The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-04-26
The Story Of a Frenchman Hunted by the
Germans.
CHATTER VIII,

The next day, the list of November, before
light started for Graufthal. The trees by
the roadside were loaded with frost. Here
and there black bird or a thrush flew out of
the white bushes uttering cry as if to bid
one good bye. About seven in the morning,
I reached the great rocks which shelter the
poorest houses of the hamlet, and stopped be-
fore that of Father Ykel. I entered by the
kitchen into the principal room of the inn
which was filled with smoke. No one
moved, and thinking was alone, went to
call someone, when saw Ykel sitting behind
the stove, the stem of his black pipe with
its copper cover between his lips, and cot
ton night cap on his head. Just as discov-
cred him, his little green eyes were already
fastened on me, and be said.
SIS that you Father Frederic? What do
you come here to do among knaves who plum
der us? If were in your place should re
main quiet in the woods, the wolves are not
such bad neighbors."
eve can not do what we would lke," I
replied, fare your three chambers above va
cant, and have you room in the barn for two
cows?'
''Yes have. The Prussans have made
room. They have taken hay, corn, wheat
straw, with the cattle. Aha room room !!
I think from the garrett, even to the cellar, we
have enough; it will not be wanting for a
long timep' He gave harsh laugh, grating
his old teeth and murmuring, "Oh the ras-
Gals! God grant that we may get the upper
T will m
spite of my rheumatism and take back all
all that they have stolen from me-"
"Then," said I, ''the chambers are va
cant?'
'!:Yes, and the barn also, and hay loft But
why do you ask me that%'
'sBecause come to hire it,"
t'You," he cried stupefied, "you do not re-
main any longer in the forest house?"
''No, the Prussians drive me away"
''They drive you away! and why?"
'tBecause 1 will not take the German
oath.''
Then Ykel seemed moved. His crooked
nose bent almost over his lips, and with a
grave voice he said: 81 have always thought
that you were an honest man, You were a
no one can say to the contrary" Then he
called "Katel Katelr' and his daughter who
came to light the fire on the hearth, entered
''Bless my heart and soul, Katel, said he
pointing to me, "there is Father Frederic.
The Prussians drive him with his daughter
and the old grandmother because he will not
enlist in their band. That, that is thous-
A. Al ,sc,t; 4y1o{
makes your hair stand on end"
Katel showed me the rooms. We must 60
up a kind OF ladder in order to get to them.
You cannot imagine anything more miser-
able. We could touch the RATS of the ceiling
with the hand; there were small windows
shaded by the rocks which gave scarcely a
ray of day light. What difference from our
pretty little house so well lighted on the side
of the mountain! but we had no choice, we
must lodge somewhere.
l asked Katie to light fire in the large
room to dry the air. Then, going down
Father Ykel and agreed that I should have
the rooms in the first story, place for two
cows, the hay loft above, a pig pen, corner
of the cellar for the potatoes, and half of the
woodshed where could store the furniture
not needed in the chambers, all for eight
francs a month, sum large enough in
time when no one could earn sou.
Two or three of the neighbors, the coal
man Starck and his wife, the basket maker
Katiel, and Hulot the old smuggler, came in
to drink their brandy and water as usual.
Ykel recounted the story of my troubles.
come with his horses and cart to aid me in
moving-an offer which cordially accepted.
Everything being arranged, Starck having
agreed 10 come without fail before midday,
/ started for home. 1t began to snow.
Not soul before or behind ME followed the
path and near nine in the morning reached
the house. Marie Rose was there. told
her in four words that had hired the rooms,
that we must prepare grandmother to leave
at once, pack the contents of cupboards and
closets in barkets, and take out the furniture.
Icalled CALAIS to aid me, and the work was
begun at once. We scarcely took time to
eat. The hammer resounded in the bar
rack. We could hear grandma Their sobbIng
in her little room and Marie Rose endeavor-
ing to comfort her.
The hammer did its work. The furniture,
the little mirror near the bed of my poor wife
Catherine, the portraits of the grandparents
painted by Ricaud, the same who painted
such beautiful signs in the city in the time
of Charles x, the two little holy water fonts
and the crucifx in the alcove, and the wal
nut cupboard which had come down to us
from the great great grandfather Duchene,
all these heir looms, which recalled to us the
old peaceful life and which for so many
years had held the same places so that we
could place our hands upon them even in
the darkest night, all were removed. 1t was
in some sort our own life that we were break
ing up with our own hands.
When Starck arrived and the furniture was
all packed into the cart, we asked grand
mother to leave her little room; and then,
seeing in the passage this desolation, she fell,
her face against the ground, crying
frederick Frederick kill me-let me
die but do not take me away! Leave me to
sleep under the snow in our little gardenr'
Then wished myself dead. My courage
failed me, and now, after four years, should
be troubled to tell you George how grand
mother was placed in the cart in the midst of
mattresses and feather beds, under the
thousands of snow fakes falling from the
sky.
The snow falling since morning was al
ready deep. The great cart moved slowly
along. Starck led his animals by the bride,
urging them on by oaths and blows. CALAIS,
farther on, drove the cattle. Ragot aided
him. Marie Rose and followed with bowed
heads, and behind us the little house, in the
distance, all white in the midst of the p,nes
Next day we would take away our wood
hay and potatoes as had closed the door
and put the key in my pocket before leaving.
Just at night we arrived at the house of
Ykel. took grandmother in my arms like
child and carried her up to her chamber
where Katie had made good fire.