Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-22

An Alsaiian Exile in New Work
81 came from near Metz. BY trade am a
decorative painter. All monsieur, le beau pagS.
and now so miserable, SO unhappy. Many Il
time have | been on Sunday at GraVelotte and
spent happy day, little thinking of the carnage
and misery | should witness among the farms
aud pleasant villages of that neighborhood.
was well-tO-do. was making as a iouneynev-
man nv five francs every day, was well cOnsid-
cred, had saved up some little, aud had hopes Of
going to Paris some daY to improve myself, with
the desire of having, perhaps, an establishment
of my own. See you it is hard to leave home
when one has an old mother, whom | cared for,
and to think that | may never again see her.
But look you, she said to me, months before |
left, before, in fact, had much idea Of going
away at all, My sen, thou must 20. If thy
father was alive, and it seems to me that am
only following his wishes, he would command
the same thing. Thou hast not forgotten how
thy poor father would tell thee of 1915, and
show thee his cross-gained for valor on the
field of battle? Cans't thou ever think of being
a Prussian soldier, and fighting with thy former
brethren? Now, it is true, the war is over, and
a. far as |, an old woman, have to do, suppose
hey will not disturb me, these PrussanS, but
for thee, thy case is different. Now that thou
art young and strong, 90 seek a new home even
further than France Go TO America There is
freedom there, and no kings to disturb thee ,
These were her words, and here 1 am" Here
he paused, as If overcome by emotion.
"EXcuse me, gentleman, bat it is bard to
THINK OF those dear to YOU whom you may have
parted with without the hope of ever seeing
again."
"Were you in service p
yes; for the last five months of the war, and
saw hand times: | was not liable TO the con-
Scripfon, because was an only SON. but when
the general call came | volunlecrcd; tell you,
Notwithstanding all our boosted military know-
edge and skill, it was the most miserable al
tempt at anything like a def nse that could be
imagined Half the time we were without food
and never properly armed. Ii by chance we
thought VIC could stand fight with given
number OF PrussianS, before we knew of it, by
their superior tactics, they had us on the flank
and rear with five times, ten times our number
We were SO certain that this was to be the case
ina we never went into action with any heart.
| Frenchmen arc not towards Sir; they have
| shown their YalOr all over the world; nor en-
think we are the degenerate sons of our fathers
| but have seen whole regiment run from
| field when opposed by a force Of Prussians even
| less in number Want of confidence in the
| officers was Il reason. Some were, however, per-
| feet heroes. | have seen many a one give him
| self up voluntarily to death. In one battle |
| saw, with perfect desperation, a general and his
staff, may be fifteen in number, with no arms
save their parade swords, lead charge one
| hundred feet in advance of our men. / think
but two ever came back out Of it. But it was no
was no elan about them"
''To what do you attribute your misfortune?"
Solely TO the utter want of preparation, and
to the corruption in the war ministry. 1t is an
old story. do nor 20 back TO the cause of the
war. Now that France is in its sober moments,
and we are feeling the bitterness of being con
quered, we have had time to LOOK into the rca-
sons for the war. They we've futile to Il Decree
The country people ask themselves what had
we to do with Spain? Now ask you, what has
Strasburg or Muhouse TO do with who should
be king of Spain? We were Il thousand miles
apart But for this wretched quarrel, the
brightest jewels Of France would not have been
torn from her. That IS la question pOlitigue'
in which the poor people never were consulted.
We are supposed never to understand that kind
of thing, but now it is perfectly plain TO us. Ma
poleon was curse to France. 1t is true there
was apparent prosperity, bnt everything was
rotten at the core. must confess was deceiv-
cd about the condition Of matters, like many
millions more. You see to fight for ones coun-
try, TO make war, with many ofus was consld-
cred business which did not belong to us 9th
er people were paid to do that. Jean was will
ling to pay so much in contribution to Panls,
who was to wear he KEPT and shoulder his gun
and 90 and skirmlsh and get himself the legion
of honor, or meet a glorious death sur ie chdDlD
de bdttdHe, while Jean might paint houses, as
did, or plant his vine, like Jacques. We never
dreampt that such serious matter as getting
into fight unprepared would ever occur |
tell you the name of Louis NapoIeoH-or any of
them-is hated and detcsted by every workman
in France, and You will never see the day when
he will come back again. We never, never can
forget this humiliation, all Of which IS owing to
him
Tell me Of the condition of Elsass when you
left, asked.
at was a most unhappy one. To give the
Prusslans their due, must say they were doing
as well as they could. Immediately after the
NM nj Tho, oeE.,t .,r.l =
most irighttul kind. Military rule of rigor-
Gus character, beyond anything endufable, was
imposed on us. | suppose it was a necessity:
but it was irksome TO a degree. Since then it
has been better. | suppose they will try all
conciliatory measures; but their advances are
not kindly met, and they can hardly expect it,
See you. lam not one Of those who abuse right
and left; but to despoil you of your nationality,
of your brthright, when you are civilized
people, and in the nineteenth century, is more
IMAM human nature can stand. We might
have been Prussians or Germans two hundred
years ago, and have no doubt my great grand
father was one, for my own name is more
German than French; but that makes no mat
ter. France was my country and unless |
adopt this one and become a citizen OF the
ohltcd States, can never have any other. As
lar as business went matters were yervbad,
There was little or no money in the conntrv.
Workmen could find nothing to do, ANYTHING
having TO do with the decorative business was
dead ana not likely to revive for years, Whole
villages which had been destroyed by the war
remain in the same ruined condition Here and
there, perhaps, single room in house has
been patched up, and afforded shelter for its
former inhabitants. All, monsieur. paunt and
horrid misery stalks there still. You tell me
IN tins country whole city is burnt down aud
is built up in day again: IL is not so in thp old
countries, and it will be 20 years before the traces
OF this war are eifaced, but from the memory of
thepoor people never" "Courage. mon yienXO
said the landlord, who had been listening add
ing nom time TO time a series Of interpretations.
such as sacre-olgre-ces laches de Kascrlichs
-mal0euleuN pays - nmpOrte, on aura sa
revanche, Slnte Bismarc. Come | Offer an
other bottle, and we will drink to better fines
ms IS good country, and there is always
work here for willing hands. See, have been
twenty-slX years, it is true | have never for
gotten all that time France, and lived for years
10 inc nope OF seeing those smiling countries |
was born amidst Why, / dream sometimes of
the vines my father planted, aud The roses
which bloomed in our garden. Yet this is n
fine county TO live in. II Is true. you don't
amnse yourself much, and that you don't think
Of much else but work-wOrk all the time.
Now ask you, there is ie bal des Cuisitiers.
You 20 there and amuse yourself for less than
ten dollars, pas mozen. Whereas in France
you can enjoy yourself for quite as many cents,
ADJ the good obleiette an lard we used TO get,
and the cherries, and the good wine and the
Strawberries almost for the asking, and the
merry dance and the song. Eugene" and he
addressed The painter, don't lose heart; you
will get along soou, and maybe in twelve.
month the good mother will come, and perhaps,
VINO knows, 4 you haven't left some sweetheart
III France. Ali mon brdUe. that's half the mat.
yer with you. We'll, we will have the sweet
neart over here, and you Shall be citoyen and
she a Cheyenne Of the United States.b
| "A young lady OF Indianapolis was very sorry
,sl.t.