The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-27
CHAPTER v.-contlnued.


An old house across the street.
which had been on fire, had collapsed
into a mere mound OF slate. charred
beams, and 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 shottorn trees and hop-polos;
and over this uneven ground two regi-
nents of French cuirassiers and two
5quadrons 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 a steel helmet turned, flashing.
Griefstricken, groaned aloud
Madame, there rides the finest cav
airy in the world!-to annihilation."
How could l know that they we're
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 a beaten army?
They are doomed like their fa-
hers" | muttered-'son of the cui-
tassies of Waterloo. Look, madame!
Look on the men of France! You say
gou do not understand the narrow love
Of country! Look!"
1T is too pitiful, too horrible" she
'aid, hoarsely. How the horses fall
IN the meadow"
They viii fall thicker than that
IN this street,"
See" she cried; they have begun
70 gallop! They are coming! Oh, |
cannot look!-I-cannot!
Far away thin cry sounded above
.he 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 breastplates. Entire ranks of |
cuirassiers went down in the smoke of |
the Prussian rifles, the sinister clash |
and crash of falling armor filed 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,
a solid cataract of impetuous horses,
h 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. I
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
rible butchery of men and horses be-
gan.
In front of the barricade huge
fellow reined in his horse and turned,
whitegloyed hand raised, red epau.
let's tossing
Halt! Haiti" he shouted. stop
the laucers!" And a trumpeter, dis
engaging himself from the frantic
chaos, set his long, silver trumpet
10 his lips and blew the Halt"
Then into this awful struggle gal
oped the two squadrons of the Ian
GERS. For a moment the street swan
lnder their 1uttering red-and-white
then a volley swept I
-another-another and down {
hey went.
The street was still crowded with