Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-12-13
COLONEL OF The
TENTH HUSSARS
Why the Career of a Young
Officer Was Cut Short.

| mad Just come III from q RaIlop Oh
horseback over bitches and hedges and
was despatched with mud. Her cheeks
were flushed with exercise. A thick
coil Of hair had come unloosened and
was resting on her shoulder.
II have been notified, my dear. that
l must be enrolled in the military serv-
ice and go out to fight the kings bat
ties. I am too old to do such duty,
and we are too poor to provide a sub
stitute. About all we have left Is u
title of nobility. and as you are all
girls even that will pass from US at
my death"
Don't worry, father, dear; we'll find
some way out Of the trouble"
A few days later a youth. evidently
about eighteen, sailed forth from the
baron's estate, walked briskly to the
town and presented himself at a re-
cruiting station. He gave his name as
Caspar, son of Baron Ballenstein of
Ballenstein castle. The recruiting Of
ficer rose at the announcement.
II did not know the baron had .
son." he said.
"1 have been long away" replied the
youth. .
Caspar Ballenstein was enrolled In
the cavalry and sent to a barracks for
instruction and drill. A son Of the
house of Ballenstein could not be per-
mitted to remain In the ranks, and
young Caspar was soon promoted to be
a subaltern officer. He was rapidly
| advanced, and In the first fight that
| occurred in which he took part most of
the field officers were killed, and he
was made major. THIS gave him the
command of his regiment while still
a mere boy.
Naturally one SO young In so high a
position excited much attention In the
| army. It was especially remarked that
the officer. though brave and dashlng,
was one of those ssen who from some
c~ongenital cause are effeminate. His
girlfsh expressions often excited mer-
| riment. Instead of saying to a brother
| officer, you're a chump!' be would
soy, you are very dis~agreeable" In
stead of swearing at any bit of Ill luck
he would exclaim, "How p~rovokingt"
And, Notwithstanding his leadership In
battle, In camp he was considered a
lax disciplinarian. His men came to
consider almost any tale Of woe to tho
| major quite enough to excuse any neg
| lect or infract1on of duty.
Nevertheless the little major OF colo
neI-for he finally gained that rank
was adored by his men, who would
follow him right into the Jaws of death.
True, he was not an adept at tactics,
nor did he have much head TOR ma
neuverfng, but these he did not need.
General Sweetzer commanded the
brigade of which Ballenstein's regi-
ment formed a part. Sweetzer was
| one moment disguised with the colonel
Of the Tenth hussars and at another
delighted with him. The time came
| when he begau to give orders to his
suhaItern gently. He excused those
thil1s In which the colonel WIS def
| cient. And at last 1t came to be no
ticed that instead Of sending the Tenth
to do necessary sacrif1cial work he was
prone to choose some other corps. Bal
lenstein noticed this and pronounced
1t real mean." of course drawing forth
a burst of laughter that brought a tear
10 the boy colonels eye.
The truth Is the colonel suspected
| that Caspar B~alIenstein was a woman
! He had no doubt that his suspicion
| was correct. but he could neither prove
| it to himself nor any one else without
what might outrage a woman's most
sacred feelings. He thought Of pri-
vately asking the question Of Ballen-
stein, but In case the answer were In
the negative the act would be an In
suit that could only be wiped out by
blood. He finally determined that he
could only discover II the young Off
Ger were a woman by placing him In
a position where he would act accord
ing to sex instinct.
One day General Sweetzer Invited his
regimental commanders to dine with
him. His headquarters were at the
time in a house, and, OF course, the
dinner was set In the dining room. All
the courses had been served, and COT
fee and cigars were being brought on
When the door was opened to admit
the servant with the coffee b gem
erals striker let in a tiny animal and
Immediately closed the door.
"A mouse, a mouse!~ cried the gen.
eral. rising. None Of the other officers
moved except Ballenstein. who jump
ed upon his chair and from there on
to the table. Then the general or
| dered the mouse driven out. and Colo
| mel BalIenstein descended from his
perch.
Nothing was said In the command
about the incident. General Sweetzer
having ordered the secret kept. but the
next morning 1t was announced that
| the colonel Of the Tenth hussars
had resigned and his resignation had
been accepted. The colonel was not
seen again in camp A few hours after
General Sweetzer's dinner party had
broken up a carriage drove to Ballen-
STEMS tent, and a mufled figure enter
ed and was driven away. This was the
only circumstance that became com
mon talk with those who discussed the
young officers sudden resignation and
disappearance. s.
simultaneously with this affair u
daughter OF Baron B~allensteiu who
mad peer absent on " v~isifreturned to
the castle.