are in a sulky mood and say, "The people of this village are fools, they cannot live in peace. Do they think that we are not tired with the work of yesterday?—The midnight mass, and matins, and the mass at daybreak, and the third mass, and the high mass, and vespers, and the angelus, and all the additional chiming, and even that is not all; and now to-day they must begin again. They pull us, they disturb us, they swing us; first the knell for the dead, then the funeral service, then the burial. It is too much; will they never leave us in our place in peace? Our clappers are no longer equal to it, and our sides are black and blue with so many strokes. What is the matter with these peasants that they are crowding to the church in their Sunday clothes? Old Monhache has put on his most scowling face, his mustache is fierce, he passes his hand across his eyes, he has put on his three-cornered hat ready for the fray, the children must be upon their guard or there will be thrashings in the family! Down below there are two coffins, one big and one little-they are going to put them on a wagon drawn by oxen; what difference can that make to us, and why are we made to ring so much for these folk ?"

The old bell, wise and full of experience, reproved them: "Be silent, fool

ish ones, you have not even the dignity of your office; you are consecrated bells, you are church bells, your voices resound over the land and fly to heaven. To men you say, "Watch over your immortal souls," to God you say, "O Father, have pity on human weakness." Instead of being proud of your mission, thoughtful, and discreet, you prattle like little house bells, and you reason like the bells upon a hawk. Be not vain of your brilliant complexion and your clear voice; in my youth I have been even as you, and later on you will be like me. Age will darken your tint and the toils of duty will make your voice hoarse. When for years, years, and still years, you have rung for feasts of the church, for marriages, for funerals and baptisms; when you have sounded the tocsin for fire; when you have roused the alarm as the enemy approached, you will no longer complain of your destiny; you will know the things of earth and divine the secrets of heaven; you will learn that tears here below are often smiles above.

"Ring softly, softly, without sadness and without fear, that the sound of your voices may be like the cooing of doves, and through your lamentation may be heard a song of hope; for a torn cloak may become the mantle of a blessed immortality."- Good Cheer.

66

THE SOLDIER'S STRATAGEM.

ABOUT twenty years subsequent to the War of Liberation," as in Germany is the name for that triumphant series of victories by which the Allied Powers finally broke the tyranny of Napoleon Bonaparte, there were some military manoeuvres in Silesia which brought together a number of officers and men who had taken part in the struggle.

It was natural that when they gathered together in the evenings, in the garden of the little hostelry where they had quarters, stories should pass be

tween them of what they had seen or heard; and so it happened upon a fine summer's evening, that one of their number told the following tale :

It was after the great victory of Leipzig, but before the final overthrow of the tyrant at Waterloo. The Allied Powers had struck one great blow; but still Napoleon's power was great and his resources appeared inexhaustible. Although upon the battlefield of Leipzig the three sovereigns, Alexander of Russia, Francis of Austria, and Frederick William of Prussia, had knelt down together in the sight of all the

army (Greek Church, Roman Catholic, and Protestant side by side, regardless of creed) to give thanks to the God of Battles for the blow victoriously struck on that day, yet the wonderful genius of Napoleon seemed to triumph over all obstacles and to defy defeat. It was not, therefore, an unbroken career of victory that lay before the Allied Armies; and, notwithstanding the fact that they were now upon the offensive rather than the defensive, and that they were preparing to carry war into the enemy's quarters, yet from time to time they experienced small reverses, and had to act cautiously and warily in the pursuit of their wily foe.

It came about, therefore, that somewhere during these two years of fighting, the exact time and place I do not know, the Allied Armies were in temporary retreat before that of the French, and were anxiously looking for a place where they could make a stand in order to meet their foes with some chance of giving battle successfully.

But they were very hard pressed, and above all things needed time in which to draw up the troops and get them into battle array. The scouts in the rear having given notice that the French army was fast approaching, some decisive measure had to be taken to hinder it, if possible, from overtaking the retreating ranks of the allies, and, therefore, the following order was given.

A Russian regiment of infantry, under the command of Colonel Razoumikhine; a battalion of German artillery, under the direction of its major; and a small troop of cavalry, headed by a young captain, also a Germanwere told off to remain behind the main army in a small wood through which the rear of the Allied Armies was passing, and to hold in check the advance of the French troops; while their compatriots drew up in battle array on a plain a few miles distant, where they would have a chance of meeting their foes successfully.

It was hoped, when the order was given, that the main body of the French army was still at some considerable distance, and that the regiments seen by the scouts were but the advance columns, who would be likely to be

easily held in check by a small body of determined men, and might fall back upon the main body, or await their ad

vance.

The order hastily given was promptly obeyed. The regiment of infantry, together with the smaller companies of artillery and cavalry, remained in the wood, while the rest of the army marched rapidly onward. The Colonel and the Major were inspecting their resources and taking counsel how best to accomplish the object they had in view, when the scouts sent out to discover the exact position of the enemy came flying back with terrible news.

"It is the whole body of the French army !" they reported. "It is no advance column, as we thought at first. The whole strength of the army is there. And they will be upon us, at their present rate of march, within an hour "

"Take me to see them!" said Colonel Razoumikhine, biting his long mustache, and the scout conducted him to a small eminence from which could plainly be seen the steady advance of a large army-such an army as would sweep away from the face of the earth the small handful of men posted to check its advance.

With a very grave facé the Colonel rode back.

To

"There is but one thing to do," he said. "We must instantly march away after the main body of our army. stay here is impossible. It means simple annihilation for every man among us, while our mission would remain unfulfilled. We can no more hold back that advancing army than a child can stem the advance of the on-coming tide by its barrier of sand and stones! We must retreat. There is no time to lose. We must join the rest of the army and give them notice of this.''

But the German, Major Hermann, looked the Russian full in the face and said quietly—

You are talking nonsense, my friend. Our orders were to remain here and hinder the advance of the French army, and here we must remain till our work is done.

"So would we, with all my heart, was there but the ghost of a possibility of doing it. But there is not."

"That has nothing to do with us," returned the Major calmly. "With results we have nothing whatever to do. We are here not to reason, but to obey. Not an inch do I stir out of this wood, be the end what it may.

"" It is you who are talking nonsense now, Major," answered the Russian impatiently. "That order was given under a misapprehension. Only a madman would stand by and see his brave soldiers massacred, for that will be their fate if they stay here, when, by a timely retreat, they might do good service to their cause, as my soldiers will most certainly do if they join the rest of the army. Use your reason, man. Can we afford to have one of our finest regiments of infantry cut to pieces? Would that serve the cause in any way? Can dead men fight for their country and their religion? Be reasonable, man; be reasonable. I take the responsibility of this step. Let us instantly push on after the rest of the army, give them news of what we have seen, and do our share in the battle that must follow. So can we serve the cause, and only so. Stand not arguing longer, but give the word for an instant retreat.'

But Major Hermann's face looked as if carved in flint.

"I will certainly argue no more,' he said. "Here have I been bidden to make a stand, and out of this wood I do not stir until I have carried out my orders. I am in my place to obey and not to reason or argue. That is my last word."

The Colonel was biting his mustache in fruitless irritation.

64 Go your own way!" he cried angrily. "See your brave fellows cut to pieces before your eyes if you will be such a mad fool! No man has ever called me coward yet, or dared to say that I feared danger or death: I would give my life gladly a hundred times over for the cause if any good could come of it; but I will not stand by to see my men butchered in cold blood before my eyes. That is not what was meant by our commanders. I go, and I take my men with me, and so I serve my country best."

"Over you, Colonel Razoumikhine, I have no authority," answered the

If you

choose to go,

Major quietly. I cannot stop you. All I say is that I and my men remain here and carry out our orders. Go your own way, and I go mine."

"Obstinate !" muttered the Colonel as he turned impatiently away; but he saw that words were wasted on the German, and be refrained from speaking more.

In ten minutes more he had all his regiment in marching order, and the word was given to march as rapidly as possible after the main body of the army.

The Major sat looking quietly on, his face set and stern; but he spoke no word, for he had no authority over the Russian Colonel and his men.

At that moment up rode the young Captain of the cavalry.

66

Major," he said, "the Colonel is in the rights of this. It is sheer madness to stay. We shall simply be cut to pieces to a man. I am going off with him, back to the main body of the army. It is useless to wait here to be butchered, seeing that to carry out our orders has become impossible. Surely you must see that for yourself! Surely you will come with us!"

The Major turned upon the youth with eyes that flashed keenly beneath their bushy brows.

"No, sir," he answered sternly, "I will not go with you! Nor shall you stir a step out of this wood, where we were ordered to remain. Be very sure

of that!"

The lad fell back a pace and looked at the Major in some dismay. He was very young, as in times of warfare it often happens that captains are. He had a bright, open, boyish face and fair curly hair framing it. Doubtless he was the pride and the joy of some fond mother and sisters. Was it altogether strange that the love of life should burn hotly within him?

"But, sir," he expostulated, "the Russian Colonel is going. He says it is madness to remain. I have my men all drawn up waiting the word of command. I did but come to ask you to listen to reason and to join us.

But something in the stern look of the Major caused the lad to pause and falter in his speech. He could not fin

No, you are not!" thundered the Major, with the flash in his eye that had overawed young Wagner before, and which fairly blazed upon him now. No, you are not. You are going to obey orders, you and your company, and remain here till our duty is done.' "But, Major-"

"Silence, sir! It is not for you to speak. It is for you to obey. Over you I have authority. I have none over Colonel Razoumikhine. If he goes, he goes-I cannot help it. But you!-do you think I will permit you to stir a step without leave? Dare to give the word to your men-dare to disobey your orders, and I will have you shot dead before you have taken ten paces away. Now, sir, you have heard my word. Take your choice!"

The Captain looked in the face of the Major, and knew that he meant every word that he spoke. Nay, more something in the intrepid courage and resolution of the veteran awakened in the heart of the youth all the martial fervor which had been for a moment quenched by the prospect of a belpless and indiscriminate slaughter. A sud. den light leaped into his eyes. He threw up his head, and his answer was spoken in a very different tone.

"Major, you are right, and I was wrong I am ashamed I ever let such a thought enter my head. Let me stand by you to the last-that is all I ask. I will answer for my troopers. Let the Russians go too-if they will. I and my men are yours to the death!" The Major held out his hand, and for a moment the two met in a close grasp of brotherhood.

"Well spoken, my brave lad," was all he said. "Tell your men that we Germans at least will stand firm and obey orders. Then come back to me : for we shall want all our wits about us if we are to live through the next hour."

"What does it matter if we live or NEW SERIES.-VOL. LXIII., No. 1.

die, if only we do our duty to the last?" cried the lad, as he galloped away.

The Major looked after him with an almost tender light in his steadfast eyes.

"Good lad!-brave lad !" he muttered to himself. I would I could at least save him. He has the making of a fine officer in him. I would save him for his country if I could !"

Then he fell into a deep reverie, looking straight before him as he sat a little apart on his horse. His men were getting ready their guns. There had been no panic, no excitement among the artillery. They were quietly watching the retreat of the Russians, as though it had no concern with them. Yet they knew that now only a handful of cavalry and this battery of artillery remained to face the fierce onslaught of the whole French army!

Captain Wagner came riding back after a brief time.

"Good!" answered the Major approvingly. He still remained for a few minutes quite still and quiet, and then said suddenly

"How many trumpeters have you ?" Four," answered the Captain promptly.

Again the Major remained musing for a brief while, and then, suddenly coming out of his reverie, he spoke in the clear decisive way characteristic of him.

"Wagner," he said, "there is but one hope for us in the face of our hopeless position before a whole army. By force we can do nothing. We must therefore seek what stratagem will do. Call up, then, your trumpeters. Tell them to ride hither and thither about the wood, and to blow all manner of signals-one answering the other, first here, then there, then yonder. Let them gallop their fastest from place to place, signalling as they go-that it may scem, perhaps, as though a great army were lying concealed here. Do you take me?”

"Yes, Major. It shall be done!"" cried the youth with brightening eyes. 'I would we had a dozen, but we

9

will see what the four can accomplish."

All fear was past when there was anything to be done, and in a moment he had ridden back to his troop to give the necessary instructions.

As for the Major, he addressed his men in similar terms. He ordered the guns to be horsed, and instructed the drivers to gallop hither and thither about the wood, that the very earth might seem to quake beneath the tread of the horses and the weight of the moving guns. Then he instructed them to emerge at intervals a little distance from the wood-sufficiently to show the scouts that guns were to be posted in such and such a spot. That being done, they would retire again into the wood-as though just drawing back into shelter, then gallop away to another spot and practise the same manoeuvre there.

"If we can make it appear that we are ten times as many as we are, possibly they may hesitate to attack us, said the Major in conclusion. "Now, men, you have your orders. Do what you can. Nothing save a ruse can avail us; but armies have been saved before now by stratagem, and we at least will try it."

The men caught at the idea with enthusiasm. To wait there to be massacred almost in cold blood by an overwhelming body of the enemy's force was one thing; to have work to do, and to do it with a chance of success, was quite another; and in five minutes more the wood seemed absolutely alive. Blasts from the trumpets awoke the echoes, here, there, all over. The thunder of horse-hoofs, and the clatter and jingle inseparable from the moving of heavy artillery made the ground shake beneath the feet of the bystanders. The horses, too, seemed to enter into the spirit of the scene, and galloped with a right good will under the urging of their drivers. The horses of the cavalry caught the infection, and small bands divided and rushed hither and thither through all the little wood, showing themselves first here, then there, riding boldly out into the open in full view of the enemy's scouts, as though to take notes of the position of the advancing army, and evincing an

air of cool intrepidity which suggested the idea of immense reserve of power, then retiring again, to appear at some other point-they or their comradesjust after the fashion suggested by the veteran Major.

As for the trumpeters, they were blowing all mauner of signals from every corner of the wood, as though a whole army was setting itself in battle array. The gunners did as the Major had bidden them-showed the muzzles of the guns first here, then there, as though every outstanding knoll of the wooded belt held its battery of artillery.

For almost an hour this sort of thing went on, and the Major began to wonder why they did not hear the tread of the advancing army. He galloped his horse toward the little eminence which commanded the line of the enemy's advance, and where a gun had been permanently planted, and surrounded by a few horsemen-to give the impression as though some general was watching and directing proceedings from thence-and, as he commenced the ascent, a scout he had posted there to bring him intelligence came riding down to meet him.

"What are they doing?" asked the Major. "Are they advancing upon

us.

The man saluted and answered:

They have stopped this last twenty minutes. We saw their scouts riding toward the first ranks, and almost immediately a halt was called. Since then there has been no further advance. The scouts have been riding cautiously about, but Captain Wagner, and a small body with him, rode out toward them, and they fled healter-skelter down the decline. Since then the hinder ranks have ceased coming up. The whole army remains motionless in that plain below. I was about to bring you word of this."

The Major's heart swelled within him. Now had he at least accomplished to a certain extent the task with which he had been entrusted. The advancing army had been checked. Every minute's halt was so much gain to the Allied Armies, who were perhaps by this time taking up the strong position where they had decided to halt