The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-04-04
+" As you are here,

you are here to fight"
cay, to fghtp ~
eft is well; but one word more. woulo
not deceive you; l see among you 1atners Oh
families. We will be one against ten-agalnS'
fifty. We must expect to perish! ihefeioie'
let those whose hearts may grow faint ere inc
end comes, go. All are free"
Each in the crowd looked round to see his
neighbours face, but no one left his place.
Jean. Claude spoke in firmer tone:
"No one moves All are ready for battle!
chief-a leader-Inust be named, for in timeso
danger everything depends on order and dis
ciplne. He when you shall appoint must he
obeyed in all things. Reflect well, for on him
depends the fate of every one of u.s."
So saving, Jean Claude descended from his
tribune, and earnest voices began at once to
whisper in the crowd. Every village deho-
Grated separately; each mayor proposed his
man time passed; Catherine LefeVre burned
with anxiety and impatience. At length she
could contain herself no longer, and rising
| upon, her seat she made q sign that she wished
| to speak.
.sMy friends" said she, ''time flies; the enemy
| ia advancing. What do we needf a man
whom we can trust 8 soldier acquainted with
war, and knowing bow to profit by the strength
of mere positions Well, why not choose HUI
lin7 Can any among you name better1
propose Hnllin"
"Hullin! Hulin!" cried LabaIbe, Dives
Jerome, and many others. Let us have
vote"
Marc-Dives, climbing the pile of logs, shout
ed in voice of thunder:
"Let those who are opposed to having Jean
Claude Hullin for our leader raise their hands !!
! Not hand rose.
Let those Who wish Jean Claude Hullin t
+ be our chief raise their hands"
Every hand rose.
5 Jean -Claude," said the smuggler, "you ar
8 the man. Come hither. Look"
Jeau-Claud mounted the logs, and seen
\ that he was elected, said calmly:
|, "You name me your chief. 1 accept LII
10 old Materne, Labarbe of Dagsbourg Jerome
D St. Quirin, Marc-Dives, Piorette the sawye
n and Catherine Lefevre, enter the sawmill.
[e will hold council, and in twenty minutes
T, will gives my orders. In the meantime !
is every village detail two men to go to Fake
L. stein with Marc Dives for powder and ball.
nj CHAPTER VIII.
Those whom Hullin named met in the h
attached to the sawmill around the immen
- chimney. A sober sort of merriment seem
=. to play about the face of more than one.
~. For twenty years have heard people tai
ing of these Russians, and Austrans, and c.
- sacks" said old Materne, smiling, "and sh
g. not be sorry to see one at the muzzle of
mo rife"
rI eyes," answered Labarbe; g. we shall
- 81 oh Il
y. of to-day will have many a tale to tell of th
~. fathers and their grandsires. And how the
49, women of fifty years hence will chatter OF
at evening around the winter fireW
- "Comradesw cried Hullin, "you know
country-you know our mountains from Ths
to Wissembourg. You know that two gr'
roads-the imperial roads-traverse Alsace
the Vosges. Both starting from Bale, one r
along the Rhine to Strasbourg, aud enters
an raine by Saverne. Hunipgue, Neuf Briss
q Strasbourg and Phalsbourg defend it.
sh- other turns to the left TO Schlestadt. Leav
but Schlestadt, it enters the mountains, and pa,
on to st. Die, Raon -rEtape, Bacarat and Lit
cry Vile. The enemy would like to force the
,ats .o,a &c +basa t,vo roads as tbey are the
."p- for cavalry, artillery and wagons but, as
last ii, aaeo,dod ,ua ,a,d NOT t-on,,a
ou's selves about them. If the allies lay sieg
the cities upoe them, the campaign vii
dragged out to q great length, and We 6
have nothing to fear; but this is not prob'
After having summoned Huningue to sul
der, and Belfort, Schlestadt, Strasbourg
'0"O Phalsbourg, on this side of the Vosges,
oiu Bitche, Lutzelstein and Sarrebruck, on
u uS' other, they will fall upon us. Now, Ii
'no Between Phalsbourg aud st. Die there
several defles practicable for infantry,
"" only one for cannon, that is the road
Strasbourg to Raon-les- Leaux, by Uri
Mutzig, Lutzelhouse, Phramonde and G
""' fontaiue. Once masters of this road, the
-, can debouch in Lorraine. Tuis road pass
at Donon, two leagues hence, to our
The first thing to be done is to establish
selves upon it at the place most favorab
defence-that is, upon the plateau or
mountain TO break down the bridges
throw heavy abatis across it. A few hu
large trees, with their branches, will d
II the work, and under their cover we can watc