Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-04-20


~ In love and sympathy, in hope and trust;
NO outward sigh or sound our ears can reach;
But there's an inward, spiritual speech,
Imt greets us still, though mortal tongues be
dust.
It bids us do the work that they lay down
rage UP tne song where they broke off the
Sc journeying till we reach the heavenly town,
Wnere are laid up our treasures and our crown,
ana our lost, loved ones will be found again.
THE MILK CAN OF STRASBURG.
u Z Af only going to try and tell the chill
dren q story while they make themselves
snug by the fire, and look into the red
caverns, and think how comfortable it is to
be safe from the moaning wind. You
haye eH heard of the terrible war between
France and Prussia and how, at last, the
fan1ms old city of Strasburg surrendered
under brave Gen. Uhrich. 1t is very
curious old town, with its houses built of
red stones, and with its narrow streets.
But the chief wonder is the Cathedral,
begun in 1915, and not quite finished yet.
It's marvellous tower, 474 feet high, has
staircase of l25 steps (you see l am as
good as guide book, and the stone work
is so exquisitely finished as almost to look
like lace. In this Cathedral tower is the
curious astronomical clock, which not
only tells the time of day but the motions
OF the planets. But what has all this to
do with the milk -cans Stopi don't yawn!
= Once upon time-no!-at the very
time when the Prussians had begun to sur
round the city, before the townspeople
were forbidden to pass to and from the
city, French gentleman of the name of
Despard had been shut up in the city with
his little girl Marie. Their own home
oWason the coast of Brittany, but his bust
ness, for he was large exporter of leather
and carpets, had brought him to Strasburg.
He, like most French folk, had thought
the great army had only to take military
i |, holiday to Berlin; but he had two dicul-
ties, therefore, Ito encounter. First, to
escape from the French garrison, who
exceedingly jealous of any able able-bodied
man leaving the city; and, secondly, to
pass through the Prussian sentries.
Every day made their position worse
The Prussian batteries had opened fire on
the forts, and though as yet they tried to
spare the town, yet shell every now and
then would scream through the air, and,
falling into the open streets, scatter desola-
tion around. So M. Despard, having found
deserted cellar, carried the little Marie
there one dark night, and, by degrees,
stored away some small stock of provis-
ions, candles, and so on. Day by day they
talked of the dear wife and mother far
away in the little fishing village on the
coast. from whom no letters now came.
M Despard thought over every plan, and
at last determined on bold project One
dark evening he returned with stranger.
Marie almost cried out in terror, till when
the candle was Lit, she saw stout peasant
woman, with a strange sort of white linen
bow, tied on top of her head. Marie
opened her eyes as the countrywoman put
down an enormous milk cana perfect
giant in its way-polished likessilver, with
a brass tap and jaunty- looking lid, and
two polished handles, and standing about
four feet high and a foot and half wide.
Then, hurriedly, the father explained how
: he had bought this milk can, and to what
use he was to putt. He had bought it of
the good Ursule, and Marie was to getinto
1t some day and be carried out past the
h French and Prussians, and see her dear
Il mother and home once more, and pick up
shells upon the beach, and see the goats
and the old brindled COW. So, with great
care, M. Despard took off the lid of the
4 monster milk-can, and slowly drew forth a
suit Of peasant woman's clothes-cap and
, gown, and wooden shoes, and -four to make
3 bus hair gray; and Ursule laughed in a
quiet way, and told Marie to be brave
little girl, and not to mind the milk can
afor an hour. So she bade father and child
goodbye, with many tears on Marie's part,
promised that in weeks time she would
come, and, bringing her donkey-cart, take
Marie and her father safe through the
sentries There was no time to Be lost
Tor, after that date no country folk could
4 pass to and fro. .E st -aGast
saosW When they were left alone, M. Despard
talked to his little girl, but could not com
! fort her. Oh, that terrible milk-can. II
d was SO cold and slippery, and she should be
sutfocated? Oh, her dear father must not
ask her-she should die? Every well
!, Marie," he said, eve will die together
!, But thought my little girl loved her deal
mother and the old home" And Marie
wept much and said little; and after say.
ing their prayers, father and child fell fast
/ asleep. ~ 4 - f.s.sz5 "a a..
. Next morning the gray dawn stole
through the cellar window, and ever and
!, again came the roar of the heavy guns
1.-the growl of the cannon, the shrek of the
enormous shells. So after breakfast they
looked at the milk-can again, and Marie
thought she would try it and her father
took out his watch and challenged hel
playfufiy to stay there a quarter of an
d hour; for Ursale had declared that an
hour would be long enough in the milk
can to escape. And SO the little girl, look
I ;inSat her fathers pale face, and think
ing of the village on the coast, and he
dear mother, grew drawer day by day, til
she was able to stay the whole hour il
the mifk-can. Her kind father had bored
holes here and there, and got her some
c twine to net, 80 that her fingers might bs
= employed, There was also arranged {
Etffn soft fatf flo -
aaanxiously waited Ursule's arrival.
- When she came, Marie-she was JUS
/, :.six ye. rs old, I ought to tell you-was il
great delight; for M. Despard had dressed
z. himself, while the child slept, in the peas
% ant woman's costume There he was
pale, and gray haired, and thin, with thicl
ii wooden shoes onl he had shaved off mus
7 7 tache and whiskers Ursule leaned agains
il the wall and laughed so heartily, he
4 black eyes dancing with. fun, and he
white teeth cleaning that Marie skipped
IS into the milk can, and in a moment tn
father and Ursule, having blown out tn
light, crept up the dark stairs, Will
above them, high up, burst a shell, <5s3l g
szHNa time. to be lost. Up into the car
goes the milk can, and Ursule urged o.
her donkey, M. Despard walking by he
4 side. They reached the gate mere boy
9Ci SOntSStlpt, n Oh SudTu, VINO CndllenSe
Il sleepily, gives the can a tap with his HAND
nd5,t"s Pass, empty milk camp he said, il
French. Tsl.sI 10 yEf. ,!.,f s5is -
-iu Marie nearly screamed out, but, by
strong effort restrained herself, And s
down the causeway, over the drawbridge
and out on the road that led from the for
the donkey. struggled along against win
and rain. Poor Marie felt almost sea sic