The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1913-10-24

crushed helmets. rifles, ~cuirasses, and
the carcassee Of dead horses.
A covey of Uhlans entered the
shambles, picking their way across
the w%reckage of the battle, a slim,
Wiry, fastidious company, dainty as
spurred gamecocks, with their helmet
cords swinging like wattles and their
schapskas tilted rakishly.
Then the sad cortege Of prisoners
formed in the smoke, the wounded
leaning on their silent comrades, ban
daged heads hanging. the others erect,
defiant, supporting the crippled or
standing with arms folded and he'll
melted heads held high.
And at last they started, between
two files Of mounted Uhlans-Turcos,
line infantrymen, gendarmes, lancers.
and, towering head and shoulders
above the others, the superb cuiras-
siers.
Under the window soldiers began
shooting the crippled horses; the
heavy flash and bang of rifles set the
countess trembling again.
Until the firing ceased she stood as
though stupeied, scarcely breathing.
her splendid hair glistening like mol
ten copper in the red torches glare.
Soldiers began to come and go in
the room; some carried off chairs for
officers below, some took the pillows
from the bed, one bore away a desk
on his broad shoulders.
The Countess never moved or spoke.
The evening had grown chilly; l
was cold to my knees.
A soldier offered to build me a fire
in the great stone fireplace behind me,
and when l assented he calmly
smashed a chair to kindling-wood,
TTenched of the heavy posts Of the
bed, and started a fire which lit up the
wrecked room with It's crimson glare.
The Countess rose and looked
around. The soldier pushed my long
chair to the blaze, tore down the can
opy over the bed and flung 1t over me,
stolidly ignoring my protests. Then
he dumped out with his muddy boots
and shut the door behind him.
For a long while | lay there, full In
the heat Of the fire, half-dozing, then
sleeping, then suddenly alert, only to
look about me to see the Countess
with eyes closed, m~otionless in her
armchair, only to hear the mufied
thunder Of the guns in the dark.
A few moments later a clock in the
hallway struck nine times. At the
same instant a deadened cannon-shot
echoed the clamor of the clock. It
was the last shot of the battle. And
when the dull reverberations had died
away Alsace was a lost province, Mac
Mahon's army was in full retreat,
leaving on the three battle-ields of
Worth, Reichshoffen, and Froschwei-
Ter sixteen thousand dead, wounded,
and missing soldiers Of France.
About seven O'Clock that morning
a gaunt, leather-faced Prusslan officer,
immaculate In his somber uniform, en-
tered the room without knocking.
Monsieur, l have the honor to hand
you a copy Of regulations, l am the
provost marshal; all complaints should
be brought to me. A list Of the inhab-
itants Of Morsbronn will be made TO-
day. You will have the goodness to
declare yourself-and you also, mad
anne. There being other buildings bet
ter fitted, no soldiers will be quartered
in this house."
The officer evidently mistook me for
the owner of the house and not a
prisoner. A blanket hid my hussar
trousers ahd boots; he could only see
my ragged shirt.
"And now, madame" he continued,
"as monsieur appears to need the
services Of a physician, l shall send
him a French doctor, brought In this