The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-07-10
A Lovers Ruse.

- 1OFbI > ASu6Gs
N, one of the larger French
provincial cities, during the autumn of
1871, young German officer was quar-
tered in the house of a rich merchant.
NJ. B., so the merchant was called,
was a Chauvinist of the purest water.
At the beginning of the campaign, he
was sanguine in the belief that, within
four weeks, all Germany would be at
the feet of the Emperor Napoleon and
now, despite all the reverses the French
arms had met with, from Weissenburg
to Paris, he was thoroughly convinced
that Gambetta, with his newIy-cTeated
army, would soon drive the hated Ger
man invaders to the last man from the
" sacred soil Of France.
Until this ardently longed-for mo-
ment arrived, like the prudent man
that he was, he paid the taxes and con-
tributions demanded of him by the in
vaders promptly, and gave vent to his
hatred for les Dldudits P,ussiens by
Vilifying Bismark and the king of Prus-
ala in his little family circle, and by
avoiding, as far as possible, Lieutenant
D., who was quartered in his house.
The ladies Of the house, his wife and
daughter, were good patriots but their
patriotism did not prevent them finding
Lieutenant D. very amiable and in
teresting, and their allowing him to
spend considerable share of his leisure
hours in their society. MademoiseIle
Tou;sor tba 1orc,bNar ~. o;~l4oo,.
years old, and very pretty. Lieutenant
D was five or six years older, was
an accomplished man of society, and
thoroughly master of the French Ian
guage. What was more natural than
that, despite national differences, the
young people should be drawn toward
each other? The mother, who was
very kinldy disposed toward the ele-
giant young officer, favored his suit, and
encouraged her son-in-law, that would
be, to formerly ask Louison's father for
her hand. But papa B. declared
that he would sooner see his daughter
dead than the wife of Prussian,
gave the lieutenant polite but decided
refusal, and forbade his wife and
daughter from holding any further IN
tercourse with him. The ladies were
requested to occupy one wing of the
house, and the servants received strict
orders TO deny the Prussian officer all
communication whatsoever with the
fOrtress.
Aboat this time the railroad accidents
in the provinces occupied by the Ger
mans had become so numerous that
they, as a means of self-proteetion,
compelled some prominent French citi-
zentos ride on the locomotive of each
train, in order to prevent his country
men from tearing up the rails of the
road, or otherwise doing il such injury
as to endanger the safety of the train,
because now the life of one of their fell
low-oitizens weuld be imperrilled by an
accident as we'll as those Of their enc
mics. The means accomplished the de-
sired end railroad accidents became
rare. But these compulsory trips in
mid-wihter, on an open locomotive,
ware livery far from being pleasure
trips and NJ. B. was not little
amazed when, within the short space Of
two weeks, it was his lot to make the
journey in this manner to and from
S. no less than five times. His
protostations and remonstrances were of
no avail the order from the German
headquarters was there and had TO be
obGyed for contre IA force IL ny a
pas &c resfssaysoc. When M. B
was notified for the sixth time to hold
himself in readiness to make the journey
again to S., he entered complaint
TO the nlairo, who replied, with a
shrug ...,.s...-. -a.-.--,.
YIam sorry, but I can do nothing
for you. II is certainly very strange
that yon should be selected so much
moro frequently than others to make
this unpleasant trip. Have you, per-
haps, a personal enemy at the German
headquarters p
II recently refused German officer,
who asked the hand of my daughter, s.
said he, after a moments reflection,
land denied him admission to my fanni-
ly circle"
g crest ga - cried the nlaire, laugh
ing. ''That explains the mystery. Two
or three times, whom you have been
away. 1 have seen Lieutenant D.
enter your house. He evidently has
sufficient influence at headquarters 20
enable him to send you on these ac-
cursed Journeys whenever he desires to
visit your daughter"
NJ. B-s indignation knew no
bounds.
"AIy dear rfriend. {" continued the more
philosophic 0aaire, "I would advise
you to consent to your daughters miE-
riRge rather than. in this cold weather.
10 contract pneumonia by riding to
and from s. on an open loeomo-
tive"
NJ r. threw himsel, &C t intobair
and seemed for some minutes lost in re-
Election. It was terrible alternative,
either 70 give his daughter to a naaUdit
Frsssfc'', or 10 endanger his own valua-
BILE life.
" How long, think You" he asked
the "'aise, "wiil It be before the army
OF the Loire viii destroy tho Germans
before Paris, and drive the Inst one Of
them across the Rhine Y''
The army of the Loire, replied
the nlaire, "has, according 10 news
received this morning, been defeated,