The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-02-13
CHAPTER V-continued.


An old house across the street.
which had been on fire, had collapsed
into mere mound of slate. charred
beams. and plaster Through the
brown heat which quiYered above the
ruins | could see out into the country.
And what ! saw was a line of hills,
crowned with smoke, a rolling stretch
0G meadow below, set here and there
with sh0t-torn trees and hop-polcs;
and over this uneven ground two regi-
uents 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 q steel helmet turned, flashing
Grief-stricken, ! groaned aloud:
Madame, there rides the finest cav
airy in the world!-to annihilation :"
How could / know that they were
coming deliberately to sacrifice them
selves THAT they rode with death
heavy on their souls, knowing we'll
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" | muttered-"son OF the cut
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 pitiful, too horrible" she
said, hoarsely. How the horses fall
III the meadow"
They viii fall thicker than that
10 this street,"
'See!" she cried; they have begun
to gallop! They are coming! Oh,
cannot loohl-I-eannot!"
Far away, thin cry sounded above
the cannon din; the doomed cuiras-
siers were cheering. II was the first
charge they had ever made; nobody
had ever seen cavalry OF their arm on
any battlefield OF Europe since Wa
terioo.
Now among the thicket of hop-vines
long lines of black arose; there was
ii&sh, belt Of smoke, another flesh
steel hreastplates. Entire ranks of
cdjEassiers went down in the smoke of
the PrusStap rifies. 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
- L.
walk with their galloping squadrons,
j solid cataract Of impetuous horses,
Il flashing torrent OF arnored 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 naddened horses,
and into these Numbered squadron
afte- 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
Games from the rifles set the Jackets
OF the cuirassiers on fire. Then ter
rible butchery OF men and horses be-
gan
In front of the barricade a huge
fellow refined IN his horse and turned,
white loeed hand raised, red epau-
lets tossing.
'HaIt! Haiti" ne shouted. stop
the lancers!' And a trumpeter, dis
engaging himself from the frantic
chaos. set his long. silver trumpet
70 his lips and blew the Haiti
Then into this awful struggle gal
Hoped the two squadrons OF the Ian
GERS For q moment the street swan
under their fiutterlng red-and-white
i2nce-pennons, then voiiey swept
-anotaer-another and down
they went
The street was still crowded With