The Grange advance., 1874-06-24

~ ao1ue MS time, and live under the fost-
erlns care Of frances present rulers. It
grained MIN much to hear from me how
great and general had been the expression
OF dissent, out Of France, to the finding of
tie court. A Colonel of the late Paris
Commune had just been degraded, and
mentioned the description of his mental
sutterings, as given by the Partisan press.
''This is something that you at least have
been spared, by the dispensation from that
inaiction," said I. "But," said he "tbe
moral punition has been executed : and
force Of the law has been exerted apains+
me, and should not have suffered anv
more at the more humiliating ceremony
l preferred to have been shot, but the an.
thorities did not wish it. And my opinion
OF the conviction, and own easy consci
ence, whould have made me entirely in
different to any action which they might
have chosen to take" My views on the
sad moral defaillance exhibited so pain
fully on too many occasions in France du-
ring the past three years he did not at
tempt to controvert. He discussed frank
~ the singular anomaly that the French
army which had boasted SO long of its
thorough discipline, now contained Off
GERS who had openly avowed, during his
trial, their indiscipline and mutinous spir-
it, and their conspiracy with Rossel, of the
Commune, and others, to overthrow him
during the siege at Metz. And YET not one
of these officers had been censured. Some
had been promoted.
The view from the parapet was magnid
cent, the outlines Of the coast showing vii
lagos and chateaux, interspersed with fine
groves; promontories jutting into the sea
while at one point lofty mountains came
out in bold relief. The elevated amphithe-
atre in the background was covered with
forests and the rich verdure of spring. A
gay fotilla of sailing dotted the waters
of the bay. While we promenaded Nine.
la Marechale came out and joined US, walk
ing between us and taking her full share in
the conversation. She is, as you know,
Mexican, with dark, lustrous eyes, black
eyelashes. and eyebrows beautifully curved,
a mouth indicating unusual resolution, and
radiant, lovely face. After all, if man
is deprived Of liberty, his fate is greatly
ameliorated when such companion and
the three charming children are present to
share the captivity. So far as eommuni-
cations with the outer world are concerned,
the wife is prisoner under exactly the
same regulations as the husband. During
a brief interval, while the Marshal was en-
gagged with the director, turned to the
Marechsle, and expressed my own, and,
think, the general, admiration Of her wifely
devotion. Her reply appeared to me touch
ing and digni6ed. In Mexico the women
as well as the men are all brave. They do
not desert friends in extremity. When l
married the Msrshal was seventeen. He
was at the summit of power, with fortune
and friends to support his future, and not
a shadow to overcast it. He gave me that
bright and enviable position; and when
power and fortune and friends have van
ished, my place is by his side, to share the
crust Of bread and all the privations with
the same devotion and affection that were
due to him in the zenith of his prosperity
Subsequently, alluding to a fervid eulogy
on her conduct in one of the Paris news
papers, did not see it, she said, adding,
with contemptuous snap of the fingers.
Il do not care that for it. The outrageous
treatment of the Marshal has made me as
utterly Indifferent to public opinion as if
none existed
Naturally in the course Of our converse
ton the talk turned upon the pending bat
tie in Spain. Bazaine seemed to think
that the civil war would still rage, even if
Don Carlos achieved signal success. But,
Notwithstanding the great intimacy which
existed betweed him and Queen Isabella,
Mime. Bazaine was quick in the expression
of different opinion. The Spanish blood
and temperament were quick and impetu-
GUS. Don Carlos, entering Spain with his
drawn sword and without resources, cre-
ating an army, and fighting battle after
battle, virtually conquering kingdom
~gainst hopeless odds, would, in the event
of success at Bilbao, find it easy to enter
Madrid. Enthusiasm would quickly kindle
and the general acquiescence follow. So,
at any rate, thought Nine. Bazaine. In
reference to her husbands usual state of
mind, Nine. Bazaine assured me that he
was cheerful and never sad. He had moth
ing to be sad about, unless for the ingrati-
tude and treachery of former professed