Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-23

III.
ball costume, yellow dress, with leg of NUT
ton sleeves, bright eyes and all that The
cOnsuls. the King Of Rome, the marshaIs the
yellow ladies with the upright cut, high Cir
die and the cramped outfit which was the
fashion of 800. Gallant Colonel IL was that
atmosphere o. victories and cOnquests much
more than all we said to him which ma lie
lin.
On leaving him that day we found our mill
ltary operations very much simplifed. To
take Berlin was but a question of Datiencp
From time to time, when the old man became
too impatient we read him n letter from his
SON an imaginary letter, to lie sure, as moth
ing could come into Paris and since Sedan
the aide -de-camp of MacMahoD had been
cOnflned ln a German fortress. You may
fancy the despair of that poor child, without
news OF her father, knowing him to be a pris-
onT, deprived of everythin i'll perhaps and
me obilged To make him speak in these joy
iui ietttrS, a little brief, as would be written
by soldier in the field. but always going
IrWaru into the conquered country. Some
tunes they were without news for weeks. and
hr fortitude faded her. At times the old
man was SO uneasy that he could not sleep. At
tl0se times letter would quickly come from
Stefmany, which she gaily read to him by his
Oedside, and Gained his fears. The Colonel
listened earnestly, smiled with an air Of wis
dom, approved, and criticised, explaining to
rs the difficult passages.
buthe was delightful above all in the replies
he sent to his son:
Never forget that you are q Frenchman;"
said he, - be generous to the poor people. Do
not make the invasion too severe" And il
was such advice even to the end the admi-
rabie eKhOrtatiOn in regard To the prOprietieS
me PollteneSS due to woman; true code of
military honor, of the usage OF cOnouerOrS
Mingled with these iniunCtiOnS were also
some general considerations of policy-thc
conditions Of peace to be imposed upon the
Yanquished. In this, / should say, he was
not eXacting.
The indemnity of the war. and nothing
more. What good will it be to take their
provinces" Can France thus treat Ger
many" He dictated this with a firm voice.
and with such an apparent candOr in his
words, such beautiful. patriotic faith, that
IL was impossible to listen to him unmOvei.
During this time the siege steadily pro-
SreSSed but not that of Berlin, alas Ii was
4 period of intense cold of bOmbardment, of
epidemics, of famine. But, thanks to our
care, To our efforts, to the untiring tenderness
which increased about him. the comfort of
the old man was not for an instant disturbed
In The extremity was able to have white
bread and fresh meat for him. There was but
little TO toe had, and you can imagine nothing
more touching than those breakfasts. The
lnnOcently selfish grandfather, upon his bed ,
fresh and smiling. his napkin under his chin
beside him his granddaughter, paler on ac-
count OF her priyatiOnS, guiding his hands
making him drink, and inducing him to eat
all the good things provided. Then, enlivened
by the repast, in the ease of his warm room,
the north wind without whirling the snow in
the windows, the old cuiras>ier recalled his
campaigns in the North, and rccOunted to US
i tor the hundredth time, the sad retreat from
Russia, when they were cOmpeAd to eat
frozen biscuit and horse flesh. Understand
that, my chlld, we ate The h0rSe!' L knew
that she understood ii well. For two months
she had eaten nothing elSei
''Day by day now as the cOnvaleScence
progressed, our task with the sick man be-
came more difficult. The numbneSS of all
his senses and his limbs, which had served
us so well heretofore, began to disappear.
Two or three times recently the terrible
brOadSideS at the MaillOt gate made him
spring To his feet, with ears erect. like q dog
in the chase. We were obliged TO invent a
last victory for Bazaine at Berlin, and tell
him that the SalvOs were fired in honor at the
Hotel of the lnvalideS. Another day We had
placed his bed near the windOw,-I believe it
was the Thursday of Buzenval He saw very
distinctly the National Guard, which was
maSSed upon the avenue of the Grand Army
What do those troops there, nOw,'' de-
mandei the good man; anG we heard him
muttering between his teeth: Bad position!
He did nothing else, but we understood
that hereafter it would be necessary to exer-
else the utmost precautions. Unfortunately
they We're not TIA ken soon enough. One eve
ming. as l arrived, the child came TO me in
much trouble. Tomorrow they enter" she
said. Was she to open the chamber of her
grandfather? The fact is, since i come to
think of 1T, am reminded that he had an
extraordinary expression on his face this
eTenng is S2sS5 ne that he has
Prussians; he thought of the French
and the triumphal entry which he
has awaited so long, MacMahon descending
trumpets. his son at the Marshal's side and
the old man on the balcony, in the full dress
of LutZen, saluting the tattered flags, and
the eagles grimed with power. Poor Father
JOuve. He was no doubt thinking that we
would prevent him from assisting at the
movement of our troops, ~ he must avoid
TOO much excitement; also to be careful that
he should speak TO no one. But the next day,
at the same hour when the PrusSian forces
were fearfully aSsailing the long way winch
leads TO the MaillOt gate Of the Tuilerie>.
the window above was quietly opened, and
the colonel appeared upon the balcony in his
helmet, with his great sabre, and all the glO-
rlOus uniform OF an ancient cuiraSSiar of
the Will, what surprise of life had placed him
uniformed, and on his feet. 1t was certain
that he was there behind the balustrade as
tOnished to find the wide avenues so quiet. the
blinds closed, and Paris sOmbre as a vast pest
mouse. There were flags eYerywhere but they
were so Otd-all white, with the red cross
and no one TO go and meet our soldiers. For
a moment he thought he was mistaken. But
no. down there behind the Arch of Triumph
was "a confused noise, "a dark line advancing
into the light. Then gradually the spiked
helmets, glistening, the little drums of Jena
guiding the march. and under the Arch of the
star keeping time to the heavy steps of the
battaliOns and the rattle of the sabreS, played
the triumphal march of Schubert.
Then in the sad silence of the place q cry
was heard~a terrible cry:
ITO arms! To arms! the PrusSians," and the
four uhlans of the advance guard, glancing
up to the balcony, saw a grand old man stag
ger throw up his arms, and fall still. This
time Col. Jouve was really dead.''