The Washington herald., 1919-09-11

Louis the Eighteenth returned IN IoIa.
Yes, everybody was delighted, cx-
cept the old soldiers and the fencing
masters.
Living with Father Goulden in
Pfalzbourg, of old Lorraine, / was
happy in the belief that conscription
was now over. and that, at last, 1
should be able to marry Catherine
and live in peace.
SO, when the marriage permit came,
l rushed at once to her with the news.
l Alssed her again and again and we
both wept for Joy.
And then. after the happiness or
marrying Catherine. my greatest de-
light lay in thinking that should
be a trsdesman for the rest OF my
life.
All. what happy life! what salts
faction to be young and to have a
simple. good. industrious wife! We
shall never be old. We shall always
love one another and always retain
about US those whom we love.
Thus days and weeks went by. But
later on, we found that the returning
royalists, the ministers and the
princes, who had rushed back to
/ France after Napoleon's banishment.
adopted the most insolent manner to-
wards US, the people. And as TO their
treatment OF Napoleon's former SOL
diers l can still hear the commandant
expostulating They are starving us;
they are treating US like Cossacks;
( only they are too cowardly to shoot
US"
But, about the beginning OF March.
a rumor began to circulate that the
Emperor had escaped from Eloa and
had landed in France. Quickly his
advance toward Paris followed; and
the old soldiers. sent out to restrain
him, rushed forward to kneel4 at his
feet. Thus it was that Napoleon
again came to the throne.
What happened afterwards. however.
was not so agreeable to me, now a
married man, settled as / had hoped
for life of peace. For l was called
to the. colors. Aunt GreInel. who ha
always been like a mother 10 me,
sobbed aloud. Catherine passed. into
a deathly swOon.
Yet, in spite of all, ! needs must
leave for the army with my old
veteran soldier friend. Zebcde, and at
once we were rushed to the front.
one day. as we halted. the Emperor
came to our lines and the whole divi-
l had a good view OF him as he
advanced with his arms crossed be-
hind his back and his head bent. lie
had grown stouter and more saIlow
since the days of Leipsig He looked
much older and .. his cheeks were
flabby. Little wonder. also, that he
appeared worried-for had he not lost
CvcrybOdy's confidence? The old SOL
diers alone retained their love for him;
they were ready to conquer or to die
in his behalf. But for my part /
cared much more for Catherine than
for the Emperor. OF her l thought
with greatest tenderness. the more
so knowing that she would soon be
come a mother And l prayed to
God to preserve my life.
At last We came upon the PrussIans
and, driving them back at Ligny.
marched on against the British
l thought l should drop every
moment from weakness. but finally
near Waterloo. on mounting a little
ridge, we saw the English pickets
through the rain.
In a cornfield, under beating storm.
we lay like sypsise, our teeth chat
tering with the cold-and yet think
ing of massacring our fellow men.
and esteeminG ourselves lucky if we
had turnip. a carrot or anything
else to keep up our strength. Is that
a life forNhonest men? Is it for this
that God created us? Is it not an
abomnation to think that a king or
an emperor, instead of encouraging
commerce and diffusing liberty. should
reduce us to this state by hundreds
of thousands? l know that this is
called glory, but people are foolish
to glorify such men who have lost
all sense of right and heart and re-
ligion.
When l awoke in the morning, tbe
church-bells were ringing and l
thought
To-day is Sunday. day Of peace
and rest. Father Goulden. dressed in
his best coat and a clean shirt. is
thinking of me. Catherine is sitting
on the bed and weeping. Aunt Grethel
has taken her prayer-book and is
going to mass" AS l pictured to my
self that quiet, happy life, | could
have burst into tears.
but the drums began to beat ana
the trumpets sounded.
he first movement was whens our
four divisions were ordered to ad-
'ahNe- we were ABOUT SUuUJ men.
marching in two lines and sinking
up to our knees with every step in
the soft mud. Nobody spoke a word.
Face to face with US were the Eng
lish. in perfect order. their can
noneers with lighted matches in their
hands.
On all sides, as far as the eye could
reach, nothing was to be seen but
cuirasses. helmets. swords. Iances and
rows of bayonets.
What a battle" cried Buche. my
comrade- alarms. "woe to the Eng
lish"'
And | thought as he did be- |
lieved that not single Englishman |
would escape. But bad luck pursued |
US that day; though, had it not been |
for the Prussians. l think we should |
have exterminated them all
Down into the little valley we |
poured. right into the face of the !
English fire. and shouting all the time .
Give them the bayonetr.
The batteries hurled their grape :
shot point blank upon us. 1t was |
then. for the first time. l saw the ,
English close at hand. They had
fair skins and we're clean shaven like !
respectable citizens. They can tight
well. too-but we are as good as they. |
Every shot of the English told; and |
this forced US to break our ranks, |
for men are not mere palisades.
And almost at the same moment We |