South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-01-25

les. The series OF Lihlie Erckmann-
novels TO which lS2Z--lS9S
ErCkmann-C hatrian owe I'm great
part their reputation includes &c
FOu YegOf'. Madame Therese."
"Histoire dun Conscrit de 1913"
."L'Ami Fritz" "HistOire dc Humme
des Peuple," and many others.
Their dramatic compositions and
adaptations are Georges lie ChaSseur
des Ruines,'' "LAIsace en- 1914"
the trumpets sounded
The first movement was when our
four divisions were ordered to ad-
vance. We were about 10000 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
English, 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.
lances and rows OF bayorets
What a battle" cried Buche.
my COMMUNICATIONS. Woe to the
English"
And L thought as he did. be-
lieved that not a single Englishman
would escape. But bad luck pur-
sued us that day; though. had it not
been for the Prussians, I 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 bayonet!"
The batteries hurled their grape
shot blank upon us. 1t was then,
for the first time, I saw the English
close at hand. They had fair skins
and were clean shaver like respecta-
BILE citizens. They can fight 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 saw a mass Of red Dragons on
+ gray Norses, sweeping along like the
wind and sabring our stragglers
without mercy. 1t was one of the
most terrible moments of my life as
\ we We're driven back
What a fearful thing is a battle.
/ Then out came Marshal Ney wav-
Ting his sword in tho air. Older,
/ thinner and more bony than when I
saw him last but still the same
brave soldier with the clear eyes
/ that seemed TO take us all in.
Forward" he cried, 81 shall
/ lead YOU myself" And we rushed
ahead. one after the other like "A
pack Of wolves, until we gained the
principal outpost of the British
But suddenly the rumor spread
| that the Prussians were coming, I
felt myself grow pale.
At that moment cries of give
|TEmpereur," rose from thousands
I Of threats behind us, and looking
back I saw all our cavalry of the
right wing advancing to attack the
solid squares of the English. 10 was
, am awcsome sight With waving
sa bres they rushed pell-mell again
and again upon the red-coats.
I Twenty such charges they made.
Iuutfl the horses Of our Cuirassiers.
! exhausted. could no longer even
walk-and there still firmly stood
the great red lines, steadfast as
walls
: Now all that remained for at
tack was the old guard those
wonderful veterans who had fought
+ i'm Germany i'm Egypt in spain and
in Russia. Of whom the emperor
+ took special care and who no long
err knew parents or relations. They
only knew the emperor who was
their god. When IL was said i'm the
ranks "Tho guard is going 90
+ charge" IT. was the same as saying.
The battle is won.'
And Ney commanded them,
Upon the guard fell the Conceu-