HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 1892-06-10, Page 2GLORIOUS BLUNDER.
e
Riad Charge of the tight
Cavalry at Balaclava.
LORD LUCAN'S MISTAKE.
Ile Sent Cardigan to Charge the Wrong Bat-
tery—The Slaughter in the North Valley
—The Struggle Among the Guns -Fight -
hag the Russian Horsemen—Tho Retreat
D'Allonvitle's Timely Work—Counting
the Cost,
Time, Ootober 25th, 1854. .;.E.,;
Place, the southward slope of the Cher-
soneae, looking toward Balaclava.
' Twenty minutes ago' 673 horsemen, the
flower of the British Light Cavalry, dashed
down from those heights along an Avenue of
Death, into the very heart of the Russian
army, silenced a battery, sabered its gun-
ners and rode back again. Now
they call the roli,and count the cost of the
achievement which as long as the martial
spirit warms the human breast shall reflect
imperishable glory on British arms.
" Men," says the intrepid Cardiganas
he sadly gazes at the 195 mounts before him,
" it -was a mad -brained trick, but it was no
fault of mine."
"Never mind, My Lord ! we are ready to
go again ! "
Yes ; brilliant as was the charge, great
as must be its moral effects, and deserving
of praise as are the gallant fellows who
made it, it was, nevertheless, a stupendous
blunder.
Let me take the reader over the ground.
* * *
'Yonder is the North Valley stretching
away in front. On the left is the Fedioukine
Hills, occupied by. Jabrokritsky with 8 bat-
talions, 4 squadrons and 14 guns. On our
right is the Causeway Heights, held by
•' Liprandi with his strong force of infantry
, and field artillery, extending to the Arab-
tabia Redoubt. His cavalry have withdrawn
a full mile and a half down the valley
where, behind a Don Cossack battery of 12
pieces, they stand massed, probably count-
ing their losses iu . the recent engagement
with Scarlett'a Heavies. The enemy has the
valley covered from either aide and one end
by artillery, infantry and cavalry.
His line on the Causeway Heights, how-
ever, is weak. Scarlett's`attack has caused
the retirement of his horse and at the re-
doubts captured by him yesterday he would
be ill able to withstand an attack. Lord
Raglan from the Headquarters Hill sees his
opportunity, as it cannot be seen from the
' valley or the lower slopes, and he deter-
mines to make the attempt to recapture the
redoubts and save the guns. He is not
given to placing too much faith in cavalry.
He has been awaiting the appearance of
Cambridge's and Cathcart's Divisions of In-
fantry, but the latter is tardy. What he
does must be done soon if it is to effect his
purpose. The Russian flank may be easily
turned ; he will appeal to the cavalry.
October 25th, 1854, will be a great day in
the annals of -cavalry. The men were early
under arms. Just as they were about to be
dismissed for breakfast they received the
order to advance. Their haversacks were
empty. The .Heavy Brigade won glory on
empty stomachs ; it is the Light Brigade's
turn now. Right under their eyes on the
elopes of the Chersonese the brilliant dash
of the Heavies was made, while they were
compelled to stand with sheathed sabres
and curse the orders which doomed -them to
inaction. But their work is cut out for
them now ! Soon Captain Morris who has
just implored in vain that Cardigan would
allow him to lead his regiment to the sup-
port of the Heavies, may give his charger
the rein and revel in the . carnage of a veri-
table Valley of Death !
Down from Headquarters Heights comes
an aide with a despatch from Lord Raglan :
" Cavalry to advance and take advantage of
any opportunityto recover the heights. They
will be suppored by the infantry who have
been ordered to advance on two fronts."
Brief enough, explicit enough, it seems ;
but Lord Lucan fails to grasp its meaning.
or its urgency. He cannot see the whole
field as can his chief ; he does not compre-
hend the object of the order. . Leaving the
Heavies to await the arrival of the infantry
.he advances across the valley with the Light
Brigade, and there he halts them and waits
—and waits.
Every field glass on Headquarters Hill is
turned on the cavalry on the right slops of
the valley. Lord Raglan cannot know that
his order has been misconstrued that instead
of advancing on the enemy and looking to
the infantry for support, Lucan is waiting
to support the infantry with his cavalry.
To the Commander -in -Chief his inaction is
inexplicable, provoking ; it invites disaster,
and that disaster—the loss of the guns—the
very one the order was intended to prevent.
Even now, unseen by Lucan, but in full
view of the staff on Headquarters Heights,
Liprandi's art illerymen move forward with
horses and lasso tackle to carry off the
captured ordnance. Over half an hour has
passed since Lucan received the " third'
rder " ; why does not he advance
Lord Raglan's patience is exhausted.
Calling Quartermaster General Airey he
dictates a new order. To whom shall it be
entrusted ? ' Nolan 1 Nolan, the brilliant,
dashing aide-de-camp of Airey. The daring
young cavalry enthusiast seizes the impor-
tant paper, and at break -neck speed tears
down the slope. He has been chafing at
Lord Lucan's inaction and, what ho con-
ceives to be, wilful disobedience of the
" third order " of ,the Commanding Officer,
and he burns with eagerness and anger as
he brings' his Meed to its,haunches before
Lord Lucan, salutes, and presents the
" fourth order."
Sitting in his saddle in front of the troops
Lord Lucan reads the order :
" Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to advance
rapidly to the front and try [to] itt•event the
enemy carrying away the atui'. 'Troop of horse
artillery may accompany. French cavalry is
011 your left. Immediate. - Aiftr:v."
%There is nothing obscure in the order.
Lord Lucan looks at the young aide. Is
that a look of authority assumed, of lin.
patience, or of contempt on his handsome
flushed face. Airey signed the order
Airey's aide bore it. Lord Linton has been
inclined to credit Airey with originating
orders which he only transmits. Having in
mind the. Cossack battery a mile and a half
down an artillery -swept valley, he jumps at
the conclusion that the order is a blunder,
and, forgetful of his position, forgetful of
the presence of the aide, he rails at the
commanding officer and his strategy. Little
molder .thatathe young captain is shocked!
Little wonder that he answers an angry
interrogatory in less respectful tone than he
should use towards a superior officer :
" Lord Raglan's 'orders are that the
hrigade`should attack immediately."
" Attack, sir ! Attack what, air ? What
guns ? "
" There, my lord, is your enemy ; there
are your guns !"
The scornful words, the no lase scornful
gesture by which Nolan indicates the
locality of the captured guns on the Cause-
way Heights, should under ordinary field
discipline bring swift punishment. Does
Lord Lucan place Nolan under arrest ? Not
he. He accepts Nolan's taunting words as
an explanation of the order, his scornful
gesture as a direction, and assumes it tar -be
not a direction toward the Arabtabia
Rodoubt, but toward the Cossack battery,
backed by Ryjoff s ' squadrons, away down
the North Valley.. He hesitates no longer.
He will order the Light Brigade into that
cul-de-sac of death !
Lord Cardigan is no coward; but he re-
ceives the'order with unfeigned surprise :
" Certainly, sir ; but allow me to point
out that the Russians have a battery in the
valley in oar front, and batteries and rifle-
men on each flank.'
" I cannot help that •; it is Lord Raglan's
positive order that the Light Brigade attack
immediately."
There is no misunderstanding on Lord
Cardigan's part. He realizes the serious-
ness of the work he has to do ; . he has
pointed out that obedience means the sacri-
lice of the brigade. Now the reasoning man
gives way to the soldier. He has but one
duty—to obey.
" The brigade will advance !"
Every man in his place ! There is
Motion in the i brigade. Men and horses
feel there is warm work coming. Narrow
the front ! Captain Oldham's 13th Light
Dragoons and Capt. Morris' 17th Lancers
will lead the way. Col. Douglas dresses up
the llth Hussars, Lord Cardigan's troops,
to form the second line. Lord George Paget's
4th Light Dragoons and Col. Shewell's 8th
Hussars fall in as the third line. The brigade
is ready.
Fifteen or twenty yards in advance of the
centre of his first line Lord Cardigan, at-
tired in the uniform of the 11th Hussars and
resplendent in gold lace, bestrides his
white -stockinged chestnut charger. He is
a leader who leads.! " The brigade will
advance.". And with their commanding
officer as pilot the fated Light Cavalry
swings intoa trot and fronts straight down
the Valley of Death.
Nolan is electrified Standing on Head-
quarters Hill he ha made a mental map
of the field. He has been waiting in the
expectation that we. would bring forward
the left ehoulder,and now he sees that this is
not our intention. He knows well that a
terrible blunder has been made—that the
result will be to sacrifice the brigade. He
bore the order ; he even pointed out to
Lord Lucan the location of the guns to
which it referred. It may not yet be too
late to rectify the error. He will try !
Spurring out from the left front of the
first line he rides diagonally across the front
of the advancing brigade, waving his sword,
shouting to attract attention, and pointing
in the direction of the Arabtabia Redoubt.
Cardigan sees- him, but, far from divining his
object, views his strange conduct asa grave
breach of military ethics—an unseemly
endeavor to excite and hurry the brigade.
And he rides on undeceived. •
The Russ is awakening. The guns on our
front and on either slope come into action.
The gunners are feeling for our range.
Nolan has nearly crossed our front when a
fragment of an exploding shell strikes him
full on the breast and tears a way to his
heart ! As the brigade advances the steed
turns short and gallops toward the line,
bearing the horribly mangled Nolan, left
hand on rein and sword arm uplifted. As he
nears us his blade drops, and from the lips
of the ghastly rider comes a shriek so weird,
unearthly, horrible, as to chill our blood !
And from his natural conning tower on
the heights Lord Raglan and staff look
down upon us with wonder and alarm.
Liprandi sees us too, Neuer for a moment
does he suspect that our goal is the Cossack
battery. He has rightly judged Lord
Raglan's intentions, and he expects us to
bring forward the left shoulder and move on
the Arabtabia Redoubt. So sure is he that
the recapture of the guns is our object that
he withdraws his infantry beyond No. 2
Redoubt and forma hollow squares to with-
stand our expected attack. What an oppor-
tuity Lord Lucan's blunder has lost !
The Light Brigade has now fairly entered
the Valley. of Slaughter. Down the stretch
in our front tear solid shot which crash
through bur ranks, and from right and left
slopes a hellish hail of shell, round shot,
grape,canister and musket balls sweeps men
and horses before it. Dead horses go down
to obstruct our progress ; wounded horses
plunge about wildly, with horribly human
screams, crushing wounded riders and break-
ing our ranks. On w On ! ! Before, us the
battery in full play ; behind us a trail of
dead and mangled horses and men 1 Follow
the white stockinged charger, men ! Cardi-
gan points the way !
Eighty yards yet ! Crash ! ! Every gun
iii the Cossack battery belches forth its
metal vomit ! The carnage is horrible.
The chestnut charger and rider are safe, but
cruel desolation is wrought in our line. Men
and horses mingle in a welter of confusion,
and the •missiles which have mangled and
dismembered them hurtle on to do further
destruction in the supporting lines. Many
officers go down. Capt. Oldham of the 13tin,
Capt. Coad, Cornet Montgomery, Capt.
Winter, Lieut. Thomson and many others
are never seen afterward. But it is the
last salvo. Extricating themselves from the
floundering mass of disabled and writhing
horses and men the fifty or sixty survivors
of the first lino plti nge after their leader
into the battery smoke.
halted squadrons of Russian horse. Down
go the Muscovite spears, and in an instant
the gay Lancers are buried deep in their
ranks. Morris rides at the squadron leader
and1 point on, transfixea him with his
sword. Unlucky very tli`
blow to his enemy pinions him to the body,
from which he cannot withdraw his sword,
and he is held by the wrist -knot until,
struck down by sabers and lances, he is
made a prisoner. Lieut. Chadwick, too is
severely wounded and falls into the hands
of the enemy. Well is it for them that
officers are near at. hand 1 Unrestrained by
officers the Cossacks have a way of saving
trouble with prisoners.
Where is Lord Cardigan ?
Shooting through the battery, far in
advance of his men, Cardigan finds him-
self alone in the presence of solid phalanxes
of Russian cavalry, who attempt to sur-
round and capture him. He parries their
lance thrusts until almost unhorsed; and
then gallops back through then. battery.
Where are his men ? Through the smoke
ho seee little groups and stragglers of the
13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers
retreating up the vally, and giving his horse
the rein he follows them. And this mistake
is the regret of Cardigan's life—that he
should have retired and left a single man of
hia.eommand fighting behind him !
Meanwhile remnants of the brigade are
engaged in terribly unequal struggles with
detachments of the enemy's cavalry. Morris'
handful of Lancers have driven in the Rus-
sian line, but are soon compelled to retreat
and hew their way through a flanking body
of Cossack spearmen. While the conflict
with the cavalry rages, the Russ moves up
artillery teams to attempt to save the guns.
He is not to be permitted to do so unop-
posed. A gallant little band composed of
men from the 13th Light Dragoona and 17th
Lancers offers desperate and bloody resist-
ance, until Brigade Major Mayow orders a
charge on the cavalry in the rear. Nor is the
coast clear yet. The llth Hussars and 4th
Light Dragoons are among the artillerymen,
cutting, slashing, thrusting. Valorously
the Rirssians strive to save the Czar's
ordnance., Determinedly their assailants
struggle for possession. Cornet Edward,
Warwicke Hunt actually dismounts and
attempts to unhitch a Russian team ! The
carnage is hideous ! Mild-mannered and
ordinarily tender-hearted men become very
fiends of slaughter ! Sabres drip, and men
are bespattered with gore 1 Ah ! it is
horrible enough ! 'But the brave lads hold
the battery ; they even disable some guns
in the rear, whish the enemy is in the act
of removing ! Well done, Paget !
Four hundred yards beyond the battery
Col. Shewell, with the remnants of the 8th
Hussars, finds himself without orders and
with squadrons of Russian horse on three
sides of him. He has waited several
minutes—minutes which were hourlong to,
him. Just as he is joined by Mayow and
his fifteen Lancers he descries three
squadrons of Russians moving swiftly down
and forming front toward the Russian rear.
Well does he know their object ! They
intend to cut off his retreat ! " Right
about -Wheel !" and the 70 horsemen are
hurled at the three squadrons forming iu
the valley. The struggle is brief ; the loss
small, and melting away before the
onslaught the Russian horsemen are soon
seeking safety on the higher slopes. And'
our little band, joined by Capt. Jenyne
with a few survivors of the 13th Light
Dragoons, begins the retreat up the Death
Valley.
Col. Douglas, with a little body of the
llth Hussars, has been pursuing the enemy
far down the valley, toward the aqueduct,
but now he is pressed back by a strong
force of cavalry. The 4th- Dragoons, in
broken formation, just out of the struggle
for the battery, come up at the critical
moment, and Lord Paget, self-possessed as
if on the parade ground, grasps the situation
at a glance. The little group of 'i0 Dra-
goons and Hussars are within 40 yards of a
compact body of attacking Russian horse !
" If you don't front, my boys, we are
done !" Timely appeal ! Close in the
stragglers ; narrow the front 1 The Rus-
sians know what that formation means ;
they have learned to look for much from
Our cavalry. They hesitate ;' they halt ;
and the danger is past.
But what is that body of troops in our
left rear ? Our own .17th ? Oh, no ! It is
many times the strength of our 17th even
before to -day's fatal folly. Lieut. Roger
Palmer has sharp eyes, and well he knows
the headgear of the Russians. It is
Jeropkine's three squadrons, who, seeing
our plight, have moved down from .the
Tractir Road to intercept us and cut off our
retreat. Well may Lord Paget say : " We
are in a devil of a fix 1" Minutes are
precious ; but in great crises, men think
quickly. Lord Paget sees the value of in-
tent action, and he rises to the
occasion. " Threes about ! " and
oined by a few stragglers Irom the
first line we begirt the retreat along the
death -strewn trait. Three squadrons deep
the Russians form in our path. Does it
mean annihilation ? It looks like it. As
Lord Paget's little troop approaches Jerop-
kine swings back the right shoulder and
wheels his squadrons half back to attack it
on the flank at the .moment of passing.
The manovuvro is tactically good, butrather
slowly executed. " Throw up your left
flank 1" shouts Lord Paget, but he is not
heard, and grazing the front of the solid
quadrons, dodging lance thrusts and parry -
ng sabre strokes, our little host sweeps on.
And where is Lord Lucan the while his
Light Cavalry is being sacrificed ? His
Lordship's blunder has been a terrible one ;
t is to cause his recall, to reflect on his
udgment and cloud his military future ;
but it leaves no tarnish upon his perabnal
alor. He fully intends to be in the fray.
He divides the Heavies into three lines to
ollow Lord Cardigan's force down the
valley, intending to preserve a connection
nd have thus a chain of supporting lines.
But the pace is too fast. In spite of his
ffort, by riding out far in advance of his
men to preserve the formation,
Lord Cardigan's rapid charge and
oross-fire from the heights, to count their
losses, to wonder how the battle rages down
the valley, and to be ready to cover the
retreat.
But will there be any retreat ? Does it
seempose'—'ib1 iharany remnants or tlie"gay
brigade that has just disappeared in yonder
battery smoke will ever make their way
back ? Even if th$y break away from the
Russian cavalry how can they hope to run
the gauntlet of rear and cross batteries ?
Think of those rapidly served guns on
the Causeway Heights and on the
Fedioukine Hills ! It seems impossible
that anything, can survive such a atom of
iron.
But Jabrokritsky is not to be permitted
to complete the work of slaughter from the
Fedioukine Hills.
Far up the valley that brave Frenchman,
General Morris, with his magnificent Chas-
seurs.d'Afrique, looks down on the advance
- of the Light Brigade. Generous admiration
changes to horror as he sees it charge
straight down between the Russian bat-
teries. He perceives that a terrible blunder
has been made he will do what he can to
minimize its effect. He is a man of prompt
decision. Jabrokritsky's batteries, doing
such deadly execution, must be silenced ;
and he will silence them. He orders the
gallant D'AlLonville and the " Travellers "
to attack.
Bringing forward the right shoulder the
regiment moves off, at a quick pace,
wheels to the right and sweeps down upon
theflank of the nearest battery. Veterans
are there. The Russian artillerymenquickly
limber up and dash off, while Jabrokritsky
himself leads up a strong force to prevent
D'Allonville from carrying off the guns.
But D'Allonvilie'a work is done ; the recall
is sounded, and he retires. And, thanks to
the noble Frenchman's well-timed attack,
the murderous batteries of the Fedioukine
Hills, which inflicted so much injury on our
cavalry in their advance, are silent during
their retreat.
And such a retreat 1 Lance thrusts and
sabre strokes may be parried or evaded ;
not so the plunging shot, the hail of
musket balls and the whirring fragments
of shell- And yet the efforts of Liprandi's
gunners are to some extent a cover for the
retreating cavalry, protecting them from
pursuit by the Russian squadrons. But
the brave boys have sore hearts. Sadly
they ride over bodies of dead comrades.
Mounted men, sorely wounded, cling to
their horses, and others not so fortunate
struggle along on foot or, exhausted and weak
from loss of blood, lie down to be speared to
death and stripped by the implacable
Cossacks. Brave fellows give up their
mounts to wounded comrades and walk be-
side them. And all the time Liprandi's
gunners on the Causeway Heights do their
worst. Would that Lord Lucan bad had
General Morris' foresight ! But, hark ! a
British cheer 1 And out of the smoke of the
fray, Lord Paget, bringing up the rear of
the stragglers, emerges to be warmly
greeted by Lord Cardigan and fellow sur-
vivors.
* * ,* * * *
It has been a pregnant twenty minutes 1
Dearly .has glory been purchased. The
13th Light Dragoons muster only ten men !
Examination shows that we have lost 113
killed _; 134 wounded ; .15 .. unwounded.
prisoners, and that 475 horses were killed
and 42 wounded. We have lost many offi-
cers. And what have we gained ?
Ah ! it was splendid ! " Yes," says the
sage French general, Bosquet, " It is
splendid ; but it is not war !"
" What did you mean, sir," says Lord
Raglan, by attacking a battery in front,
contrary to all the usages of war, and the
customs of the service ?"
" My Lord," replies Cardigan, "I hope
you will not blame me, for I received the
order to attack from my superior officer in
front of the troops.''
*
And so the Charge of the Light Brigade—
brought about by a most deplorable blunder
—has became, by reason of the braveryof
the officers and men engaged, enshrinin
history, to shed lustre on British arras and
to live as an example of daring and devotion
to duty ; while, notwithstanding his unfor-
tunate severance from his men—which none
regretted more than he—Lord Cardigan is
conceded to fully deserve his commanding
officer's high encomium :
" He was as brave as a lion !"
MASQUETTE.
Sabres in the air now, men ! Bravely you t
have run the gauntlet of Death down the e
valley, without a chance to strike a blow ! e
At them now 1 Remember your slain corn•
rales 1 The second and third lines, in
diminished echelon, aro here.. Swabs and 1
ramrods aro dropped. Down go the Cossack
gunners, spitted through or with cleft, 8
skulls, or they crawl beneath the gun car- '
riages for shelter ! Many an artilleryman's
wife will' weep for this day's work 1
On past the guns sweeps Capt. Morris, t
with a score of survivors of the 17th
Lancers, which he 'drives, straight at the
he. demoralizing cannonade breaks the
ontinuity he hadc-rlanned to preserve. The
ruel cross-fire is decimating the Heavies.
Lord Paulet is wounded ; Capt. Charteris
elle dead beside him ; Lord Lucan is shot
n the leg and his horse is twice wounded,
'he Light cavalry is rapidly fading from
ight in smoke and dust far down in the
front ; the connection has been irreparably
sundered ; shall he further imperil his
troops, or shall ho not ? He has decided.
" They have sacrificed the Light Brigade;
they shall not the Heavy if I can help-it,J"
And back they ride out of the raking
A Famous Choir.
" Undoubtedly the finest choir in the
world is that of St. Peter's, in Rome,known
as the Pope's Choir," said Frank Torre, of
Baltimore, at tho Southern, says the St.
Louis Globs -Democrat. " There is not a
female voice in it, and yet the most difficult
oratorios and sacred music written are ren-
deredsin such a manner as to make one think
that Adelini Patti's high soprano is leading.
The choir is composed of 60 boys. They'
are trained for the work from the time they;
get control of their vocal cords; and some
of the nest singers are not over 9 years
old. At the age of 17 they are dropped
from the choir. To say that at 'the
Pope's service one hears the grandestchurch
music that the world has ever known sounds,t
commonplace, so far short doer• it fall of
apt description. I am something of a corn-
noisseur, have been a profound student of
muaic all my life, and have heard every'
great opera produced by the most famous
organizations, but until a few months ago,
when I heard the Pope's Choir, I had no
idea that the human voice was capable of
such performances. I don't see why the big
operatic organizations don't learn a lesson
from St. Peter's and have a chorus of boys
exclusively. It would not suit the bald -
heads, but it would please the genuine
lovers of music."
Pat's Heady Retort.
A bishop was travelling in a mining coun-
try and encountered an old 'Irishman turn-
ing a windlass which hauled up ore out of
a shaft. It was his work to do this all day
long. His hat was off and the sun was
pouring down on his unprotected head.
" Don't you know the sun will injure your
brain if you expose it in that manner ?" said
the good man.
The Irishman wiped the sweat off his
forehead and looked at the clergyman.
" T)o you think I'd be doin' this all day if 1
had any brains ?" ho said, and • then gave
the handle anothor turn—MiltratJ,ee ll'is•
Conlin. •
Business ins business and politics ought
to be politics, but it isn't. Politics is a
business, and that is what is the matter
with the country.
TRUE COURTESY.
In this l:ustance Found Behind the Couifter
of a Dry Goods Store.
Not long ago, writes a Youth's Companion
contributor, 1 was seated WA -counter-
underwear and children's clothing estab-
Ishment frequented by the wealthier ladies
of San Francisco, when a poorly dressed
woman wandered in, leading a little boy
and girl. From her dress and appearance
she was evidently a workingwoman or the
wife of a day -laborer, who probably lived
in the outskirts of the town, and who rarely
got so far away from home, being accus-
tomed to make most of her purchases at
one of the little suburban stores Scattered
about the city.
It was the first day of the month; theyy
before had been the monthly pay -da Mr
husband, and it was plain, from her bight
expression, that she had in her purse a little
money which it was her delight to spend,
mother -fashion, in the adornment of her
children, both of whom were painfully shy
and shabbily dressed.
" I would like to look at a bonnet for my
little girl," she said, modestly addressing
the stylish -looking, black-eyed young sales-
woman.
" A wash bonnet, I suppose ? " replied
the young lady.
" If you.please."
Stooping and reaching under the counter,
the young woman brought out a large box
piled high with dainty emproidered caps of
the latest pattern, and covered with a frost -
work of fine embroidery.
The woman put out her hand timiilliand
possessed herself of one of the more or-
ate. The saleswoman picked out one of
plainer pattern and held it out to her, say-
ing pleasantly :
" Here is one of the prettiest bonnets we
have in the store."
The mother took it in her hand, looking
happily at her child's smiling face. Yes, it
was a charming little bonnet ; pretty
enough tor the nicest little girl in the city ;
one that would be sure to be becoming to
the sweet little face; but prudence checked
her.
" How much is it ?"
`Tedollars."
The price was very reasonable for the
bonnet and the place. Nobody goes to that
store without expecting to pay roundly for
exquisite tasteand perfect workmanship.
But the poor woman put the bonnet away
with a decisive gesture, trying to disguise
the disappointment she felt.
" That is too much. I can't go higher
than fifty cents."
I looked anxiously at the saleswomen,
wondering if she would make a contemptu-
ous retort. But the girl remained as calm
and polite as if she were serving the Queen
of Sheba.
" I will look and,see if we have any in
her size at that price. I ani almost sure that
we are out of that size in fifty -cent bonnets,"
she said.
Then she made a feint of looking under
the counter, and• rose again, still with the
utmost courtesy.
" I am sorry, but we are entirely out of
her size," she said.
The poor woman took her children by the
hand and left the store, with her pride un-
hurt, and -the• girl handed me my change
witha word of thanks. .
I nodded a good-bye to her, wishing that
I might express my appreciation of her
gracious little deed wishing, too, that
other saleswomen would follow her ex-
ample of thoughtful consideration for the
poor ; and wishing most of all that there
was -some way of slipping two shining coins
into the purse of the poor . mother, 'so that
she could have the bonnet she wanted to
frame the child's sweet, shy face.
Professor (lecturing on galvanism)—
What would be the effect, Mr. Broken, if
you should hold a quantity of gold in one
hand and of silver in the other ? Broken—
I should experience a decided shock. -
More outrages by famished peasants are
reported from Russia.
An Ohio man has 20 `wives and a
Massachusetts man has sixty, yet both lead
quiet and peaceful lives,within the solid and
protective walls of penitentiaries.
W. H. Parker will be electrpcuted at
Auburn, N. Y., during the week commenc-
ing July llth.
ON ENN®'tS
Both the method and results when
Syrup of Figs is taken; it is peasant
and refreshing to the taste, rut acts
gently yet promptly on the I( 'ney s, .
Liver and Bowels, cleanses file sys-
tem effectually, dispels colds, head-
aches and fevers and cures habitual
constipation. Syrup of Figs is the
only remedy of its kind ever pro-
duced, pleasing to the taste and ac-
ceptable to the stomach, prompt in
its action and truly beneficial in its
effects, prepared only from the most
healthy and agreeable substances, its
m an v excellent qualities commend it
to all and have made it the most
popular remedy known. ,
Syrup of, Figs is for sale in 75c
l,,.' tle i by all leading druggists.
A r ' reliable druggist who May not
1,:,\'c it on bans will procure it
10rPfl tly for any one who Wishes
.0 try it. Manufactured only by tl•^1w
AUFOR BA FICA SYRUP CO,
9
SAN :e. ANOIS0o, °Ai,.
1CY.i 1VI .1..E, :t it. NEW YOEM, N. Yr