Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-03-25
The Cure of ROutOt.


lam not much for priests, T. said De
lard, taking little wisp of tobacco
and a tiny morsel OF paper from hi
pouch, and deity rolling them into
cigarette; but there is one of the clot
for whom l have great respect. Ii
saved the life of myself, ard of fift
gallant men. Messieuls, drink I
your good health, and to the health
and to the health of the brave Cure q
Routot!'
A general clinking Of glasses ensued
of glasses of every size and shape, iron
the little gilt liquor glass, that held a
a thimble, to a tall goblet that on
might have put half a bottle of win,
into. There was even coffee cu]
among the vessels presented to b.
'trinque.' Nor were the liquid con
tents any less varied than their Tecep
tacles. There was curacao and yer
muth, absinthe, good red wine, and
brandy that was sO-sO-in fact, as ma
ny drinks as men. We were all seat
ed about the marble table of the Cafe
Lion dor, with its hanging lamps Of
petrole, and its compton hedged about
with an irregular palisading of bottles,
where mademoiselle sat entrenched,
dividing her attention between a little
morsel of needlewOrk, an apparently
complicated set Of account books, and
the requirements of disbursements OF
her customers. In the middle of the
room great round stove, cased with
white enamelled earthenware, diffuses
very moderate degree of warmth. In
fact, what with the white stove and the
white curtains, and the mirrors, and
the marble tables, and the parquetted
floor, the general air is rather of chill
hess and discomfort to an American eye,
when viewed with the accompaniment
of bowling winds and November rains
outside. A glass of hot grog,' and
ones feet on a fender in front of a good
coal fire would be more in accordance
with your secret wishes. But our COM
panions are content, and so perforce
must we be, and we suppress our shiv-
erings as we'll as we can, and try to en-
ter into the spirit of the hour.
And pray we ask as soon as the
clinking of gOblets has subsided, what
is the history of the Cure of RoutOt,
that his name is thus popular?'
Half-a-dOZen voices were about to
give voluble explanation, when one
of the party, who seemed to hold the
position of chairman of the gathering,
interpesed, and cried in an authOrita-
tive voice, Hold, my children, it is M.
DeSpard who ought to recount to NJ.
Pam erican the history of that occur
renee, as he was himself one of the
principal aciors.' Every one seemed
to acknowledge the justice of this, and,
after a moments polite hesitation, in
fear lest he should weary the com pany,
Despard, short, bullei-headed man,
with a close-shaven chin, and huge
black moustache, began the following
narrative:-
1T was in the disastrous winter of
1870, when Rouen was abandoned, and
the OutpOsts of the Prussian army were
pushed forward on either bank of the
Seine, thatI found myself, by the ILL
ness of my captain, in command of q
of Franc-tireurs, in which 1
held commission as lieutenant. Ibid
not desire the responsibility, but there
was no help for it. Our corps were de-
tached to observe the progress of the
enemy, and We were marching hither
and thither, our clothes in tatters, and
our shoes worn to nothing. 1t was
tramp, tramp, always tramp, tramp,
sleeping under hedge or beneath
tree, rarely within the walls of house;
for shame to say it of my countrymen,
but it is true that every door was shut
in our faces by the peasantry. 1t was
only at the point of the bayOnet that
we could obtain the hospitality of our
own countrymeh, for they were NOR
tally afraid of the Prussians, whose
cruelty to the Franc-tireurs and those
who harbored them had been rumored
far and wide among the paysans.
well, found myself one evening,
encamp ped with my company on the
borders of the Forest of Bretonr e,
which, as you know, occupies penin-
sula enclosed by the waters of the
Seine between ROuen and Havre. 1t
was acountry tOlerably familiar to me,
and my own home was not very far
distant; but L dared not visit 1.-THE |
place was occupied by the Prussians,
who were settling themselves comfort
ably in my chambers and making |
merry with my wine, whilst ! was en-
,amped in a ditch under tree, wet |
and hungry, and in very bad hu-
nor. l Was stamping up and down
and blessing the Prussians in my heart,
when heard the sentry challenge an
approaching fOotstep, and presently a
peasant was brought before me who
was making his way through the for
est, with stick and a bundle of
clothes, in the direction of the river.
lie was an inhabitant of RoutOt, he
old me, village about three miles off,
md had left his home half an hour be-
ore TO avoid the Prussians, who had
ust placed detachment in occupation
If the village. 1t was a post, it SEEM
ID to me, good way in advance of the
general line of the army; and from
what could gather from the country
man, who was rather intelligent fel-
ow, there was no other Prussisn troops
within four or five miles of the place.
All of a sudden it occurred to me
hat, being in such close proximity to
he Prussians, it was my uuty to beat
Up their quarters so as to prevent their
esting too comfortably. There was an
to distinguish myself that
night never again occur. If by
luick surprise [ could capture this
russian post, the whole country would
ing with the exploit and / should find
myself recorded with honor in the an
lals of my country. The love ofglory is
With us, monsieur, the most powerful
If motives; it burnt as ardently in my
,reast at that moment as if l had been
youth of twenty or SO, and not griz-
lied old fellow, the father of family.
And yet the risk was enormous. The
.dvance of the German armies might
It any moment envelop US in its folds,
md for us Franc-tireurs, and for me
heir commander, there was no quarter
o be expected, if once we fell into the
lands of the Prussians. For myself, /
vas willing enough to run the risk; but
had no right, perhaps, to risk the
ives of my comrades.
Il called my company together, and
them in short speech de-
ivered under the shelter of an oak,