The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-03-17
A TRUE STORY.
BY YARD YL0R.

On the 18th Of October, 1856, a cele-
bration of a peculiar character was held in
a small village near Jena, Germany.
We must go back to the 18th of Octo-
Der, 1906. On that day the windy up
lands northeast of Jena witnessed the brief
but terrible combat, which resulted in the
triumphant entry of the French army into
Berlin eleven days afterwards during
which time Prussia had lost 10000 men,
65 standards, and 600 cannon. A portion
of the French army was encamped on the
battlefield, or quartered in the village
around. The poor inhabitants, overwhelm-
ed by this sudden avalanche of war upon
their quiet felds-where for a hundred
years or more they had reaped their har-
vest in peace submitted in helpless apathy
while their houses and barns were plum
dered by the lawless soldiery.
Davoust the Butcher of Hamburg"
as the Germans called him-took up his
quarters for the night in one of the most
convenient and comfortable houses which
could be found in the neighborhood of the
scene of slaughter. He had taken his
cloak, and was about retiring to an inner
chamber for repose, when an officer enter
ed, pardon me, General" he said, "but
there is a case which requires attention.
The German canaiAe must be taught to re-
spect us. Ten soldiers of Company -, of
the Fourth Infantry, who quartered them
selves in the village of Waldorf Qet us say
have been driven away by the people, and
two or three of them are severely wound
ed"
Davousts cold eye glittered, and his
moustache curled like the lip of mastif,
as he turned, and halted moment at the
door of the bedroom "Send lieutenant
and twenty men to the village, pick out
ten of the vagabonds and shoot them
DOWN. was the brief order. "Where is
Waldorf" he added, turning to one of
those useful creatures who are always will
ling to act as guides and interpreters for
the enemy in their own land.
'There is village called Upper Wal
dorf, which lies near the head of small
valley to the left; Middle Waldorf is on
the other side Of the hill, and Lower Wal
dorf about half an hours distance beyond"
The Marshal, not caring to annoy him
self by more minute inquiries, went to
bed. If ten men were shot, that was suffi-
Gent
The next morning at sunrise, Lieuten-
ant Lamotte, with twenty men, marched
over the trsmpled hills to seek Waldorf.
1t was disagreeable business, and the
| sooner it was over the better. On reach
ing ridge which overlooked the intersec-
ton of two or three valleys, more than one
village was visible through the cold fog
now beginning to rise. "Que est Wal
dort?" inquired the officer of the man
whom he had impressed by the way.
"Das," answered the man, "ist o6er Wal
dOrt," pointing to village on the left.
En- auant" And in fifteen minutes
more the Frenchmen marched into the lit
tie hamlet.
Hating in an open space between the
church and the two principal beer-houses,
the officer summoned the inhabitants to-
gether. The wholeJ village was already
awake, for few had slept during the night
| AT the command of the lieutenant, the sol
diers seized all the male inhabitants, and
forcibly placed them in line before him.
The women and children waited near in
terrible anxiety, for no one understood the
words which were spoken, and these omin-
GUS preparations led them to imagine the
worst.
At this juncture, the son of the village
pastor appeared upon the scene. He was
a young man of twenty, who was studying
theology in order to become his fathers
successor, and fortunately had some know
ledge of French. He Immediately address
ed himself to Lieutenant Lamotte, and beg
ged for an explanation of the proceed
! ings.