The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23

tempest through the gorges OF the Jaegerthai.
The trump of Judgment could not have pro-
duced q greater effect upon the besieged. At
once all were awake and listening.
at 10 Pivrettel 1t is Msrcg cried broken
voices, sounding hollow as those of skeletons.
They are coming to save us|
They tried to rise. Some fell back sobbing;
they could no longer weep. A second crash
brought all to their feet
at is the volley of q Platoon /" cried Hullin
"our men are firing by platoon 700! We have
soldiers in line Long live Frsnce|
another Catherine was right" said jerome;
"the men of Phalsbourg are coming to help
us; they are descending the hills of the ssrre.
and Pivrette is attacking by way of Blanru."
The fusillade was, in fact, commencing on
| both sides ut once, toward the meadows OF
BEDSIDE Chenes and the heights of Kilber.
| Then the two leaders embraced, and as they
CROPPED about in the darkness, seeking the edge
| of the rock, the voice of Materne shouted:
"Take care! the precipce is there"
They stopped short and looked down, but
saw nothing; g current of cold air, from the
depths beneath, alsne told them of their dan
ger. All the surrounding peaks and valleys
we're buried in darkness. On the sides Of the
opposite slope, the flashes Of the musketry
aged oak, or the black outline of rock, or
mayhap a patch of heather, covered with
forms rushing hither and thither. From the
depths, two thousand feet below. rose con-
fused murmur, the gathering of horse-hoofs,
cries, commands. Now the call of q noun
taineer-that prolonged shout which dies from
peak to peak-rose like q sigh to Falkenstein.
"That lie Marcel" said Hullin.
eyes, it is Marc cheering u.s." replied Jerome
The others, near by, with necks outstretched
and hands on the edge of the Gilt, gazed visit
4 fully. The fire continued with q rapidity
which told of the desperation of the fight; but
= nothing could be seen. How those poor
o wretches longed for q part in the struggle
|. With what ardor would they have buried
themselves into the combat! The fear of yet
being abandoned-of seeing the retreat of their
rescaers-made them speechless.
1T Soon day began to break the pale dawn
ID shone behind the dark peaks; few rays OF
z light fell into the shadowy valleys, and, hall
r. an hour after, silvered the mists of theil
re- depths. Hullin, glancing through q break in
Id these clouds, at last understood the state OF
BIT affairs. The Germans had lost the heights o
ed valtin and the field of Bots del h enes They
n were massed in the valley of Charmes, at thu
y, foot of Falkenstein, one third of the way NJ
&, the slope, that the fire of their adversarie
might not plunge from above upon them. Op
posite the rock, Pivrette, master of BEDSIDE
mt Chenes, was ordering abatis to be raised O.
NY the descent to the valley. He rushed hithe
nv. and thither, his short pipe between his teetf
~ his slouched hat pulled down on his ears, an
,nr his rife slung behind him. The blue axes
the wood-cutters glanced in the rising sui
To ha eft NJ ha vii m he Rid ri
,m. in the midst of the heather, Marc-Dives, on
it'll little black horse with trailing toll, his lor
of sword hanging from his wrist, pointir
2 ~ ont the ruins and the old path over which ii
nR, wood cutters won't to drag their tree
ved An infantry officer and come National Guar
nee in blue uniforms listened. Gaspard Lefev
alone, in advance of tho group, loaned on
low muSket and seemed medtating His me
him told of desperate resolve. At the top of t
of hill, or three hundred en-, in line, resti
hat on their arms, gazed the scene.
The sight of the fewness of their defendC
hes chilled the hearts of the beseged the more
nth as the Germans, outnumbering them seven
Ank eight to one, began to form two colum ns
attack to regain the positions they had 10
Their general sent horsemen in every direct
die with orders, and the lines of bay onets bee
to move.
be- "The game is up!" muttered Holm to
on rome. "What can five OF six hundred men
he'd against four thousand in line of battlei
He Phasbourg people will return home, say
The We have done duty and Pivrette
Hsr be crushed"
lacs; All thought the same but what filled
ooms measure of their despair to q long
,ravs of Cossacks debouch at full speed into
IN he valley of Chsrmes, the fool Yegof at t
3 was head, galloping like the wind, his beard,
far tail of his horse, his dog skin aud his red
,ened streaming behind. He gazed at the rock,
us to brandished his lance above his head. At
are of bottom of the valley he spurred toward
seized snemy's staff. Reaching the general, he L
some gestures, pointing to the other siC
Z. and the plateau of Bois-de- Chenes.
1.-THE villain |" exclaimed Hullin. "See
more says Pivrette has abAtis that sid O.
upou that the mountain must be turned"
10 saw column, indeed, began its march at