Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1911 — THE MESSENGER OF DEATH. [ARTICLE]

THE MESSENGER OF DEATH.

By Paul Labcur.

On j Place Cesly there was a coming and going or Imperious looking men and their horses, sharp words of command rang out above the noise. Here and there an ofiicer passed on horseback with clanking sword. The Bavarian Uhlans took possession of the village. They filed through the main street and took up their positions in the ranks in the November sleet, November, 1870. A shed sheltered! the officers. Rest-, ing upon the handles of their swords they smoked and chatted: The general aspect of the surroundings was as cheerless as the weather. The poor houses of the large vil.ago looked uninviting antj deserted. Col. Van RydOn, followed by the major, entered the town b&U to see the mayor. The regiment was to be tuartered in the 150 houses of Vesly. Baker Ravard —six troopers. Gardener Paulmler—twelve troopers and horses. Innkeeper Candal—eight iro. pers ind horses. k Count de Villenglosse? ~ ■ “Let us pass him by,” said the lolonel. “He is the owner of the chateau,” ’.he mayor remark-d. “Pass him by, I ray, and go on.” The mayor was dumbfounded. To ae sure he had no ill feelings against he count, but the village suffered un*ier this hostile invasion. If the lumerouß apartments and large osates of the chateau were not to be ised how was the mayor to find quarers for all these meu and horses. The old dungeon in the castle, re-, ently renovated, contained as much ■ocm as all the rest of the houses of he village. The mayor thought that be German officer wflo now treated.he aristocracy with sb much con«idsration, would be furious to hear that he old count, a former army officer, tad re-entered the service at the outjreak of the war, leaving nis wife ind children behind, to defend his •ountry. The work went on. When it was ill done the colonel gave his orders o the major, pulled a map from his >ocket, studied it for a moment and aounted his horse. The major was mrprised to see him leave without vsking any information, ride down he main street and turn left without lesitation. There was no doubt, he vas going to the chateau. GaHoping ast, the Uhlan indeed rode up the •oad leading toward the estate of Vilenglosse.

The eyes of the soldier g-ew dim md his heart felt heavy. He thought >f a corner of foggy Bavaria where teloved beings were trembling with ’ear every time the door bell rang. Jome day, perhaps, a messenger of leath would appear on the threshold. That would mean one more widow ind three fatherless children, that far tway, on the field of honor a man tad expired without a living hand to dose his eyes. The colonel was brave. In 20 bat--Jes under fire his heart had felt no tear, but here alone in the lonesome .cad his thoughts turned to his young rife who, with two little daughters, md a baby boy of 3, were waiting for lim to come back. The moisture of inshed tears filled his eyes. It was a strange, sacred and p iinful nission which was taking him to Chateau Villenglosse. He Pad been it the side of the dying count, whose ireasi hrd been rierced by a iffle oullet. In a voice that was barely ludible, the French officer had whis>ered into his ear las lust will and his last thoughts. He hnd promised ;o deliver into the hands of tue Countess de Villeglosse a iooket which her husband had carried and lone papers among which w is an unBnished letter begun in the morning oefore his death.

Behind the walls of the chateau, now before him, a wife prays, hopes aid wait? —the widow of the hero, Jead as the knights, his ancestors, s.vcrd in hand. The a*jble moflie, which Baron Von Ryden fikd seen in the locket, the beautiful fa>e of the Countess de ‘will soon burst into tears. Ho already suders at the thought of this sigh:, but he has promised, and he will deliver his sacred message; he must in person strike the cruel blow.

He had crossed tbe threshold. He has sent in his card, is taken into a large apartment and stands face to face with the Countess de Vlilcnglosse, dressed In mourning, as she has been ever since the outbreak of the war, her hand resting upon the shoulder of a child who looks at tbe strange officer, with big, bewildered eyes. •* '

At his first words the young wife guesses everything and her trembling Angers close around tbe it cket and papers. She masters her emotion, however. She must hide her tears from tb« enemy, and bows her bead and klstes the forehead of her little son, who shall grow up and be a mar when the hour of revenge ccmes. She represses her sobs and raises • proud face, paler than ivory. At the sight of this silent sorroa the Uhlan bows respectfully ind with draws, unable to speak a word. Th« sound of his clanking spurs is heart! first in the hall, then In the court yard. He mounts his horse and gal lops sway -toward more scenes o blood and battle.