The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-07-01
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routed the enemy long before November
came, 8; ,-st
Alter the investment of Paris had
taken phcc. however the snrging waves
Of thc;greats combat that was flooding
France began to draw nearer and nearer
to Vaux yilaine.
Pfufsiaa :roops, haa,ening down TO
join the besicgiug army constantly pass
ed quite cioscito the yillugo. Occasion
ally some OF the n,opdescript stragglcrs
who followed in the rear would make q
raid upon the little shops in the main
street, and carry off all they could lay
their hands upon. This exaspcrated the
peasants, already furious at the national
disgrace; and the cure in raip prenchcd
patience, and impressed on his people
thatthe forgiveness of injuries was the
noblcst Of Christian virtues. There
were not few turbulent spirits who dc,
clared that, il they could get the chance,
| they would have their revenge on these
"mundits Irussieas," "iand knock tho life
out OF some of them, at least. These
thrcats garc great anxiety to the, wiser
and more experienced Inhabitants for
runors had reached the village of the
terrible reprisals exactcd by the Prus.
slams for every attempt at defence on the
part of the pcasantry.
AT length, one evening, when the au.
tumn days were growing dark and cold,
an unusually large number of Prussun
troops marched past the village, and
bivouackcd for the night will quar-
ter of mile from Naux Villa ;. They
had never been 90 near before, and
scarcely was their presence known when
u Prussian colonel with small escort
rode haushtiiy up 10 he house Of ILcfel-
letter Marte's father, who acted as
mayor, and made rcquisition of 70 d
and wine for his men, which could only
be obeyed at tho cost OF impovcrishing
the whole inhabitants of the village for
some months to come
Rcmonstrances and cntrcatics were al
in vain, and every family sullcnly yield
Cd up their best. till the cxorb,ant de-
mani was satisfied, and then the Ger.
mans rode awsy, followed by the curses
of every man III the place. There were
some, however, who were not content
with maledictions, and uttered ominous
threats which cnuscd Leprllcticr, as the
chief parsonage in the place to nuke ap
haranguc to the assembled people, in.
which he implored them not, by any rash
act, to bring down upon their unprotect-
cd village tho wrath Of the whole vast
host who lay cncampcd so pear them
He could see that some of the younger
men listened to him with iil,supprcssed
impaticncc but he could do no more,
and, calling to his son, who was standing
near with j ulos and Evariste, he made
them all three enter his house with him,
lest they should be led away by any ,fI
the ill-alyiscd proposals which were cir
culating among the crowd.
3 Several of the principal inhabitants Of
Naux NiluiEs, both men and women,
followed Lcpeileticr iuto his sitting
room, and remained in sorrowfu couvnr-
sation. for solhc time over the disaster of
their unhappy country and their own
present wrongs. Among them were
Ecvette aud I.eonie, with their parents;
and their presence teuded greatly to ;he
inactiun to which they were doomed,
even with the hated enemy lying so
near to him.
Jules, meanwhile, who was not natr-
rally eloquent, was talking eagerly with
Lcpclleticr and some of the gray heads
of the village on the remedies which, in
his iuexperience and sell: confidence he
thought might rectiiy the dreadful state
of matters in France.
Suddenly, MS they were all thus en-
gagged, and the conversation was waxing
more and more excited, there came n
sound, clear and ringing, though distant
which caused the voices of the speakers |
to cease as if thunderbolt had fallen
among thcnr 1t was shot coming from
the direction in which the Prussians lay, |
-..- =, - -~~-c;>>', =" or two
more as if from the discharge of a re-
volver. There was consternatior a.,
every face az the sound died away and