Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 18, 2025
You half killed yourself and what did you get by it? More kicks than halfpence, or perhaps you even get clapped into prison! "Keep your hair on, brewer!" said Count Plettau to Truchsess; and putting on a superior tone: "We don't understand all this, you see! this is the higher kind of patriotism! Lieutenant Brettschneider ought to have a medal, instead of being blamed by such as you!"
Every one looked that way; and, behold, on the hillside appeared the figure of Count Egon Plettau, still dressed as for his discharge, in the grey drill trousers and much-patched coat. He waved his cap to the battery; then he lowered his hands, while the eyes of the onlookers followed in suspense his every movement.
But, as a matter of fact, of the whole battery only Heppner and the senior non-commissioned officers knew the mad count personally, and during the five years' detention in a fortress that Plettau had had to undergo, two sets of recruits had already come and gone without having made his acquaintance.
"Something" had always come in the way. Even Güntz had often to bite his lips to keep himself from laughing at Plettau's absurdities. He, too, had been curious to make the acquaintance of the notorious gunner-count, and he, too, was agreeably surprised. Plettau seemed to him to be a very good fellow, terribly frivolous, no doubt, but not bad by any means.
One after the other they stumbled, slipped down, and were whirled away, kicking wildly, or entangled in the drag-ropes. The sergeant-major swore a terrible oath when he saw what had happened. Springing from his horse he threw the reins to Plettau, who was standing near, and ran down the hill. Chance had prevented the worst from happening.
But now that dear old comrade lay away there in the hills, and Vogt had to shift for himself during this last year of his service. He kept thinking how lonely it would be for him now in the barracks with the excitement of the autumn manœuvres a thing of the past, and with the monotonous winter work beginning again. Above, on the limber, Wolf sat between Truchsess and Plettau.
They had received an intimation that as far as their duty permitted they were to do all they could to enable this child of misfortune at last to complete his military service. Count Egon Plettau received these attentions with calm complacency. "Children," he used to say for so it was his habit to address his comrades "people know quite well that they owe me respect.
Nearly all of them would have liked to show this last sign of respect to the comrade who had died so honourable a death; but to be on their feet for eight hours, and that after the fatigue of the manœuvres, was too much. Only three gave in their names: Count Plettau, Wolf, and Truchsess, Senior-lieutenant Güntz looked surprised.
Directly Frielinghausen did amiss, he would be down on him; just as with that other sprig of nobility, Count Egon Plettau, who had actually managed to serve nearly eight years and of that time to spend, first six months, then two and then five years confined in a fortress always on account of insubordination.
If Plettau, like Janus, had had eyes in the back of his head, down below in the parade-ground he would have seen an array of wide-open eyes and gaping mouths. After a short interval he arose, picked up a big piece of white cardboard from the ground, and pointed to it as he brandished it in the air. Then he laid it down again, and once more he yodelled gaily: "Holdrio yoho yoho hoho o o!"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking