The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-01

bA HttinB overture the hlBnt z5sz7sEJ before the battle of Water t6dAj loo. The skies opened wide,
 and the 14c,000 soldiers of Napoleon and Wellington, without a tent to shelter them from the almost incessant downpour, slept on the sod den earth or stood in groups ana drowsed on one another's shoulders.
 The Duke of Wellington made his headouarters in a house still seen and room still shown opposite the church in the village of Waterloo, while his adversary stayed in a large farm house Le Caillou, which continues to present its stone gables to the Char leroi- Brussels road. There, lying on his iron camp bed, beneath gold fringed, silk counterpane, and a canopy with green satin curtains. Napoleon dreamed his last dream of victory.
 At midnight courier from Marshal Crouchy came dripping into Le Caillou with dispatch reporting that Butcher, instead of retiring from the campaign, seemed to be marching toward Wavre, and that if this should prove to be the case he, too, would march to Wavre in order to keep the Prussians from Joining the British Although the cour- fer said that an answer was expected, he was sent away without any, when one inspiring suggestion to the unin- spired marshal might have made Wa terloo spell success.
 Why. then, was no order sent? Was the Emperor asleep? If he was, prob ably no one would have dared break in upon the imperial slumber The old days of republican freedom were long since gone, when the Little Corporal said to Bourrienne: If you bring bad news, arouse me instantly, for then there is not a moment to be lost
 The Fatal Delay
 At that same midnight hour, the Prussians already arrived at Wavre, were deciding in a council of war to join the British at once. In two hours more Wellington received from Butcher the cheering promise of help and he finally determined to make stand at Waterloo.
 While the duke was reading that welcome dispatch at 2 a. m. Napoleon was up and visiting the lines of his rain -drenched army Peering through the shadows of the starless night, he traced the flaming lines of the enemy and the black outline of the Forest or Soignes beyond.
 He never ceased to express his amazement that Wellington should have risked battle with his back to that forest. But the duke always in sisted that the tall and we'll separated trees of the forest. its lack of under brush and its many woods roaos, or fered sufficient facilities for the re- treat of beaten army.
 The sun of Waterloo rose at I2 nm utes of on Sunday morning III June But if hid its face behind the weep ing clouds The rain soon stopped, now ever, and lat o'clock so he dic- tated at St Helena, "the Emperor per cefved a few feeble rays of that sun which should before setting llght UP the destruction of the British army.
 If was Napoleon's habit to strike carry. Al Montenotte. Austerlitz, Jena and Wagram he began at sunrise. But at Waterloo he made fatal delay on .iie advice of General Druout who askeo mn to wait for the ground to dry so lhdi eiie gun carriages could be more ieauiiy moved. Ever after Druout nao 10 laineht that but for him the Emperor might nave attacked at :, won at 10 ana been ieauS for Butcher in the afternoon.
 The British were promptly in line. Whlle they were forming in battle array. With trumpets blaring, drums beating ana pas pipes wailng, a spirited cayaleade dasheo upon the scene from the dlrection VI Waterloo village. It was the Duke or Wellington seated on his war horse .copenhagen," and attended by his starr, including the Prince of Orange, the Duhe of Richmond and other great arlstocrats of Britain. They came upon the oattie- field, a captain said, seemingly with the gayety that they would ride to meet the hounds in a quiet English county. Ana among them was that unfailing Corslcan huntsman Pozzo di Borgo, who hau chased the quarry for 20 years' ana all over the fields of Europe!
 There were yet no heroes in khaki, ana the noble duke was appareled like bride groom as he rode his lines. His cooked hat sported four cockades in the colors of England, Spain, Portugal and Of the Netherlands. A white cravat showed un- der his dark blue coat. From ms shoui- ders a short blue cloak noated in the air. and his buckskin brooches disappeared into a pair of high tasseled boots.