The Portland daily press., 1875-04-12
"Courageln

COurageI'
Then went away down into the valley.
The rain covered the pond of Frohmule
which shuddered, all gray through the willows
and dried grass.
AS for repeating all the thoughts that passed
through my head, and how many times my
hand passed over my face TO brush off the tears
and rain which ran down; to tell you all that
cannot George. One must know more than
/. 1 felt nothing, remembered nothing, repeat
ing only in my trouble.
mo orders! 1t is useless! The General
| said that it was useless to raise barricades or
break up the roads. He is willing that the
enemy shall advance. that they shall post the
| defles!'
The night was black when returned to
the house. Marie Rose awaited me, sitting
near the table; she watched me with anxious
| eyes and seemed to ask me; "What is going
on? What orders have your
But said nothing, and throwing my Oil
cloth cloak dripping with rain over the back
of chair and shaking my cap, exclaimed.
go to bed Marie Rose. We shall not be dis
turbed tonight. Go quietly to bed. The
general at Bitche will not stir. The battle is
lost. But we shall have second Alsace at
Saverne or farther on. The roads mnst be
kept open. We have no need to move. The
passes will be well guarded
| I do not know what she thought, but
moment after, seeing me still sitting, she
said,
81 have kept some soup near the fire, it
is still hot if you wish to eat, my father %
bah! 1 am not hungry. Let US 60 to
bed. 1t Is late, and that will be the best"
could not contain myself, l was so angry.
1 went out into the passage, turned the keys,
and taking a light went up stairs. Marie
Rose followed me and we went into our
| chambers.
Iheard my daughter go to bed. Long
time after. with my elbows on the table, 1
sat watching the little yellow light before
the black windows where the ivy rustled its
leaves under the rain; I remained pensive
with half-shut eyes, saying to myself, Fred
| eric, there are some jackasses yet in the
world; they have not any tails, and they
march at the head and lead the rest" at
last as the night advanced, near two O'Clock,
thinking it was useless to burn oil for moth
| ing, undressed and went to bed, blowing
out the light.
In this night even, the seventh and eighth
of August, the Germans, having sent for
ward scouts who found all the passes open,
advanced en- masse, took possession OF the
passes not only of Znzel but also of Zorn,
investing Phalsburg, the bombardment OF
which began the next day.
They passed into Lorraine by the great
tunnel of Hommortin, while our army with
drew in forced marches to Nancy and then
to Chalons.
| Thus the two German armies of Woerth
and Forbach were reunited, and we were
| as if swalowed upAshut in from all help and
even from all hore.
You can easily imagine the immense army
of the Prince Frederic, Bavarians, Wurtem-
burgers, Badeners, cavalry, infantry, artillery,
coming by squadrons and regiments into our
solitary valley; this torrent of human beings
who march always on, on, without Interrupt
ton, during all the week, and the cannon
which Numbered around the place, the old
rocks of Graufthal which repeated echo after
echo; then the smoke of the incendiary
which rose to heaven forming sombre
cloud above our valleys!
(To be continued.)