Year: 1877

I'm now a very old man, long ago
superanuated; and the adventure / am
about to relate occurred when l was a
STRIPPING captain (promotion was rapid
then), many and many long year ago
We were then at war with the Ottoman
Empire.


1t was getting late in the spring of our
campaign, and our trouble with the
Turks was still far from being at close
that set out from Miclasvar, in Tran
sylvania, to conduct number of re.
cruits to my regiment, which then lay
in the vicinity of Orsowa. In a vii
lage near the army lived gypsy, who
carried on the trade of sutler. My
new soldiers. who were extremely super
stitious, asked her to tell their fortunes
laughed at them, and at the same time
held my hand to the gypsy.
"The Goth of August said she, with
a very significant air, and without ad
ding another syllable


Iwished to obtain some explanation
but she repeated the same words; and, a:
! was going away, she called out to me
in the same tone:


The Goth of August


1t may easily be supposed that this
date remained impressed upon my mem,
ory.


We joined the army, and shared Its
fatigues and danger. 1t is well known
that in this war the Turks gave no quar-.
ter. The chiefs offered premium Of a
ducat for every head that should be
brought into the camp; and neither JAN
issaries nor Spahls neglected any oppor-
tunity of earning the reward.


The arrangement was particularly ia
tai to our advance post There was
scarcely night during which the Turks
did not come in superior numbers to
seek our heads; and at day break it was
often found that portion of the camp
had been guarded by decapitated bodies.


The Prince of Coburg resolved to send
every night strong pickets of cavalry be-
yond the chain of videttes, for the pur-
pose of protecting them. These pickets
were composed of one or two hundred
men; but the Turkish generals, finding
their troops disturbed in their retail
trade, sent still more numerous detach-
ments against our pickets, which procur-
ed them still more considerable profit.
The service of the piekets was conse-
quently Of such a nature that those who
were appointed to perform it always put
their affairs in order previous to their
departure.


Things were in this state in the month
of August. Several battles had not
changed the position of the army. A
week before the Goth my fortune-teller,
of whom frequently purchased provis
ions, again made her appearance. She
entered my tent, requesting me to leave
her a legacy in case l should die on the
day she had predicted, and offered, in
case should not, to make me present
of hamper of Tokay. This wine was
a rarity in the army. The gypsy appear
ed not to have common sense. In the
situation in which then was a speedy
death was not improbable, but l had no
reason to e1pectit precisely on the Goth
of August.


acceeded to the proposal, stalking two
horses and fifty ducats against the old
womans Tokay, and the auditor of the
regiment toook down our agreement in
writing, but not without indulging in a
laugh.


The Goth of August came. There was
no probability of an engagement 1t
was indeed the turn of our regiment TO
furnish picket for the night, but two
of my comrades were to go before me.
In the evening, as the hussars were pre-
pairing to set of, the surgent Of the regi-