The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-11-06
CHAPTER V.-Continued.


An old house across the street
which had been on fire, had collapsed
into mere mound of slate charred
beams. aid plaster Through the
brown heat which quivered above the
ruins | could see out into the country
And what ! saw was a line of hills.
crowned with smoke, a rolling stretch
of meadow below, set here and there
with shot-torn trees and hop-polea
and over this uneven ground two regi-
ments of French cuirassiers and two
squadrons of lancers moving slowly
forward as though on parade.
The cuirassiers moved on slowly,
the sun a binding sheet of fire on
their armor; now and then a horse
tossed his beautiful head, now and
then steel helmet turned. flashing.
Grief-stricken, ] groaned aloud
Madame, there rides the finest cav
airy in the world!-to humiliation. "
How could l know that they were
coming deliberately to sacrifice them
selves that they rode with death
heavy on their souls, knowing well
there was no hope, understanding that
they were to die to save the frag-
ments of beaten army?
They are doomed, like their IA
Tiers" I muttered sons of the cui-
rassiers of Waterloo Look, madame!
Look on the men of France! You say
you do not understand the narrow love
of country! Look"
1T is too pit.ful, too horrible" she
said, hoarsely How the horses fall
in the meadow"
They will fall thicker than that
in this street,"
"See!" she cried; they have begun
80 eallop! They are coming! Oh, /
cannot lOok!-I-cannot!"
Far away, a thin cry sounded above
the cannon din; the doomed cuiras-
siers were cheering. 1t was the first
charge they had ever made; nobody
had ever seen cavalry of their arm on
any battlefield of Europe since Wa
terloo.
Now among the thicket of hop-vines
long lines of black arose; there was a
fash belt of smoke. another flesh
then the metallic rattle of bullets on
steel breast-plates. Entire ranks of
cuirassiers went down in the smoke of
the Prussian rifles, the sinister clash
and crash of falling armor filled the
air. And, above the Internal fracas
rose the heavy cheering of the
doomed riders.
Into the deep, narrow street wheeled
the horsemen, choking road and side
walk with their galloping squadrons,
solid cataract of impetuous horses,
flashing torrent OF armored men
and then! Crash! the first squadron
dashed headlong against the barri.
cade of wagons and went down.
Into them tore the squadron behind.
unable to stop their maddened horses,
and into these Numbered squadron
after squadron, unconscious of the
dead wall ahead
Posted behind the upper and lower
windows of the houses, the Prussians
shot into them, so close that the
flames from the rifles set the Jackets
of the cuirassiers on fire. Then a ter.
lAOlO DhbNhClJ Vi lllFI anu HOi SeS DG-
gan.
In front of the barricade a huge
fellow refined in his horse and turned.
white-gloved hand raised, red epau.
lets tossing
Halt! Haiti" he shouted Stop
the lancers!" And trumpeter, dis
engaging himself from the frantic
chaos. set his long, silver trumpet
to his lips and blew the Halt"
Then into this awful struggle gal,
loped the two squadrons of the Ian.
GERS. For moment the street swan
under their futtering red-and-white
lance-pennons, then a volley swept
-another-another- and down
they went
The street was still crowded with