DID NOT REMEMBER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 216, 5 September 1908, Page 3

DID NOT REMEMBER.

All amusing anecdote is told of a weilknown French general, who played n prominent part in a cavalry charge at the battle uf Solforinu. This {Milan! warrior hail been severely wounded on that occasion, having received a sabreeat on Hie head and a .bullet in liis lcll thigh. Such an allowance might have salislicd a man of quiet tastes, lint was far from sufficient for Ike, lireeating general. In relating the charge, which he did at every dinner party, he was in the habit of throwing in half-a-dozen bayonet thrusts and a. couple of stray splinter* from a shell, and he invariably appealed for corroboration of his narrative lo an aide-de-camp who had ridden by his side.

On one occasion, at Iho table of the | lale Due de Jlorny, havinig imbibed more than bis usual allowance of 'li' Chateau Yuucni, he draw a more thin usually starlling picture of his riddled and perforated condition. A camionhall had killed his horse, a dozen sabres had descended at once on his head, a couple of lances had passed through each of Ids iiriii.-. and all the bullets and bayonet of Austria scented to have given each other a rendezvous in his bodv. •You remember it well, De LMancy, don't ynu'r" he milled, turni\ g to his aide-de-camp. The well-trained subaltern had sull'ered long in silence. The hiivonets, bullets, laneor;, etc., lie had got used to liv long practice, but the cannon-ball was the last straw that .broke the camel's hack. "No. ".eueral. I don't remember it; how could von expect, me to?. You know as well a- 1 do t1,.-.( the verv can-non-ball that killed vonr horse struck the breasl-plalc of a cuirassier behind us, and then bounded back and took my head off!"