The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-07-22

MS pest coat ana a clean shirt. ia
thinking Of me. Catherine Is sitting
on the bed and weeping. Aunt Grethel
mas taken her prayer-book and is going
to mass" AS pictured to myself that
quiet, happy life, I could have burst
into tears.
But the drums began to beat and the
trumpets sounded.
Inc hrst movement was when our
four divisions were ordered to adj
vance. We were about twenty thou
sand men marching in two lines and
sinking up to our knees with every
step in the soft mud. Nobody spoke
word.
Face to face with us were the Eng
lish, in perfect order, their cannoneers
with lighted matches in their hands.
On all sides, as far as the eye could
reach, nothing was to be seen but cui-
rasses, helmets, swords, lances and
rows of bayonets.
what battle!" cried Buche, my
comrade-at-arms. "Woe to the Eng
lishl"
And I thought as he did. believed
that not single Englishman would
escape. But bad luck pursued us that
day; though, had 1t not been for the
Prussians, I think we should have ex-
terminated them all.
Down into the little valley we pour
ed, right into the face of the English
fire, and shouting all the time "Give
them the bayonet"
The batteries hurled their grape-shot
point blank upon US. 1t was then, for
the first time, saw the English close
at hand. They had fair skins and
were clean shaven like respectable cit
liens. 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
horses, sweeping along like the wind
and sabring our stragglers without
mercy. 1t was one of the most ter
rible moments of my life as we were
driven back.
What a fearful thing is a battle!
Then out came Marshal Ney waving
his sword in the 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, II 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. 1 felt
E myself grow pale,
s At that moment cries of "Vive Fem.
Il pereur" rose from thousands OF
threats behind US, and looking back
, l saw oil our cavalry of the right wing
9 advancing to attack the solid squares
!, of the English. 1t was an awesome
r sight. With waving sabres they rush
e ed pell-mell again and again upon the
e red-coats. Twenty such charges they
# made, until the horses of our cuiras
Il siers, exhausted, could no longer ever
,, walk-and there still firmly stood thu
t. great red lines, steadfast as walls.
e Now all that remained for attacl
was the Old Guard-those wonderful
/, veterans who had fought in Germany
e in Egypt, in Spain and in Russia, o
d whom the Emperor took special car
IS and who no longer knew parents
d relations. They only knew the en-
n peror who was their god. When
Is was said in the ranks "The Guard
n going to charge" is was the same a
saying, 1.-THE battle is won't"
" And Ney commanded them!
W Upon the Guard fell the concentrate
ID hail of bullets. In twenty minute
ID every officer had been dismounted an
ID the Guard, reduced from three thor
b. sand men to twelve hundred, sloWl
a gave way.
Now the entire English army fe
st upon us. And, as the remnant OF tn
T. Old Guard fell backward, across tn
,e field fled hussars, cuirassiers, artiller
and infantry like an army of savage
Or What can l tell you more! 1t wa
H. utter rout. And in the valley Oh
Butcher, with forty thousand Pru
d. slams, was looming up.
I'd The end had come-and 1 wept liz
Id O child. .,
ce Back we scurried, borne down VIII
III fatigue, hunger and despair.
le "Keen on" cried Buche, "the Pru
r. SLAMS take no prisoners. LOOK! the
a are cutting down everyone"
e. So back, back, even to Paris "
re fed. and there we learned that no
e. tflfties were to be suspended, that Il
III emperor had gone, and that the XII
a. was returning to the throne. Desc
ct tons began.
at hurried on from village to Villae
III "a o+ Iast reached Pfalzbourg-an