The New York herald., 1873-09-30

taxpayers. The subPrefect Is a gentleman Of
education and ability His salary is not extrava-
CANT he has no lucrative abuses to oil his pockets
on the sly. He ought to be commodiously housed.
and he is so.
person. about forty years OLD, and all the angles
have been long since rubbed OF him by contact
with tne wora-a rough and rude world at the best,
with 1t TO have angles about him nowadays.
He receives me politely, and even cordially,
US perhaps know thing or two about
each other, which takes the stiffness out of In
@GSa sao makes short WORK Of
to the point, and ask the Sub-Prefect what has
been the effect OF the departure or the German
army OF occupation upon the district under his
The sub-Prefect is a gentleman. and French
gentleman. He rises. reseats himself upon an arm
OF his chair, ,swings one OF his legs about thought
fully while the other rests upon the ground, then
he looks up at me with that steady glance which
charming simplicity and absence OF arectation =
WHAT THE sUB-PREFECr SAID.
81 do not think that Rheims has suffered at all by
the occupation OF the German troops. Her COM
merce was never SO prosperous as 1t is now, and
was never seriously injured for any considerable
period during the war; 1t might have been other
towns suffered severely, especially those whose
trade depended on the government banks. But
the wine and wool merchants OF Rheims trade upon
their own capital; ana perhaps the clearest
answer to your question is to say that
many OF them have doubled ir within the last
three years Men who were worth 100000 francs
at tue outbreak OF the war now worth 100000
francs. The Germans drank great deal OF wine; 1;
they sent home great deal. They also bought
great deal OF wool. must tell you that have not
long been appointed to my present post, and was
not here during the war. can therefore only
speak from hearsay; but am probably well in
formed. The German officers have left no debts
behind them. They lived largely and spent great
deal of money. especially In eating and drinking.
have heard no complaints OF any misconduct upon
their part towards ladies. They were not volun-
tarily received into society by the upper classes
here. hut thew sometimes inaieted intnO w
the families IN the houses where they were quar-
tered They were masters here, but it cannot be
fairly said that they often abused their power On
the contrary, they appointed Count Irsch, a lieu
tenant Of cavalry. as SubPrefect OF Rheims during
the war, and he WAS a man who perfectly under
stood the French system OF administration. He
has left excellent reputat ation be mind him. and
an able, enlightened, Just and merciIul man. 1t was
whispered. do not know whether truly or not,
that the extreme mildness OF his administrator
al last gave offence at headquartsrs. He was,
therefore, ultimately removed from Rheims and
shortly afterwards fell, SWORD in hand,' before
Charities An excellent man tins Count lrsch,
pa; wao has lett name % IN me- .osy name which the
''Yes, the Germans did cruel things. The Bava-
rans and the Wurtemburg people were best liked !;
most arbitrary and vexatious. they pro-
duced what they called with grim humOr
.ng .salatsry s effects by terrible methods. They
ton in the midst Of = hostile population pnnt and
while the Issue OF the war was doubtful, gave them
good cause lor alarm. l do not think that they
were guilty OF any wanton bloodshed The GER
man policy was to
INFlICT NOISY PUNIsHMENTs
which were sure to rouse an outcry, and be heard
OF far and wide. They meant these noisy punish
menS TO act as warnings and they served that pur.
pose perfectly. There was the case of NJ. lie Cure
Maur0y, which naturally made a great sensation.
The Cures brother had been killed in The war and
arms were found in his house. SO the
Prussans shot him. There were other cases OF a
like kind but, upon the whole, 1t cannot be said
that the Germans were ferocious in their triumph.
Few bIawls occurred between them and the
townspe0ple, though they were rather TOO ready
with their swords, and on one occasion about atty
persons were wounded in a coffee-h0use riot. /
am not aware that any or them have settled in tins
neighborhood or married here, though believe
formed None of them pr0nted, to my knowledge,
by their opportunities OF buying land or houses
cheap. Indeed, they had no such opportunities
ior nobody was ruined by them here. cannot
state as fact, within my personal knowledge
that any OF them committed robberies. l have
heard OF no clock stories at Rheims and the King
or Won Molke would probably have dealt very sum
marily with a cloc&-stealng officer. The position
of the army OF occupation was unpleasant. The
silence and they were kept under very strict dis
cipline. Both General Rosenberg and General
80 - fAdTioN; '
but can bring no charges against them, for was
not here when they came. Undoubtedly the Ger
man army OF occupation was y heavy burden, but
1t il good to remember that 1t might have been
made pnendurable and that 1t was not. 1t is quite
keepers and eating house owners may eSeh
regret the departure OF the Germans. They had
plenty or money and they spent 1t freely; but they
have not generally LEFT favorable impression be-
hind them l have only been here eight this,
imperfect can merely tell you what has been told
10 me. II you desire TO know more You should Gall
on N. DauPninot, who was Mayor 6f khei6ds during
the war. NJ Dauphin0t, in fact, is Rheims He Is
a most high couraged and patriotic gentleman,
courteous, reasonable, clear headed. lie has de-
Es n 'E s1asps rheqss Ss Pay paSs
honest and excellent man ID The country than NJ.
Dauphinot, and you will congratulate Yourself on
to see N. vernet, who long represented Rheims in
the Chamber OF Deputies, and M. Diancourt, the
present Mayor NJ. Dauphinot lives nearest, and
you had, therefore, better go first to him."
That was the substance OF my conversation
with the Sub-Prefect, who was, think, the most
agreeable French official person with whom it was
ever my good fortune to converse When it was
over he accompanied me - the door and then sat
down again upon an arm OF the nearest chair, in
the easy position familiar to him, and said a kind
word at parting. adding something, aughlngly to
tho information he had given me, and something
that m ust not be told ielt quite glow in my
right hand as it touched that OF this frankspoken
and honorable Sub-Preect.
NJ. DAUPHNoTs PLACE OF BUSINESS
Is only few doors from the prefecture in the same
street, and went there at once. He had Just left
Tor mis- country house, but saw some well dressed
and polite clerks M very rare people indeed ,hesel
an early man, always to be found at work before
nine O'Clock In the morning. He would certainly
] had only to call at that hour TO find him. Then
went to the Mayor, who out too, that IL was
nearly eight O'Clock in the evening before rung
the bell at the gates OF M. Vernet at No. Is in the
Rue du Mare.
1t is astonishing how little those people know OF
France and Frenchmen whose experience Is con-
fined to Paris. The best national type OF French
man Is hardly ever to be found there. l was
shown into NJ. vernets by grave butler
dressed in black, with no Parsian impertnence
about him. He appeared to have been grown
on the premises and to be a part OF
them The concierge also who kept the gate was q
reverend and discreet parsonage. HIS very wife
was comely and civil, while your concierge In
Paris Is commonly dreadful person, who sits
cross-legged, stitching in dark hole, while his
wife screams at her lOdgers upon the stair case.
NJ. vERNET is THE WIDOW CLICQUOT;
that Is to sav ne represents this excellent lady,
now long deceased, and is one OF the first wine
merchants in the world. HIS wealth is counted by
millions, and he is the first citizen OF Rheims The
library into which was shown by the grave butler
was furnished with great magnihcence, and all NJ.
Vernets surroundings were those OF merchant
prince. grand mantepece or black marble sup
ported objects OF art OF inestmable value the
wal lIa xyer covpred w n