yarroio Escape. 30o 



no family in Coblentz, nor, in fact, in all Germany, where pre- 

 parations for the war were not being made ; the wives and 

 mothers trying to overcome their very naturally sad forebodings 

 and feelings. 



In my little home everythin.sj was topsy-turvy, for both of us 

 were to leave it for an indefinite space of time. Salm was i. 

 high spirits, and busily preparing for the field. His things 

 were packed and lying about in the roonts. All these prepa- 

 rations were near being made useless, for when he, with Corvin, 

 went out for a walk, and passed a gate in the fortifications which 

 workmen were putting in order of defence, two large beams 

 fell down with a crash six inches before their feet ; one step 

 more and both would have been killed. 



On Monday, the 25th, Count Waldersee had assembled the 

 whole Regiment Augusta on the Exercierplatz. All the re- 

 servists, many of whom had been more than a year away at 

 home, had entered and swelled its strength to the normal 

 number of three thousand men, and the Colonel wished to see 

 whether they still remembered what they had been taught. 

 He went through all the manoeuvres of a mimic battle, and 

 everything went off in such an excellent manner, without the 

 slightest mistake or fault, that Salm and Corvin returned home 

 quite enthusiastic with admiration, more than ever convinced 

 that troops like these would not find their equals in the world, 

 and that they need not fear a contest with any army. 



When Salm in the afternoon was with me nnd Corvin in his 

 room, busy at his writing-table, and seemed puzzled about 

 something, the Colonel asked what troubled him. ' Oh,' he 

 answered, laughingly, ' I am undecided whether I shall take 

 with me my best cigars I brought from Havana, or an inferior 

 field sort.' ' Take the best,' answered Corvin, ' for if you are 

 shot you have at least had yourself the pleasure of smoking 

 them.' ' Indeed,' said Salm, ' this time I shall be killed, 1 am 

 sure of it.' ' Why,' asked Corvin, ' what makes you think so ? 

 You have gone through the whole American war unharmed, 

 and the Liberals before Queretaro did not fire with dumplings 

 either,' ' It is different this time ; after all they have written 

 about me in the papers and said here, many eyes will be upon 

 me, and I am under the necessity of exposing myself more 

 than I should perhaps do otherwise. I am only sorry,' Salm 

 continued, ' for the poor boy, my nephew, and almost regret 



