The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-02-12
NUMBER 9.

| possession BaZeiIles (and in due time Sedan,
was Won and on on the evening Of Thursday the
ut was then that, believing all danger for
US was over, I went through the village from
! one end to the other to make an exact inven
tory of our losses Exactly thirty&two houses
and no more had been burnt-the majority
were therefore left standing. Not q waman or
child was injured. This fact is conclusive to
creatures had in the fray, for had they taken
part in it, as was afterwards alleged, the en-
envy would certainly not have scrupled to
shoot them with the arms in their hands"
The priest paused here as If from como nm
conquerable unwiliingness to continue. He
appeared to be greatly agitated'in spite of re-
pea attempts to maintain his seif-posses-
sion: could not fail to guess the cause, and
YET was compelled to urge him to proceed
TO give the necessary completeness to his mar
ranve: had observed that the order of his
relation was chronological, and that he car
ried 1t down to the Thursday night on which
the Emperor had sent in the formal offer of hi,
capitulation.
"And what followed the events of the Thurs
day night, reverend Father 7" asked.
The priest made no answer, but he looked
straight to,carRs me, though not at me- for his
the color began to fade from his face by
patches until his checks and forehead were,
one great stain of deadly white.
repeated my question.
My son." said the father, there are so,a,,
Things which are too dreadful for anger too
inonrni al for pity, which are, in short, beyond
Tue utmost range of expression permitted tc
i1 VI emotion. Such IL thing was that which,
followed after TIE announcements of the ca
pituiation of the Emperor on che Ihurstiay
night, that thing being the burning OF Ba-
ZeliieS ana the massacre of its inlla bita nts NV
outline of he barest facts of the atrooity shalt
be of the briefest possible kind Let this sui
nee NJ, In the midst of the profound calm as OF
death, which followed the cessation of til.
hghting ali along the line, and while I, with
others, was engaged in an equally assduons
attention on the wounded, both friend and foe
1 was horritied, GU leaving one DIV cling to pass
10 another on the opposite side of The street
10 discover that the whole village was rapdIy
becoming n mass ofnewly. kindled flames The
thirty odd houses which had been burning
luring the struggle for the possession of thu.
'liage had long since been put out. The fires
when were now raging bad been deliberately
it since the capitalization of the Emperor and
ne consequent cessation of all resistance on
ne part OF the regular armies, to say nothing
n the defenceless civil populations whose,
dwellings, happened to lie within til. circle OF
trtc. "
The work was begun at night, hut til.
morning was reserved for it's completion.
louise alter house was deliberately fired. The .
'lllagers were more bent saving their own
ives than on defending their property but
hcy were not to be permitted to do either.
n the middle of the lane of fire formed by the
wo sides OF the buiniug streets stood the cor
lutIlnS, ana as men, women aud children
nshed shriekipg from the ha1nes-Oh, Nor
ieur" CIhe priest had broken DOWN. "Non.
leur cannot, dare not go further the story
u Bazcliles has yet to be written in characters
II hIe and OF blood, bnt the time has not We:
ONE for this supreme ~trial of duty to the
wing ana devotion to the dead. l cannot,
aust not go on
L understood him, and took INV leave ~ :.
cncr, with IN atfectionate pressure. Of. hi,
and.