Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-08-18
From the Courier des Etats Unis
The Siege Of Berlin
TRANSLATED FOR THE JOURNAL.

| TRANSLATED FOR THE JOURNAL.
We were going mp the Avenue of the
Champs Elysies with DIR. V, examining
the wells pierced with shells, when the
Doctor stopped and showing me one Ct
! those great corner houses so pom 0ou>ly
grouped around the Triumphal Arch
| You see. said he, those four closed win
dows on that balcony? 1n the beginning
of that terrible month Of Angus: of last
year, SO heavy with storms and di5aA tiers,
I was called there in case of apop!exy.
The patient was Colonel Jouve, Cuiras-
sler of the first empire, crazy with glory
and Bona partisan, who, from the begin
Mug of tie war. ha taken a house in
the Champs Ely sies-a house with hal
cony. Guess why To witness the tri-
umphant return OF our troops into Paris
Poor old man Tie news Of Wissemburg
reached him as he rosa from di3ner. On
reading the name Of Napoleon, at the
bottom of this diss strous Lalletin, he had
fallen as if thunder struck.
found the ex-Cuirassler stretched o ut
full length on the carpet of his room, his
face bloodshot Rs if he had re ceived blow
on the head Standing, he must have
been very tall; recumbent, ho looked
gigantic. Fine features, splendid teeth,
thick, curly white hair, eighty years look
ing like sixty. Near him his grand
daughter. all in tears. She was like him.
Seeing thein side by side reminded one OF
two beautiful Greek medals struck in the
same die, only one of them ancient,
corroded, q little worn in its outline, the
other resplendent and clean cut, with all
the brilliaucy and softness OF recent
coinage.
The gl1ef OF this young girl touched me.
The daughter and grand daughter of sol
diers, her father was on MacMahDn's staff,
and this tall old man stretched out before
her called up in her mind another image
not less terrible. I comforted her as Well
I could, but had little hope. I had to
deal with q genuine case of homipIegy,
and at eighty. very few recover from it,
During three days. in fact, the patient
remained in the same stupor, Ia the
meantime came the news of Reischoffen,
yon remember how strangely. Until
evening We all believed in great victory
twenty thousand Prussians kille7, the
Prince Royal prisoner. I know not by
what miracle, by what magnetic current
an echo of this national Joy reached our !
deaf mute in the limbo OF his paralysis i
but it is certain that on that evening, 10
approaching i il bed, 1 folnd q different
man. HIS eye WIS almost clear, his
tongue less thick. He had strength to
smile and stammered introductory i
Yes, Colonel, great victory. and as gave
him details upon the great success of
MacMahon, I saw bis feature expand and
his face light up.
When [ went oat, the young girl was
waiting for me, pale and sobbiDg at the |
door. But he is safe, cried I, taking her
hand. The poor Child could hardly reply. |
She had just recaived the true Reischoffen. |
MacMahon in full! flight. the army crush
ed. We looked az each other disma ed |
She was thinking of her father. tnd I
trembled in thinking of the old man.
Very certainly he could not stand this new
shock, and yet. what could be doEe. Leave
him the joy, the illusion which had recall
ed him to life To do this, it was neces-
sary to deceive him Well, will deceive !