Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1920-09-10


There was good need for haste, for
the Prussians had sent no news to
Wellington of what was doing, and
though he had rushed from Brussels
at the first whisper OF II, like good
old mastiff from its kennel, II was hard
to see how he could come up I'm time
to help the Prussians.
II was a bright warm morning, and
as the brigade tramped down the broad
Belgian road the dust rolled up from
II like the smoke of battery. tell
you that we blessed the man that plant
ed the poplars along the sides, for
their shadow was better than drink to
us. Over across the fields, both to the
right and the left, were other roads,
one quite close and the other a mile
or more from us. A column of infan-
try was marching down the near one,
and II was n fair race between us, for
we were each walking for all we were
worth. There was such wreath of
dust round them that we could only
see the gun barrels and the bearskins
breaking out here and there, with the
head and shoulders of mounted OFF,
Ger coming out above the cloud, and
the futter OF the cOlors. II was bri-
gade of the Guards, but we could not
tell which, for we had two of them
with us In the campaign. On the far
road there was also dust and to spare
but through II there flashed every now
and then long twinkle OF brightness,
like hundred silver beads threaded
in line, and the breeze brought down
such snarllng, changing, clashing
kind of music as had never listened
to. II I had been left to myself It
would have been long before / knew
what It was, but our corporals and
sergeaDfs were all old soldiers, and
had one trudging along with his hal
bert at my elbow, who was full of
precept and advice.
That's heavy horse" said he. "You
they have helmet as well as cuirass.
It's the Royals or the Ennskillens or
the Household. You can hear their
cymbals and kettles. The French heav-
les are too good for us. They have ten
to our one. and good men, too. You've
| got 10 shoot ut their faces, or else
at their horses. Mind you that when
you see them coming, or else you'll
find n four-foot sword stuck through
your liver TO teach you better. Hark
bark bark there's the old music
againw
And as he spoke there came the
low grumbling OF cannonade away
somewhere to the east of us, deep and
hoarse, like roar of some blood.
daubed beast that thrlves on the lives
OF men. At the same instant there
was shouting OF "Heh heh heh !" from
behind, and somebody roared, LET the
| guns get through" Looking back,
saw the rear companies split suddenly
In two and hurl themselves down on
either side into the ditch, while six
cream-colored horses, galloping two
and two, with their bellies to the
ground. came laundering through the
| gap with n fine underground gun
whirllng and creaking behind them
| Following were another and another
four-and-twenty in all flying past us
with such din and clatter the blue.
coated men clinging on to the guns
and the tumbrils, the drivers curslng
and cracking their whips the names
flying, the mops and buckets clanking,
and the whole air filled with the heavy
rumble and the jlngllng of chains.
There was roar from the bitches and
"a Shnnf from tho MI
rolling gray cloud before us, with a
score OF BUSHES breaking through the
shadow. Then we closed up again,
while the growing ahead of us grew
louder and deeper than ever.
There's three batteries there" said
the sergeant. There's Bulls and
Wcbber Smiths, hut the other is new.
There's some more on ahead of us
FOR here's the track of a nine-pOunder
and the others were all twelves. Choose
twelve II You want 10 get hit, for
q nine mashes YOU up, but n twelve
Snaps you like carrot"-nnd he Went
m 10 tell about the wonderful wounds
hat he had seen until my blood ran
IKE iced water In my veins, and you
might have rubbed all our faces In
,plpeclay and we should have been no
whittier, AYE. youll look sickller yes
hen you get hatful Of grape into
vnur tripes." said he and then, as !
NV some OF the old soldiers laughing.
hogan TO understand that TINS man
'0s trying 10 Brighten us, so began
- laugh also, ami the others as well,
mt IL was not very hearty laugh
either
The sun was almost above us when
we stopped M little place called Hal
where there Is an old pump from
which ! drew and drank n shake full
4 water-and never did mug OF
scotch ale taste rs sweet. More guns
naSsed us here. and Vlvian's hussars.
hree regiments of them, smart men
WIN honny brown horses, II treat 20
he eye The noise of the cannons was
nuder than ever now, and II tinged
through my nerves lust MS A had done