The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-09-12
THE MILK CAN OF STRASBURG.

y
children story while they make them
selves snug by the fire, and look into the
red caverns, and think how comfortable
it is tobe safe from the moaning wind.
You have all heard of the terrible war
between France and Prussia and how, at
last, the famous old city of Strasburg sur
rendered under brave Gea. Urich. 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 725 steps
(you see am as good as a uide-book, }
and the stone work is SO exquisitely fin
lshed as almost to look like lace. In this
Cathedral tower is the curious astronomi-
cal clock, which no: only tells the time of
day but the motions Of the planets. But
what has all this to do with the milk-can?
Stop don't vawn! ara ,a
Once upCh time no lat 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, a French gentleman Of the name
of Despard had been shut up in the city
with his little girl Marie Their own
home was on the coast Of Brittany, but
his business, for he was large exporter
of leather and carpets, had brought him to
! Strasburg,- ri, s9qfl .gfsp asfr o.mf9R
He, like most French folk, had thought
the great army had only to take mill
4 tary holiday to Berlin but he had two
difficulties, therefore, to encounter. First,
to escape from the French garrison, who
were very jealous of any able bodied
man leaving the city; and, secondly, to
pass through the Prussian sentries.
Every day made their position worse.
The Prussians 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
!,desolation around. So NJ. Despard, hav-
ing found deserted cellar, carried the
little Marie there one dark night, and, by
degrees, stored away some small stock Of
provisions candles, and so on. Dav by
day they talked of, the dear wife and
mother far away in the little fishing vii
lage on the coast, from whom no letter.
now came.a ,e s.
4 M. Despard thought over every plan,
and at last determined on bold project.
One dark evening he returned with a
stranger. Marie almost cried out in ter
ror, till, when the candle was lii, she saw
q stout peasant women, with a strange
sort OF white linen bow tied on top of her
head. Marie opened her eyes as the
countrywomen put down an enormous
milk cana perfect giant in It's way
polished like silver, with a brass tap and
jaunty-l looking lid, and two polished han
dies, and standing about four feet high
and foot and half wide. Then, hur-
riedly, the father explained how he had
, bought this milk -can, and to what use he
was to put it. He had bought it Of the
good Ursule, and Marie was to get into it
some day and be carried out past the
French and Prusslans, and see her dear
mother and home once more, and pick up
shells upon the beach, and see the goats
and tie old brindled cow. So with great
care, Mr.. Despard took off the lid of the
monster milk-can, and slowly drew forth
a suit of peasant women's clothes-cap
and gown and wooden shoes, and -four to
make his hair gray and Ursule laughed
In quiet way, and told Marie to be a
brave little girl, and not to mind the milk
can for an hour. So she babe father and
child good bye,with many tears on Marie's
part, promised that in q weeks time she
would come, and bringing her donkey
cart,take Marie and her father safe bv
the sentries. There was no time to be
lost for after that date no country folk
could pass to and fro.
When they were left alone, M. Despard
talked to his little girl, but could not
comfort her. Oh, that terrible milk. can.
1t was so cold and slippery, and she should
be suffocated? Oh, her dear father must
not ask her-she should die? every well,
Marie" he said, "we will die together.
But thought my little girl loved her
dear mother and the old home" And
Marie weft much and said little; and
after saying their prayers, father and child
fell fast asleep.
Mex morning the gray dawn stole thro'
the cellar window, and ever and again
came tie roar of the heavy guns, the
growl OF the cannon, the shrek of the en-
ormous shells. So after breakfast thew
looked at the milk-can again, and Marie
thought she would try it; and her father
took out his watch and challenged her
playfully to stay there quarter Of an
hour; for Ursule had declared that an
hour would be long enough in the milk
can to escape. And SO the little girl,
looking at her fathers pale face, and
thinking of the village on the coast, and
her dear mother, grew drawer day by day,
till she was able to stay the whole hour
in the milk-can. Her kind father had
bored holes here and there, and got her
some Irvine to net, so that her fingers
might be employed. There was also ar
ranged a little soft seat at the bottom.
And SO they >anxlously waited Ursule's
arrival. 9T09 a@T a HHh