The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-02-24

ing-the quick, eager tread of Armand
de Rocheceur sounded no more in
Ninon's salon. The boyish form of the
young officer, with his untarnished uni
form and unused sword, appeared no
more among her guests. And when she
found that he did not come, NinOn be-
gan to miss him. At first she smiled at
his absence, then insensibly she began
10 watch for his coming, and as the days
passed one after another, Ninon grew
anxious. Sometimes she would sit alone
in the twilight-the lonely little baron
ess, rich in every thing but lOve-and
the sweet lips would murmur, cat least
he loved me, lie bebe!" Then a deep
far off look would come into the brilliant
eyes. "Where is the prince?"
1t was the evening of the 29th of No
vember. Ninon was sitting alone, watch
ing the slow motions of the hands of the
clock as they pointed to eleven, when a
quick, hurried tread sounded behind the
chair, and the clanking of sword star
tied her.
Armandi" she exclaimed, as she
turned and encountered the excited
ElehNC Vi lllC AOutlS
Yes, Ninon. At last Paris is reused.
Tomorrow there will be grand sortie.
The order has been given. With a
hundred thousand men we shall leave
Paris, march upon Champigny-on to
| Villiers. Ducrot has sworn to re-enter
Paris only victorious or dead / have
come to say good-by Before to-mor-
row night Prussian ball or bayonet may
have quieted forever the heart that
loves you so passiOnately. Kiss me,
NinOn; say God bless yOui'"
Then he sank down at her feet, and
laid his head upon the little hands that
rested on her knee.
Ninon lifted the brown hair from the
fair young forehead; a moment her lips
rested there, and she murmured, "God
bless you, my Armand" Then he
pressed her for a moment passionately
against his heart, and left her.
In the morning the troops were in
motion. Paris thronged the streets and
crowded the windows on each side to
watch the sad procession as it passed.
Cheer after cheer rent the air; "Vive
la Francei" ga Ia NictOirei" sound
ed from the throats of the loOkers-On as
the long defile wound its way to the
gates. The well-drilled men marched
silently along, their countenances grave
and severe. They were about to make
last effort for Paris for France
With stern and set determination they
moved forward, looking neither to right
nor left lest the sOrrOwful faces of the
women they loved should unnerve their
hearts and unsteady their hands. After
them followed the artillery, the wagons
loaded with provisions, and-oh, sick
ening sight!-the ambulances that
would convey so many of the brave men
now leaving the city with buoyant tread
back again within its walls, wounded,
helpless, and dying.
At the head of his company rode Ar
mand de Rochecgur With head erect,
and lips firmly compressed to avoid
their trembling, he led his men past
the windows of the boulevard where
Ninon de ValcOur stood watching the
exit of the troops from the city. He
did not turn his head, but the hand that
held the bride rein shook as the heavy
tread of his powerful horse bore him
eyes that looked down upon him.
Quietly Ninon watched him 90,
steadily she looked after his retreating
form. A soft mist clouded the flashing
eyes, and as the distance hid him from
her view she murmured, gently, "Ar-
mand, God watch over thee!"
All day long, that terrible 3Oth of
November, the incessant roar of can
non echoed back into the stiffness of
the city's streets. Paris held her breath
in anguish. Her best, her bravest, and
her noblest were fighting for her deliv-
erance, in deadly peril, Just ontside the
city walls. Outside the walls the sick
ening drama of battle, with all its hor-
rid accOmpaniments of tumult, noise
and blOodshed; inside, the no less hor-
rible torture of suspense, as those left
behind waited with blanched faces and
bated breath for news from the scene of
conflict.
Among the foremost in the strife on
that terrible morning rode the bOyish
officer, Armand de ROchecGur. The
pure blood of his Norman ancestry
courses wildly through his veins to-day.
France was his life, and he would give
his life for France. His hatred of the
plebeian BOnapartes, of the odiOus re-
public, were all forgotten when for the
first time he found himself face to face
with the foreign foe who dared to attack
the very capital and strike at the heart
of his sacred land of France.
Early in the afternoon Champigny
yielded to the passionate attack of the
fresh French troops. Amazed at their
defeat, the Germans fell back to recover
from the bewilderment produced by this
almost. their first-reverse. Then,
rallying from their surprise, reinforced
with fresh troops and protected by their
batteries, they fell upon the French
with a sudden fury. Dismayed by the un-
expected attack, weary with long days
fighting, the half-disciplined French
soldiery fell back. With a wild feeling,
half fury, half despair, Armand saw the
line give way. "COwards !" he mutter-
ed below his breath. Then, turning
suddenly TO his men, he cried: "Cour-
age! VIII you go back to your women
and tell them you fled before Prussian
guns? On! on! Conquer or die like
Frenchmen!" Then he rode forward;
but the terrified, panic-stricken men
were deaf to his call, and suffered him
to 60 alone. With his right arm up
lifted he rushed toward the Prussian
line With the cry still on his lips,
fragment of a shell struck the power
ful right arm, shattered it as if it
were the rotten branch of tree, and
tore its way across the fair boyish fore
head Just above the eyes. Prone on
the earth lay the powerful form of the
brave young officer. A cry of admira-
ton rose from the lips of the men be-
hind him. Then they turned and fled,
and left him to his fate.
The evening shadows fell over the
battle plain, quieting the nose and
strife; the fighting ceased. The Prus-
sian guns were silent, and the French
troops retired sullenly back toward
Paris. On the battlefield dusky forms
came fitting about. With sable uni
forms, relieved only by the red cross of
Geneva, they went silently about on
their merciful errands. Two of these
miniSterinO SDiritS bend over the form