The New York herald., 1871-01-04
A WOUNDED FRANc-TIREuR'S STORY.
Melancholy Legend of the House
at Chiselhurst.
Visit to uleyent-le-Chateau-Th Houss Where
Prince Frederick Charles Stopped In
Napoleon's Statue -Brisnue-Discov.
eries-The Wounded Franc-Ti-
reur-Legend Of chiselhurst.


have inst been visiting vouleyent-le- Chateau
pretty little place. over which the war storm has
passed without entirely running It, 1t was In the
beQinning OF last month that the leaders of the
Second Army corps made this their headquarters
aud the Inhabitants for there are Inhabitants lef
will tell you, with certain awe, how "Monseg-
incur ie Prince" took up his abode In the Chateau
Tnis Chateau, for which they have almost feudal
admiration, ts On ugly-lo0king place enough
outside though 1t stands in fine park. 1t has
the historical association OF visit from NapO-
Icon the First In the days Of his decline;
Ia fact 1t here that he received the Of the
advance OF the allies upon Paris. All the ne.ghbor-
hood of voulcyent-le Chateau and Brienne is I'm.
pregnated with Napoeonlc "reminiscences, Brienne,
as. doubtless, your readers have often enough been
reminded lately, being the place Of the great NapO
leonis military schooldays
STATUE or NAPOLEON AT BRIENNB.
The statue OF Napoleon the First still stands at
Bricnne. It represents him as young student but
the features and expression have all the determine
ton with which familiar his older portraits
The base OF the statue Is OF green MARBLE on which
are engraved the words Of the hero himself-"Pour
ma pensee Brienne est ma patrie. C'est Ia que j'a
RESENT les premieres impressions de rhomme."
WAS looking at 1t the other day, when some chill
dren went by--one little girl had q child in her
u
nurse herself might be about eight. "7teas mon
eafuntn she said, when she got near the statue,
.'slake thy fist at the naughty man, which that
infant then ana there accomplished to the admra-
ton Of all benolders, who appeared delighted to
that atom OF humanity defying the stone e11gy or
tue great cOnqueror. wonder whether before that
Child has attained years of discretion the Napoleons
will be relgnlng once more.
BRIENNE
This place itself was on the 9th of last month the
headquarters OF Prince Frederick Charles. who took
took up his temporary abode In the castle or Brenne
the Prince de Bcaulrremonts place. 1t Is grand
building and perfect museum O. the fine arts
having especially some nne pictures and bronzes
How they could have been preserved I know not,
for the Chateau de Brienne was one OF the many
butnt down In the first French revolution to be re.
built very after In the early days OF the first
empire. The whole or the gllded saloons, the ele-
giant balls and bou1oirs ore now in as good
order as If cruel war had come near
them. II IS almost incredible to see the delicate
.eggshell china there standing safe anu sound thus
near wild scenes where much that was so strong
aid great has perished. The town has not surered
more than the castle, but the inhabitants are many
Of them reduced To great distress.
DISCOVERIES AT vOuLEYENT.
As before observed, made an excursion from
Brienne to You event, and found Ii still safe and
tOieraby well, though the Inhabitants are reduced
to great poverty. ltis one Of the most picturesque
house has It's little garden. It's little porch and little
ecrentriciIes OF architecture, as though elf
iaa uiawh Out tne plans. Here made one or Two
creature mad always supposed fabulous and be-
longing merely to newspaper mythology. ''thc oldest
Inhabtant.' He was poor, decrepit old creature,
minus teeth and hair, and with the most cracked
and the hoalsest voice had heard. lie lean.
ing his garden gate as went by aud as lifted
my hat to HIM and stopped for little forage
he presently displayed that he was as long o tongue
a IN.
erred garden and an old cottage behind him.
aud before q long, straight road half frost, half
mud, on which Il few snowflakes now ana then
Kept falling. II was u dull gray afternoon, and
the CLOUDS hardly moved, though every now and
tatked about the horrors Of and the grea cause
there was for desiring peace, and he wanted great
many asssase' lat was n9t ,aan rrasan s before
MAcHaHoN'5 ARMY,
and lie told me no one could imagine what a mise
rabie state his soldiers were In when they passed
through Nouleyent, on their return from Alsace.
'They did look different when they went
and when they came back" he SAID "We
saw them both tines. Never was there such a
difference: II was Just like young fellow going all
ana bright TO Il fair III the morning and COM
lug back tipsy rolled III the mud at night.n
Then he went on explaining how he had seen the
Prussans pass down that very read
FIFrY-siX YEARS AGO.
"A long time To look back upon,n answered, as
the great procession OF the half centurys events
sweea OF the the gres scythe OF Time, mad brought the
PTtseians here again.
'sAh that IL rs, sir, that II IS; and wish had
been IN my grave before saw it,n
Here the wind took the opportunity, flew down
MS threat ana choEed him. Thea reco osering him.
SELL he invited me into the cottage, it was 50 very
cold. Ills cough was very bad Was q doctors
Enough OF a doctor to assure him that he had been
out there too long already rom the r and had better
go IN again. But ne suddenly became impressed
with the idea that was proficient IN the medical
science, anu with great eagesness begged me to
come Ia and see his neighbours son, who was very
ILL IL quite Ii VAN to protest. he Insisted upon
my following him INTO neghboring cottage, AND
went quite ntedeGta 0edtgtG moi.
TIE WOUNDED FRANc-TTREUR.
There seemed 10 be nObldy IN the cottage when
We went IN, for the roofwas rather darKened than
was visible from the stove. My guide, however,
calling out,
.'how art thou. Jules - weak voice replied ,
"Better this alternoon.n
NV eyes presently growing accustomed to the
dtmness, became aware Of a young maa, pale and
laggared-loOking lying on rude sort Of apology
1or bed, in the corner OF the room. He must have
peeu fine fellow in Meath, ana answering 10 Dumas
coinme ces Espagnols ces Sicliens qui Sc vengent
81 blen celia voils des poings ecraser tete de
to DEATHS door, and The reason was soon explained,
partly By himself, partly by his ancient friend.
He was Franc-tireur, aud had fought through
several wild sklrmises with tho Prussians- chiefly
like the old 'Chouans,n by night-but ab0uba week
ago had got a ball in his chest while attacking some
PtusSianS Whe were marching towards Belfort. lie
had managed somehow to make his way home. His
father conceals hun in fear and trembling, expecting
Prassian raid upon the little homestead TO drag
out his SOU and despatch him then and there II
tell him there Is small fear OF that,' said jules
with faint smile. "They are not very likely to ind
me and Kill me, and don't mean to die II can help
1t. must get well. There's Bavarlan oIliccr /
have got TO shoot, and know cannot dle till have
done W.
mot unnauray asked "Why2"
my brother Sir, was In the Francs-ilrenrs corps
With me, aud they took him, and that Bavarian had
him snot | know the gentleman very welt and
shall hope TO meet him again with my rifle IN my
hand | am sure could pick him out at anything
short of mile" His eyes cleaned and looked 50
wicked that should feel sorry for the Bavaran cap
tam II ever they did meet again under the circum-
stances indie ated This sort OF war In little with
private grudge3 aud OF individual rcprisals has now
become one OF the features OF this great war; The
bitterness OF the Prusslans Is thereby much in
creased After all TINS u was hard to disappolnt
them by proving myself no doctor In the end.
When did so could not Dut feel that they both
dcspiscd me very much, though they did their best
to conceal the fact gracefully.
LEGEND OF CHlsETHURST.
Knocking about here In the disturbed land OF
France dd not expect to come upon legend OF