The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-13


sian forces all endeavors which have been made
to effect passage through the enemy's lines have
failed. 0ificial and unofficial persons have been
treated alke-all haye been obliged to return to
Paris, there to walt until events permit them to
leave.
Captain Hoare, the military attache OF the Brit
ish Embassy. lately made an attempt to pass
through the PrusSan lines, but faie |; and recent
unsuccessful expeditions with the same object IN
view. N. de Aldama, an attache OF the Spanish
Embassy, also made two attempts, one In the d.
rection OF Reuil, and the other by the way OF
cessful, and was forced to return into the capital
Balloons seem the only resource left to officials
eager TO depart, for exit by terrestrial means is
Impossible. AL the roads leadlng 70 the capital
are ealuusIy guarded by the Prussians while de-.
tachments Of cavalry sweep the Intervening space
of country. But every one cannot afford q pal
loun, or perhaps the dread OF Prusslan ouilets ls
not less than fear OF o fall from one OF lneSe
rria conyeyanc. s; AID so, although the exp. IT.
ences OF many show that without pass IL Is I'M
possible TO penetrate through the Prussian lines,
attempts continue TO be made from tlme I'd llHle.
Towards the close OF last month an essay WIN
that object In view was made by two Englishmsn,
who had been detained In Paris by business. Hop
ing, that some means for facilitating the depa.t.
urc Of foreguers would turn up, tney Warea LOT
some time Inactive. But about tne 25 Il OF sep
tember nndlng that their stay IN "a: Is was ISeiy
to be fOrcbly prolonged for very considerable
time unless they took some active measures, they
resolved to obtain passes from the French autnor-
lilies and en1eavor TO penetrate tnr0ueh lnc ilues
OF both belligcrents. Many forma lilies, however,
were necessary before they obtained their passes,
so hat 1t was not till september 20 that Lhey were
enabled to start 90 their expedition. The passes
they obtained were from General Trochu ana the
Project Of Police. and stated tIas tne bearers
were British subjects journeying TO Englnnd.
with French gentleman who had made similar
attempt some time before, but had lauen; Inls
person perhaps exaggerated the precautions 10
be taken, but he strongly advised them TO walk
along, waving their pockethandkerchers the
whole while. Hearing this, one OF our TWO lel-
low.countrymen, who hal walking stick. slg-
gestcd the use Of it 10 hoist his handSerchle1
"a walking stick ~ exclaimed the Frencnman;
at Will never do. You must not show so much
ms toOtEpirk.n what, may not take my nm.
brellafn asked our other compatrlot: your
umbrella they woud take for mllraillenr," re,
piled The Gaul. But suppose II raineaf ~ urged he
the Briton. Rain; well. you must let ~ out
Assure you you Will endanger our ille IL you
show go much as pencil case to the enemy"
Thus counscled. they left behind them poth Walk
ing stick and umbrella. making tnem p'eSens srar
to The obliging Frcnchman VINO had given liein
such important advice.
Their misrortunes commenced at the porte
Mailot, the gates by which they proposed 70 leaye
Paris. They were Informed there that tney conia
lieutenant of National Guard commanding tne
gate TO their pass. lie refused to act on IL. HOW.
ever .he admiral commanding thls division VI
the rorti1cations presently came up, anu oY nlui
the TWO Engshmen were alloWen loeU I,eIi Wy ny
not however, without WORT OF warning me
admiral Informed them that the journey tney
were about TO enter upon was 1ul OF peris; IhaC
IL would be better for them TO remain ont US theS
were determined to 60 and had the necessary
masses they must be permitted to leave. Accor-
dinghy they rassed ont, and over the drawprluge
and presently found themselves IN Neuilly. Wheh
they reached the river fresh difficulties COM
meiccd. The sentinel at the head OF the bridge
between Ncuilly and Cnurhevoir badc them walt
until nm officer passed by. Happily one soon rode
up, permission to pass was granted, anu tns
travellers went on their way; nor was !. un,ll
they had left COurbevoir behind Inat they were
again stopped. This time :hc French outposts
arrested tlicir onward march. They eShihited
their passes, and Immediately were allowed 10
proceed again. H..
In safety. Now that they were beyond them and
between the advanced posts OF the comDatants,
their danger became consideraole, eliner sue
might hare fired on them. Accordingly they put
In practice the counsel they had received III fd[ls
drew out their handkerehtels, and never ceased
to wave them as they walked along the broad
road lined with trees and shrubs on either SIDE
leading towards Bezons, where they hoped TO nnd
passage across the secona I, oenI she,nr e
past the middle age, the other In the prime OF
life, Ill Icssed In unronantic civilian clothes ana
black hais, and one Of them wearing spcctacles
walking along dismal country road, without
single being In sight, and liable at every sep they
took 10 he fred upon by some sharp.shooter or
Francs. iireur posted behind hedge or tree. And IN
fact they afterwards learnt that on one side OF
this avenue, which seemed t. them endless, were
French FraIcs.tIreurs; on the other sharpshooters
OF the Prussian army. Happily: tney were lgno-
rant OF these circumstances at the time. Always
waving their pocket handkerchiefs to an Invisible
enemy, they OF length arrived on the banks OF the
Seine opposite Bezons, where they found the
bridge over which they had hoped to pass the
Seine destroyed. They hailed some persons on
the opposite bank to come and row them over; the
answer was that the Prussians hal forbidden any
snch thing.
Near this place, however, In front Of O small
house. were two little boys playing at see-saW on
u plank, ami rouut them were strcwn other
planks. It occurred to the un fortunate pair that
they might succeed in placing ihese planks across
the water, from one pile OF the broken DrLige 10
another, and thus effect a passage: Accordingly,
they resorted TO this cxpedlenti bur, In he nrst
place The planks were TOO short for this purpose,
and the people on the opposite banks sent menac
ins shouts across the river. fhelr rufnlnatlo'ls
over this unhappy posture OF affairs were ne
coming very UNPLEASANT when one Of the boys
ut their side told them that little lower down
the river was 4 bridge still intact; moreover,
he volunteered to take them to It; anI the
trio accordingly set out. lt was NOT long
before they reached The bridge @ naor anu mere re
the two EngIishmen walked somewhat ahead
of his companion; suddenly he turned back
with q startling cry OF "rhe Prusslans J!
And there they were, or rather tnere was
behind buttrcss just In front OF the strang ger, as
he approached the middle or the bridge. AZ
once the wretched men bo!ted; roll WINGED
past them; but In a few lninut s lhey were out OF
Immediate danger. 0yertaking their guide they
now learned that camp of Prussians were close
nj hand. Wherenpon they determined to repair 10
the eneIny's quarters, exhibit their papers, and
request permission to pass. After about hall an
hours walk along broad avenue, they suddenly
came unon the Prus5an sentrle5 TO lne nnlnDer
OF four, posted at point where another ROAD cnt
across tic avenue Walvlng their handkerchie(s,
holding their papers ready, the two Englishmen
advanced. To their cries or "English Friends !"
made In both French and Engt5h-the laconlc
but eloquent reply ofa levelled rifle was delivered.
They found 1t impossible to parey; 10 every at.
tempr OF theirs there came the answer: "Be OF !'
emphaszcd by the actl IN OF taking aim. At this
mnment some half dozen rifle bullets whlzzed past
their cars an, the four Prussians were Oil wound
ed, Turning la alarm to see whence had come the
shots, our travellers perceived some nall dozen
Frlncstlreurs boiling across field In their rear
Az the same moment trumpet sounded, ana
detachment Of PruSslans. attracted by Tile nrlng,
was seen coming up. The two Engllshmen again
took 10 their heels, and soon rc]olheu 'heir gulue
who had left them q little way down me road
This little gentleman offered 10 conduct them TO
another PTus,ian outposts; and, still determined
10 pass Il posSi0le, they accompanied MIN. A
sharp walk along another avennc D:ought Ihem
upOr sJme PrusSia1 soldiers, among whom tney
nercelye,l several brlantly-attlred officers. But
II was In vain that they cndeayored TO parley.
They were not allowed to advance within d nun
dred Yards OF Tie seDtries. the TWO unlortunates
now Saye up in despair. Obeying the lnlunctlons
Of the PrussanS to be gone, they retired. They
Inarrel thar ReuiI was the nearest village, and
a,r1;,nIy set nfr in that direction, On