubble face entirely
unitteu for the occasion After break.
fast questioned the servants and
found that five miles distant lived q
man who at times barbered the farm
crs. lie was Il German by the name
of Manteufel, and had served in the
civil war, having reached the noncom-
missioned grade Of sergeant 1 rode
out on horseback IN search Of Manteu-
fel, and while inquiring the way to
his farm it seemed to me that my in
formants looked at me with curiosity
not unm1xed with awe. Upon asking
10y if there was anything remark
able about the veteran he said that
sabcr wound he had received in the
head had somewhat unsettled his
brain. People dreaded to get him to
talking about his battles. because he
usually became very excited in de
scribing them
When | came to Manteufers farm
knew | had reached my destination.
for on the little porch sat soldierly
looking man with fierce gray mus
tache;s. smoking his pipe. l asked him
if he would shave me. He hesitated.
snokc to some one within the house.
then said that he would. disnlount-
cd. ANA us | entered the gate scared
locking little girl in blue sunbonnet
went out of it and hurried down the
roal.
was invited into a small room
where Nanteufel had improvisel a bar
ber's chair and stretched myself upon
It. Manteufel was very deliberate in
everything he did. and it seemed TO
me that he was thinking about some
thing besides shaving me. He spent
some time examining couple OF
razors, then selecting one Of them be-
gan to strop 1t leisurely. After he had
done so for some time. began to Won
der why he was so long about it, es-
pecially as he seemed to be stropping
his feelings at the same time.
There is no time when a man Ia
more kcenly sensitive 10 unimportant
happenings than Just before his we'd
ding. AS | sat there watching the
ex-sergeant putting an edge ON the
blade he was to hold in such close
proximity to my throat began to wish
myself out and away There was not
sound in the house save the razor
beating against the strop. It occurred
TO me that If the ex-sergeant should
get TO dreaming Of his battles the
wound in his head might lead him to
fancy he stood over a fallen Confed- |
crate who must be dispatched at once.
Being nervous, committed blunder,
touching on what ! should have
avoiGed
Sergeant said. and stopped. see t
Ing my istake
"Ach; you know | was soldier.
How you know that:'
IL didn't know it. r.
4 soldier once a soldier is always a
soldier. | fights nit Sigel. fights nit
Meade, | fights nit Grant,
had applied the match to the in
damniable fuel. and must listen to more
horrors than had ever heard before
n all my life put together. In Illus
rating how he had severed Confcd-
rate head from the body with d saber
le used the razor, initiating the hit
md draw motion necessary to do
rood job OF cutting. In back stroke
With which lee had saved himself from
n enemy in rear. while fencing with
me In front. he knocked over lamp.
Gathering it in small bits on the floor.
hen. describing how he had on j, dark
light crawie,l upon and sabered
lecpins picket. he crawled up to me,
azor in hand. his eyes gleaming-my
air standing on end-his nostrils d. |
atcd, evcrySmuscle of his body on the
lert
A man just before his wedding is not
My. as | said. keenly alive to unim-
ortant happenings, but under such