The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-09-10

our walls. and our suburbs become frontiers.
I found the old man seated on. his bed,
jubilant and proud: "Well," said he. "the
siege has At last ,oSssS a. AZ 1 1on
! know" His grand-daushter. Turned to.
news. The sieg2 of Berlin has commenced"
| She said this ID drawing her needle With
would he have suspected apythingf As to
the cannon Of the forts, helwould not hear
it. That hapiess Psris, sinister and dis
mayed, he would not see 1t. What he per.
ceived from his bed was an entablature OF
the Triumphal Arch, and in his chamber,
around him, . rubbish of the first empire,
we'll calculated to nourish his illusions.
Portraits Of Aarshals, engravings OF bat
ties, the King Of Rome in baby clothes
then great stif centre tables ornamenteo
perial relics, medals, bronzes, model OF
st. Helena under globe. Brave old Colo,
mel, it was this atmosphere of victories ana
conquests, more than all We told him that
made him believe with 90 much simplicity
in the siege of Berlin.
From that dav our military operations
were much simpiiaed. To take Berlin was
only question OF time. Now ana tnen,
when the old man was too impatient, We
read 70 him . letter from hts son, Imae!n-
airy, of course, since nothing could eneer
into Paris, and the aide-de-camp OF NC
Mahon was q prisoner in q German fortrees
since Sedan. Imagine the despair OF tnls
poor child, without news of her father,
knowing him to be q prisoner, eunering
every privation, i'll. perhaps, and she CON.
psiled to make him speak in q orief but
joyful letter, such as might be written by
= soldier in the field, advancing further
aud further into - conquered country.
Sometimes her strength gave out, and for
weeks there vas no news: BUT then the
old man became restless and slept no more.
Then came promptly q letter from Ger
holding back her tears. The Colonel lis
tened gravely, smiling with q knowing air,
approved, criticised and explained to us
the obscnre passages. But he was admir-
able in the replies he sent to bis son: :" Do
not forget" he said, s'that you are French
colder. Be geneyuus to these poor people.
Do not render. the invasion too grieyous to
them" As to the conditions of peace, lie
was liberal to the conquered. THE war
indemnity and nothing more. Why take
provinces from them. Can we make French,
this with 0 firm voice, and we felt 20 much
candor in his patriotic words that We could
not hear him without emotion.
In the meanwhile the sjege progressed;
not that of Berlin, alas It was the season
of severe cold, Of bomba rdment, epidemics
and famine. But thanks to our care and
efforts, and the indefatigabie tenderness
which surrounded him, the old mans tran
guilty was not for one moment disturbed.
To the very end was enabled to procure
him white bread and fresh meat. There
was just enough for him, it is true, and
than these grand -father's breakfasts so in
nocently selfish the old man on his bed,
rosy and smiling, his napkin under his
chin near him his grand daughter, lit
tie blancbed by privation, guiding his
hands, making him drink aud aiding him
| Then. cheered by his repast, in the com
| fort of his warm room, with the winters
gale blowing outside and the snow whirl-
ing by his windows, the ex-Cuirassier re.
called his northern campaigns and related
to us for the hundredth time that fatal
Russian retreat, in which they had nothing
to eat but frozen biscuit and horse flesh.
"Do you understand, little one Z" said he.
eve ate horse flesh" think she did uu-
derstand it. For two months she had eaten
nothing else.
From day to day, however, as Gonzales
cence approached, our task became more
| difficult That numbness OF I'LL his senses
which had helped 30 we'll began to disap-
pear. Two or three times already the ter
rible broadsides of the Porte Maillot had
made him start and Iisten. We had been
obliged to invent a new victory OF Bazaine
near Berlin, and salutes fred in its honor
at the invalides.
Another time, on the Thursday of the
sortie of Bryenval. his bed had been push.
l ed near the window. He saw very plainly
many National Guards massing on the
avenue of the Grand Anuce.
What troops are those Z" said he ane
we heard him muttering to himself, "Bat
, marching, bad discipline" This was all
but we understood that henceforth we
must redouble our precaution.
One evening as I came in, his grand
Q daughter came to me all agitated. 1t i
0 Tomorrow that they enter, said she. Wa
), the grand fathers chamber openf 1t i
r probable that he heard us. Only, we spok
of Prussians, and the old man thought o
i. the French, and the triumphal entranc
\. which he awaited so impatiently. MacMa
1t hon riding down the avenue amid flower
IN and music, his son by the MarshaPs side, an
r. himself, the veteran, on his balcony, in hi
he full uniform as at Lutzen, saluting the ia
Of tered flag and eagles biackened with pow
I'd der smoke. Poor father Jouve! He doub
bit less imagined that we wished to proven
Y, him from witnessing this defiling of OF
az troops to save him from too strong an emo
T.