The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-11-01

giris-the boys from twelve to nve-with ruddy,
dirty aces, smeared with grape juice. They were
shouting, laughing, hurrying home to evening rest
with their harvest burdens The young men had
gone. The head OF the family had gone The vim
tage could only be gathered by women and children.
The old men and the children only remained This
was q first glimpse Of the new aspect OF AFFAIRS in
Alsace and Lorraine, and 1t seemed odd that this
trophy OF German rule should make itself manifest
on the victorious field Of Gravelotte Now and then
we met group OF sager, striding youths marching
toward the frontier or to some railway station
youths and middle-aged men, occasionally women
In the train with children in their arms, anxious
for France, and we thought Of what Byron wrote OF
those wanderers OF Israel when they were driven
out OF the Holy Land
And we must wander, witheringly,
And where our fathers ashes be
Our own can never lie
METZ IN DECAY.
AS have said, Metz could never at best have
been lovely town, and 1t is to-day a picture OF
shabbiness and despair. In other days 1t lived on
Its garrison. 1t had military schools and large,
ifnot a pleasing, variety OF pedlers and suffers
and tradesmen OF many nations Many were He
brews, who were the first to go. for the exodus
began shortly after the German 0ccupa-
ton. The Germans patronized their own
people, and had no occasion for French
suffers and pedlers from the Orient. When
the period came for decision between France
and Prussia Metz gave way in panic, and thou
sands swarmed out OF its gates. At least two
thirds OF the Inhabitants nave gone, and Metz
looks as II smitten with q pestilence-a sort Of q
city laid out in state for funeral, and Prussian
army as guard OF honor over the remains In ad
no raj n
Nancy during the last few days OF September five
extra trains left the city daily with emfgratng in
habitants. The scenes in the railway depot showed
all the crowding, anxiety and disturbance of Lord
Mayors Day In London. or Fourth of July fire.
works in City Hall Park. A railway officer in
formed your correspondent that on one day 5000
left from his depot alone. They have swept over
the country to Nancy, Lunevile, Commercy,
Lyons-sOme to Rheims and Epernay to find work
in the champagne harvest-many to Paris. In
cities where the Prussians were In occupation they
would not permit the exiles to remain especially the
young men fit for duty in the army, but drove them
on beyond their lines. With these they were always
severe. But the young men, upon accepting the
option for Germany, would be compelled to enter
the PruSsian army. So they lett for France. In
one commune where there were seventeen young
men only TWO renamed; OF these two one was Ill,
the other had no means OF leaving. And from
every quarter, without any exceptlon-except,
u
Correspondents bring corroborating reports. From
thirty alone they estimate the number who have
departed as $4,000 souls.
REvELRY AND FEAsTING.
When you are informed that Metz Is 'literally de-
serted" 1t is difficult to make you feel how exactly
true the phrase Is. The Rue des Jardlns, for in
stance. which boosted forty stores has five or six
open 1t is estimated that two stores out OF three
In the whole town are closed. Most OF the open
cafes are German beer saloons. Some or the open
stores inform you that they are ''selling out to
close business" and wherever you look you see
comment upon the events OF the day, there was
great joy in Metz the evening your correspondent
was there. II was an anniversary Of something,
and the German garrison were celebrating 1t in q
grand banquet. While the conquered were hurry
ing TO the frontier the conquerers were celebrating
themselves with eating and feasting and music.
THE PRUsSIANS COMPLAIN OF BAD FAITH.
One circumstance that fills the Prussian mind
Metz, especially from the farm lands around, have
been in receipt Of la &c sums of money from the
Prusslan treasury. The war; Gravelotte and other
transactions OF that nature desolated the country
and swept away all living thngs-cr0ps and grain
and homesteads and all means of life. And Prus-
STA, meaning to be kind to the sufferers and recon-
cie them TO the new rule paid them large indem-
mites. In some cases more money was paid than
the farmer had ever seen before; more than his
cultursts took the honest Kings money and imine-
diately declared for France. The thought there
fore, that Prussia is really paying the expenses OF
good part OF the emigration, that the ungrateiul
Frenchmen are really crossing into France
with the Kings money in their pockets,
may account for their rudeness to the en-
lies. "They take the Kaiser's money" says
Pscke!hauoer ruefnly, "and then run away"
"fes," says the Frenchman, ''wlly don't you let
us stay We want to stay and be Frenchmen.
Look at Paris. All the Germans who left there
we don't say either be Frenchmen or leave Paris.
They stay and become rich; and yet we are not
allowed to remain here where we were born with
out telling lie and saying we are German. How
Is that Yn "Oh, that,n says Fickelhduber ais unite
q different matter"
THE LOWELL OF ALsAcE
From this unovely military town of Metz which
must henceforth be a garrison, we sweep down to
the Lowell or Manchester OF Alsace, close
after Strasburg-not an old town as towns 20 in
these countries but of sudden growth like all
manufacturing centres. In 1900 it had 6,OOO in
habitants AT the time OF the war there were
$4,000, proportion OF increase that you see
IN few towns in Europe. This Is the centre
Of the eu cotton Industry around It Is beehive
Lowell, and Lawrence and Lynn. You can fancy
how much 1t has grown when you know that thirty
200, 900 In 1862 and 1000 900 when the war came
100000 of spindles and 10000 looms Your lady
readers have, no doubt, heard OF the calico and
laconet OF Alsace its beauty and usefulness. There
are forty manufactures who do this work, making
annually 5o,0oo,000 yards, valued at $4,000 600.
Here also are the model factories OF the world,
propretors renowned for their efforts to insure the
comfort and efficiency of their employees. For in
addition to cotton there are manufactures of
porcelain and paper and other useful articles.
Well, annexation has fallen like blight upon it
all. Many mills closed Tor the want OF skilled
workmen Others are being removed to Paris;
still more to Switzerland, where convenient
water streams may be had-proprie-
tors manufacturers and families, with their
money and machinery and business crossing the
frontier; and this may be said OF Colmar, the next
city in Importance, peopled with $4,000 souls
called for some reason know not .'The Athens OF
Alsacen-a quiet, old-fashoned place, where pen
sioners and retired heroes live. The young men
have fed; nor do they fly with pleasant thoughts.
A lady born In Carsruhe, wife of Colmar exile,
was sitting this morning at the table d'h0te in
Nancy "Ah," said an acquaintance, .haye You
been in Baden latelyS" "What do you take me
forrn was the angry reply. Il never want to see
those brutes again. This my son, now fifteen,
must one day revenge the wrongs of France, and
mean to make him a military man." But this, you
know, was only q woman, and q woman in anger !;
eral rulers, can understand how women win give
way to Impotence OF speech. The strange thing
was that she was German born and spoke the Ger