Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-17


the illusions which had revived him?
But it was necessary to invent false
hoods.
every well; I will tell lies said the
heroic girl, quickly wiping away the
tears, and all radiant she returned unto
her grandfather's chamber.
It was rude task that she had under
taken. The first days were very tire
some The good man was feeble IN his
intellect, and allowed himself to be de-
ceived like child. But with improv-
ing his health his ideas became more
clear. 1t was necessary to hold him In
the course of the movement OF the
armies, putting into order for him the
military bulletins. 1t was truly pitiful
to see that beautiful child bent over a
map of Germany night and day, prick
ing little flags, and endeavorlng to COM
bine all in glorious campaign; Ba-
zaine near Berlin; F1ossart In Bavaria;
MacMahon on the Baltic. For all this
required my advice, and [ aided her as
much as I could. But it was the grand
father above all whom we served In this
imaginary invasion. He had been at
the conquest of Germany under the
First Empire. He knew every step of
advance. CHOW that is where they all
GO; this is what they all do" and his
predictions were always realized, which
could not fail to render him very proud.
Unfortunately, though we were lucky in
taking cities and gaining battles, we
were never quick enough for him. The
old man was Unsuitable! Each day on
my arrival I learned of new feat of
arms. "Doctor, we have taken May
ence," the granddaughter said, ap-
preaching me with a sad smile; and l
heard through the door a joyous voice
crying, "That march ! that march In
eight days we will enter Berlin p At
that moment the Prussians were not
more than eight days from Paris.
We considered whether he had not
better be carried into the country, but
at soon as thecondition of France would
have become known to him he would
have been benumbed by the shock, and
it would not do to let him know the
truth It was decided that he should
remain for the present.
The first day of the investment [ went
up to their house, [ remember, much
moved by that anguish of heart, which
the closed doors of Paris gave, and the
battles under her walls now became the
frontiers of her jurisdiction. | found
the good man seated upon his bed, iubi-
liant and proud. ..-..-..
"Wsll," he said, snow the siege be-
gins"
regarded him with establishment.
g How, Colonel, do you know?'
asked. '...,... .......
His granddaughter turned to me.
"Oh, yes, Doctor. Tt is great
news! The siege of Berlin is begun /"
She said this as she threaded her
needle, with an air SO grave and quiet
What if he should question something :?
He could not hear the guns of the forts.
Unhappy Paris, unfortunate and up
turned, he could not see it. That which
LIE saw from his bed was the front of
the Arch of Triumph, and in his room,
around him all the bric-a- brack of the
first empire, well arranged to encourage
his illusions. Portraits of marshals,
pictures of battles, the King of Rome
as a child: then the grand consuls in
full dress, copper ornaments, trophies,
numerous imperial relics, medals,
bronzes, the high rock of st. Helena
under a glass, different miniatures ,e-
presenting the same woman with hair
curled, in ball costume, yellow dress,
with leg OF mutton sleeves, bright eyes
and all that. The consuls, the King of
Rome, the marshals, the yellow ladies
with the upright cut, high girdle, and
the cramped outfit which was the
fashion of 1906. Gallant Colonel, it
was that atmosphere of victories and
eonquests much more than all we said
to him which made him believe so inno-
Gently in the seige of Berlin.
On leaving him that day we found
our military operations very much sim
plifed. To take Berlin was but a
question of patience. From time to
time, when the old man became too i'm
patient, we read him letter from his
son, an imaginary letter, to be sure, as
nothing could come into Paris. and
since Sedan, the aide-de-camp of Mac
Mahon, had been confined in German
fortress. You may fancy the despair
of that poor child, without news of her
father, knowing him to be prisoner,
deprived of everything, i'll perhaps, and
she obliged to make him speak in these
joyful letters, a little brief, as would be
written by soldier in the field, but
always going forward into the conquer
ed country. Sometimes they were
without news for weeks, and her forti-
tude failed her. At times the old man
was so uneasy that he could not sleep.
At those times letter would quietly
come from Germany, which she gayly
read to him by his bedside, and Gained
his fears. The Colonel listened earn
estly, smiled with an air of wisdom, ap-
proved, and criticised, explaining to ns
the difficult passages.
But he was delightful above all in the
replies he sent to his son
"Never forget that you are French
man. said he; "be generous to the
poor people. Do not make the inva-
sion too severe"
And it was such advice even to the
end; the admirable exhortation in re-
gard to the proprieties, the politeness
due to woman: a true code of military