The Portland daily press., 1871-12-16
oIeon the Great broke her heart, you

Napoleon the Great broke her heart, you
know"
ISLANDER, madame, SANDER. Napoleon
was too true Frenchman to insult a wo-
man."
''Too true Frenchman, vicomtep she
said, half laughing, yet really in earnest.
'How many PAGES could l walk on the rue de
Rivoli alone and unattended in broad day.
light without being insulted by both words
and looks from your countrymen? No, no.
you must not mutilate any tree or statue in
Berlin for me-"
81 promise you that will not.'
''Ah, that is well said! 1t is so noble in
the vctors to spare the vanquished. And do
prevail on the emperor not to carry off the
sword of Frederick the Create
lie dld not notice that this was sEspoke sar-
castlcal,". as Artemus Ward hath it; but re-
piled in good faith:
Io the vlctors belong the spoils.' But
rest assured that France will treat conquered
PRUSSIA with all her usual magnanimity and
generosity
Il have not the slightest doubt OF that,
The gathering shadows OF the twilight ma.
the curl upon her lip. 'WeI, will tell you
what would like to have, a bracelet OF the
celebrated iron-work. Bring me one when
you return"
WAn iron bracelet-good. You shall have
il if | live to return. Au revoir, then, mad
anne, and, if fall, shed some few tears to my
memory"
He raised her hand to his lips, bowed, and
was gone.
'Poor fellowp' said Alice Lascelles, little
sadly, to herself ''Well, am glad that l am
to leave Paris tomorrow"
She rang for lights, for the shadows of night
were creeping over the city, and then she re-
turned to her seat by the window. Crowded
omnibuses laden with returning pleasure
seekers, carriages, cabs, soldiers, idle pedes-
TRANS, came and went in ever-changing
throngs. All seemed gay and insouciant as
usual. Mrs. Lascelles looked thoughtfully on
the scene.
why is it," she unused, ''that I cannot
feel careless or confident in this city any lon
ger? presentiment of coming evil oppress-
es me. There is thunder in the air, but from
what quarter will the cloud arise ?'
AT that moment the servant entered with
the lighted candles. The act of opening the
door created draught of wind which swept
number OF papers and pamphlets, which lay
on one OF the tables, in wild confusion to the
noor. The waiter fastened to pick them up,
but one folded sheet f1uttered to the feet of
Mrs. Lascelles. She stopped, took it up and
llstlessly opened it. 1t was a cheap litho-
graph, such as may be purchased for few
sous at any of the news-stanGs in the Palais
Royal 1t represented vide and desOlate
plain, and on the dim horizon could be des-
cried the serrled lines of vast armies lost in
the vague shadows of the distance. In the
foreground figure was emerging from be-
meath the uplifted slab of tomb a skeleton
form, bearing musket, and grinning with
fieshless jaws beneath the shade of military
cap. The inscription was Encore en- scene'
(once more upon the STACEY
The door opened as Alice sat gazing on
this picture in thoughtful contemplation, and
pleasant-looking, gray-haired old lady enter
ed the room.
'Your visitor is gone, see, Alice" she
remarked, Your uncle and I think of going
to the comedie Francaisa to see Breseant and
Brohan in lie Lion Amoureux" Would
you like to accompany us?
THANKS, dear aunt, 1 think not I am
tired OF hearing lie Rhin Allemand'' and
the "Marseillaise," and they form the pieces
ae resistance at all the theaters now. And
besides my heart is too full of, and nv brain
too much occupied with, another tragedy and
terrible actor which will soon absorb all the
attention of France''
what do you mean?'' exclaimed Mrs
thornton wonderingly, for she was very
matter-of-fact, and her niece's rhapsodies ant
hts OF enthusiasm never failed to astonisl
her What tragedy, and who is the actor p
Ihe tragedy is called Wharf.-The principa
actor is named Death.''
The days, and weeks, and months. sped or
IN their rapid fight. Woreth, Gravelotte, Sc
Dan, became familiar words among the ma
lions. Paris was beseiged and taken, and
peace at last came to restore happiness, and
to bring triumph and rejoicing to Germany.
though it fled affrighted from poor, maddened
France.
Safe in her bright New York home. Alice
Lascelles watched with interest the course Of
lVantg Nu1,
PRUSSIA, found In her heart great sympathy
and true sorrow for the woes of France. She
Thought sometimes Of de Revannes, wonder
ing often whether he still lived, or ifhe had
shared the fate of so many others among his
brave and unfortunate countrymen; but she
never expected to hear any tidings from him.
One day, however, letter was brought to
her, accompanied by small but weighty par
eel. The letter ran as follows:-
Il write to say adieu to you, dearest lady,
1or the au revoir of our last parting was not
an omen ofour future meeting, as / then hop
ed. L will say nothing of the misfortunes
winch have befallen my country, for we were
betrayed, deceived, miserably sold | have
been prisoner ever since Sedan, and have
been put in irons more than once for ATTEMPT
ing to escape, and for what these Prussians
call INSTRUMENTATION, which was merely the
chaflng OF the Gagged eagle against the bars.
All. Alice! if you had but but listned to me
-ifyou had but loved me! Do you even re-
member my existence? But have not for
gotten you, nor yet my promise to send you a
bracelet of Berlin iron. Herewith l forward
it toyou. l do not ask you to wear it, for
have done SO and found it far from comforta-
BILE; but keep It'll memory of heroic, unfortun
ate France, and of Prussian barbarity. We
shall yet avenge ourselves, and in that hope l
lives
Mrs Lascelles unfolded the covering of the
parcel with some curiosity. From a multi
tude ofwrappings there fell at last upon the
table the promised bracelet from Berlin-a
Journal.