The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-02-13
CHAPTER v.-contInued.

and Prussian soldiers.
CHAPTER v.-contlnued.
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 quivered above the
ruins could see out into the country
And what / saw was line of hills.
crowned with smoke, rolling stretch
Of meadow below. set here and there
with shot-torn trees and hop-poles:
. and over this uneven ground two regi-
nAents Of French cuirassiers and two
sQuAdrons of lancers moving slowly
forward as though on parade.
The cuirassiers moved on slowly,
the sun binding sheet of fire ON
their armor: now and then horse
tossed his beautiful head. now and
then steel helmet turned, flashing.
Griefstricken, l groaned aloud:
madame, thers rides the finest cav
airy in the world!--to humiliation z
How could know that they were
coming deliberately to sacrifice them
lves?--that they rode with death
heavy on their souls, knowing well
there was no hope. understanding that
they We're to die to save the frag-
ments of beaten army?
They are doomed, like their IA
theirs" muttered sons OF the cut
rassiers Of Waterloo Look, madame!
Look on the men Of France! You say
yon do not understand the narrow love
OF country! Look!''
1T is too pitiful, 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
to gaIiop! They are coming! Oh.
cannot look!-I-cannot!"
Far away, 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-yines
long lines of black arose; there was q
fash, a 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 rides. 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,
q 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 tho 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 ter.
ribie butchery of men and horses be-
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 a trumpeter, dis.
engaging himself from the frantic
chaos. set his long, silver trumpe,
to his lips and blew the Haiti"
Then into this awful struggle gal.
Hoped the two squadrons OF the Ian.
GERS. For moment the street swan
under their fiuttering red-and-white
lance-pennons. then volley swept
them another another - and down
they went.
The street was still crowded with
entrapped cuirassiers, huddled In
groups or riding up and down the
walls mechanically seeking shelter. A
few of these, dismounted, were wear
ily attempting to drag heavy cart
away from the barricade; the Prus
SLAMS shot them, one at time, but
others came to help. and a few Ian
GERS aided them. and at length they
managed to drag hay-wagon aside
giving narrow passage to the open
country beyond. Instantly the Prus-
sian infantry swarmed out Of the
houses and into the street. shouting
-Prisonersi" pushing. striking and
dragging the exhausted cuirassiere
from their saddles. But consael with