Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1892 — A Fine Battle Picture, [ARTICLE]

A Fine Battle Picture,

Suddenly, shrill and dear, the bugle sounded the Garde a vous, and a tremor shook the two regiments. '1 ho swoaring and grumbling ceased, and a dead silence saemed to fall on the ranks The meu swung themselves into tho saddle, reined their horses into line, and waite I. A few officers galloped along the front, an order passed d >Wn tho line, and tho mo in ted iron-breast d mass moved forward out of the shadow into tho sun. As of (heir own accord, tho squadrons deplo ed and again waited A staff officer rode down the front and waved his kepi “ffio s, ” he cried, “the country needs you. You are going to charge. Ahead of \o i are 10, 00 bayonets, glory and death, behind jon our sha tered right wing. You mast sa/e them, cost what it mar. Good b ,bo s! Go it as jour fathers did at Waterloo!” A voice answered from the ranks, “All right, general! We haven’t forgotten how the old fellows charged." Tire next moment the hoarse cry of “Vivo la Franco!” rang from 1,200 throats. And thou again there was a pause. Several horsemen wheeled into plaee in their respective positions. A half intelligible order rippled through the ranks. bugle sounded. ’1 ho lines oscillated and instincthel, tho squadrons chose their ground ’I ho front moved ahead and the Ion; diagonal shrank liito column. 'then again they halted for a moment, and the first bu lets, fired from 100 groat a distance to do any harm, rang against, the steel cuirasses with a a dull, singing, melancholy sound Saint lirtssac reached over and shook Sargent's han I and they were otf. Twelvo hundred swords flew from their scabbards and cast a bar sinister of shadow across tho golden shield of tho burnished cuirasses: an l tho long horsetails streamed out behind the star of light that sat upon each man's helmet.— —From “A that go for France,” in Scribner.