The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-01-28 00:00:00

THE COVETED BIT OF DREAD !

riciits

"When I went into the reataurant to dine to-dsy—ft,
the best restaurant in taxis jot now—the waiter bre ught
me the usual cover ; but he ~id, 'Have you brought your
bread with you. We have no bread. Since bread is ea
strictly rationed, all our friends will have to bring their one
bread.' I said, ' No, I have no bread—l did not know that I
was to bring my portion with me—try and get me some for
to-day. I shall know better tomorrow.' fie brought me a
email piece of unwholesome-looking bread, which I could
not eat I happened to be ill, and to dr a capricious bet
mortal hatred to this piece of bread. In token of my eternal
enmity, I pot it on the opposite aide of the little square liable
at which I was dining, and regarded it at a digs, co. Pre-
sently callle others to dine at the tables near me. On my left
side came to sit a captain in the uniform of the F,claireurs
de Seine and a Colonel of Mobile.; on my right
a yontlg lady dressed In black and demure an a
Quakerhs, but evidently of a class for which Paris
is famous. In a little while my companions to tight
and left had eaten up their bread, and began to look
wistfully at mine. Says the colonel of tiobilea to me—a
stranger wham I had never before met—. Monsieur, are Jon
going to eat your bread, or are you going to take it away
If not, may I have some of it ? ' • You way be. It ail,
Colonel; I have had enough.' lie took halt of it, and shared
that half with his friend the captain, whereupon struck In
Mdlle. Cocotte, saying, • And may I have the other belt?
Permit me ' This is a trifling incident—the sharing of a bit
of breed which it at, k man was unable to eat, totween a
couple of solder, and a lady of Lorette ; but it Is character-
istic of the day, nod I cou'd not help feting that those who
Chewed their slender portion of half-baked bread to day—a
portion so small and so bitter that it may be taken as the
ern, ol of many privations, and must awaken many tease—
would if they were capable of merlon, thought, be lent. .
, they made the most of their hard fore, to think with all the
! more gloom cf General Trochu's failure at linzenval, and of
Chanly'a retreat upon Mayenne."—Correspondent of Daily
Mete,.

REV:YINING FROM A DINNER PARTY.

" I was returning from a dinner party—fancy Monet parties
after is siege of four months—MA a desire seized me to in-
yeetigate for myself the attitude of the population when thus
stirred op out of their first sleep, . . . There was nobody
about—every one at home In bed, or at least sitting In the
dark ; for not a light was visible, not a living creature tote
seen, not a human sound to be heard; only the Incessant
flashing in the sky anti the roar of grins en I the
clattering of shattered walls as shell after shell screamed
through the air and sped to Its destination. Presently
I came opi.n a guardian of the peace (a vain
title now, elan • for our street distill-helloes are beyond
jurisdleth el) engaged In animated discussion with
a woman—a poor creature whose children wore clon-
ing to her skirts, and whn was earnestly beseeching shelter
for the night. She bud Just been ejected from her dwelling
by the autumn arrival of u bomb that had rattled through her
r, of and broke. up I er furniture. A group of people were
whispering under a church porch, and I drew near to them
Ia hope if obtaining useful infoimatlon. • Whore are the
shells falling most 4, do you say, monsieur ?' Dieu !
everywhere. • in It not he Rue du Colomhier that In pierced
with iron " Tyro men have jest byes, killed In the V. 1115
Grace.' 'God's cures on the rascals that Moon our wounded !
Do you know. monsieur, that an ohms burst to--Ply In the
Sick Children's ling' ttat, that font 11•11 e innocent, wens
grevloordy hurt, and I lid ton node are already den' ' lily
Virgin, *nee as • lheso are time.! °cod night, monsieur,
and God speed.' I went on my way, accompanied by
gentleman In a blouse, who shambled along at fitly
aide, muttering unpreoatiour upon those who had planed

Jto our enemies the disposal of our troops. They are
;whore, arid under all disguise..' Look at me,' I re.
„dad ; you see I wear the uniform of a French officer, and
yet lam speaking to you with a foreign accent. Can you ex-
pi du that Slow do you know that 1 too am not a spy 1.•
Sly friend had by 11.11 time reached his house, and had his
fingers on the hantile of bin door. Ile paused, and looked up
at me. • I should not wonder If you were, he said, and sud-
denly disappear, ii, slamming the door In my face. I went
on laughing to myself up the Rle to in Comedlo, wide and
gloomy, the petroleum lamps Inhering and ,13ing out—a
sorry substitute at best for the IN.:tat jots of gas which are
associated in our minds with P. ; thin rays of light
twinkled here and there, showing where doors hail been loft
honpitaMll ajar as havens of re!nge for belated pasters-by."
—Paris Cart...pendent of Daily Telegraph.

tiili pe!nri,Wibu. 11. inenettur • we
oussotos wlthio wings witkovill—Oploo who coinua.
every,
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