Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-03-08
From Harper's Weekly.
NINON'S PRINCE.

1t was the SeIge OF ParlS. Eugenle
had fled from the Tuileries, the pro-
visional government been organized
under Trochu. All Paris was In slate
of wild alarm, and the Prussian armies
were steadily making their way to-
wards the city, investing one point
after another, and rapidly cutting off
all communication between the besieg
ed city and the surrounding country.
Winter was coming on; 'food and fuel
becoming scarce; business was entirely
suspended; the boulevards were filled
with idle, aimless loungers, gazing with
sad and hungry eyes upon the long
defiles of troops that marched before
them. The heavy rumble of the ar
tillery wagons echoed through the
streets, and the ambulances formed a
sad procession, with their terrible sug-
gestions of the dead and wounded for
whose conveyance they were prepared
The air was heavy with sadness; Paris
shuddered at the thought of suffering
that it must encounter, and bitter
wall arose from the lips of the poor.
In the quiet and aristocratic pre-
cinots of the Faubourg st. Honore the
grim ghosts of famine and bloodshed
had not made their way, and the luxu-
rious entresol of the fashionable hotel
where Ninon, the gay little Baronne de
Valcour, took up her usual abode
during the gay Partisan winters, was all
alight with sunshine and flowers. Nj
non herself was the dullest thing amidst
all the brilliant glitter of ormolu, gild-
ing. and looking glass. She was lean
ing back in her cushioned fauteuil, with
the toes of her slippers extended to-
wards the fire and her head thrown
back YEARLY, looking the very persona
Gcation of ennui
"Would madame eat her breakfast"
inquiries Fifine, with solitude, as she
arranges the inevitable rolls and coffee
On q small table by her mistress side.
Ninon opened her eyes and shut them
again, and the coffee grows cold.
Fifne knows her fate. If this cup of
coffee is spoiled, in half an hour she
will be called upon to perpare fresh
one, so Fifine ventures another sugges-
ton.
MADAM has no appetite ~
"Fifine, you bother me- Go away"
Fifne departs, but returns again in
the space of two minutes.
Madame, voici monsieur"
Madame turns her pretty little head
and takes a comprehensive glance at
the tall young officer in the uniform of
the National Guard who enters the salon
and makes his way to her side.
"The Prussians have not eaten you
up YETI" inquiries Ninon, with yawn
that she does not take the smallest
Mains IN o0pcoal
"Not yet. Would it be a great
scarce of relief to madame if such an
event were to take placer"
:" Rather"
Don't you care for me at all,
Ninon?"
"Don't be silly, my child. Tell me
what his Excellency General Trochu is
about, and when you propose to stain
that elegant uniform with Prussian
gore"
Poor Paris |" The young officer
sighed and shook his head.
s'Paris is very mccall but the
Prussians; and no one is giving any
parties. That annoys me-"
Ninon, are you really as heartless
as you seem?'
aJust about. What do you want me
to do?"
"Tell me you love me Ninon, just a
little"
But don't" -
The boyish lips trembled, and great
wave of sorrow spread itself over the
fair fresh countenance. Then he knelt
down by her side, and a single tear fell
On the little hand that he stopped to
kiss.
Ninon, Ninon, won't you love me?"
YgSa are great stupid boy, and you
m use getaway, or [ shall never eat my
breakfast. You ara "a, very nice boy,
A so;ns l0'NAs if you were
':Ninor !" The word sounded like
rT addnb Aii7As Il 9il,s
IR Hd5ffohh9 e pissed.her haffds again and
tuflea aSWR4St4beleape her ~ ,sa..
sss1.S Shha lnHAtsp eoanR again, Kinon."
Mada5SHsaHsI iBhfoHz1e disfgIred her.
pretty n nd With 'af= incredulous little
7,eoa,e, and he fdtor. closed upon her
boyish lover.
tv sP m'51a ii s5sgsma dts{ 4 81
sssf enemy stb d Ind
and destitutiohIhtressedd canine and
disease-eaped rich harvest among
rhrpoorer Inhabitants: short win
ter days we're 9rip and cold, and the
sssn Y supply 81 fe0 BxIfeed grew
less and less every hour. TIE streets
were flied aETleslaend hungry
crowd of desperate men and despairing
womeY .Kse4elke OF ig 81 pa psr IS
he sounds. Of distress and suffering
10 s6.sa ! lss Fs sfsaa
s4aaore, whe1sfilasePgQ de Wal valo9 ~
'odgare out her days wailing over the ae
duf1asA and dgeariness of the gay cap
ital. ~-Ihe high prices demanded fpr al
/, the saecessaries OF life Bega1I ahaustt
0iaSfU the kEinceiy De VaIcour revenues.
The estUthhment must be reduced
AID RSNess Ninon awoke out of her3
lohssdisAm of luxury and lsziaess,to,
eesfaoe, life for the first time seriously. The.