Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-07-13

FsS~3SeSSSs
ever the old man grew weary and I'M.
patient, his granddaughter would read
him letter from his son-an imagin-
airy letter, of course-as for a long
time nothing had entered Paris, and
after Sedan, bis son, who was Mac.
Mahon's aid.de-camp, had been sent a
prisoner to a German fortress. You
can imagine the despair of that poor
girl, without news Of her father, know
ing him to be prisoner, perhaps i'll,
and yet obliged to make him talk in
joyous though rather brief letters,
such alone as soldier always march
ing onward in conquered country has
time to write. Sometimes her strength
failed her and weeks passed without
news. But then the old man grew
uneasy and could not sleep. Then a
letter would arrive at once from Ger.
many, which she would come and read
to him beside his bed in q gay tone,
while choking back her tears. The
colonel listened religiously, smiled
with acritical air, approved, criticised,
explained to us the involved passages.
But where he was really fine was in
the answers he sent to his son.
"'Never forget that you are a
Frenchman,' he said !; be generous to
the poor people. Do not make this in.
vasi0n too hard for them to bear. Then
came endless recommendations, de-
lightful lectures upon the respect of
the prophecies, the politeness which
one owes to ladies, a whole code of
military honor for the use of the con-
queroHs. He also added some general
reflections upon politics and the con.
ditions OF peace to impose upon the
Prussians. In that respect must con-
1eSS that ne was not exact1ng.
g The war indemnity, nothing more.
Why should we take their provinces
Can we make France out of Germany =
''He dictated that in a firm voice,
and one felt so much candor in his
words, such a fine patriotic faith, that
it was impossible not to be touched
while listening to him.
meantime the siege went on not
that of Berlin, alas!
lit was the time of the terrible cold
weather, the bombardment, epidemics,
and famine. But, thanks to our care,
our efforts, and to the indefatigable
tenderness that surrounded him the
old mans serenity was never once
troubled.
'Until the end contrived to pro.
cure for him white bread aid fresh
meat. There was only enough for him,
though and you cannot imagine any.
thing more touching than these inno-
Gently selfish breakfasts of the old man
the Colonel propped up in the bed,
his napkin tucked under his chin, be-
side him his grand daughter, thin and
pale from her privations, guiding his
hands, making him drink, helping him
to eat all the good cheer. Then, re.
vived by his repast, in the comfort or
his warm room, the wintry frost out
side. and the snow whirling before the
windows, the old cuirassier would re-
call his northern campaigns, and would
relate to US for the fiftieth time the &C.
count of that terrible retreat from
Moscow, when they had nothing to eat
but frozen biscuit and horseflesh. -
Can you imagine it little girl!-we
ate horse =
''She could easily imagine it; for
two monts she had eaten nothing else.
From day to day, how ever, as conval.
escence approached, our task became
more and more difficult. That numb.
ness of mind and body alike had 80
well aided us up to that time began to
disappear. Two or three times the
terrible explosions from Porte Mailiot
had made him start, pricking up his
ears like hunting dog; we were
obliged to invent recent victory of
Bazaine before Berlin, and artillery
fred in honor of the occasion at the
Invaiides. Another day, when he had
pushed his bed up to the window II
think it was the day of tho fight OF
Buzenval). he saw plainly the National
guards collecting on the Avenue de Ia
Grande Armee.
'.What troops are those p asked the
old man; and heard him mutter to
himself, Badly drilled, badly drilled!'
stThat was all :; but we understood
that in future we must take great pre-.
cautions. Unhappily we were not
cautious enough.
'.One evening, on my arrival, the
young girl came to meet me, looking
very anxious,
.'.They enter the city to morrow
she said.
.tWas the grandfather's door open I
/ do not know. But, in thinking It
over since, remember that he was
strangely excited that evening. He
probably overheard US. Only we were
talking Of the Prussians, and the old
man was thinking Of the French, Of
that triumphal entry which he had
waited for 40 long: MacMahnn ridfnw