The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-03-04
[From Harper's Weekly.l
Nin0n's Prince.
Am Incident of the scige of Paris.

VI inc Sct$e Oh Farn,
1t was the siege of Paris. Eugenie had fed
from the Tuileries, the provisional govern
ment had been organized under Trochu. All
Paris was seen in state OF wild alarm, and
the Prussian armies were steadily making
their way toward the city. investing one point
after another, and rapidly cutting off all
communication between the besieged city
aud the surrounding country. Winter was
coming on; food and fuel we've becoming
scarce; business was entirely suspended; the
bouleyards 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 artil-
lery wagons echoed through the streets, and
the ambuances formed a sad procession, with
their terrible suggestions of the dead and
wounded for whose conveyance they were
prepared. The air was heavy with sadness;
Paris shuddered at the thought OF the suffer-
ing that it must encounter and a bitter wall
arose from the lips of the poor.
Into the quiet and aIistocratic precincts of
the Faubourg ST. Honore the grim ghosts of
famine and bloodshed had not ma lie their
way, and the luxurious entresol of the fash
ionable hotel where Ninon, the gay little
Baronne de Valcour, took up her usual abode
during the gay Partisan winters was all alght
was the dullest thing among all the brilliant
glitter of ormolu, gliding, and looking-glass.
She was leaning back in her cushioned fau-
teuil, with the toes of her slippers extended
toward the fire and her head thrown back
YEARLY, looking the very personi6cation of
ennui. :. 81. .,,....,.-
"Would madame eat her breakfast ?" in
quired Fifine, with solicitude, as she arranges
the inevitable rolls and coffee on a small Ia
BILE by her mistress's side. Ninon opens her
eyes and shuts them again, and the coffee
grows cold. Fifine knows her fate. If this
cup of coffee is spoiled, in half an hour she
will be called upon to prepare fresh one, SO
Fifine ventures another suggestion.
MADAME has no appetite?'
"Fifne, you bother me Go away"
Fifine departs, but returns again in the
space of two minutes.
Madame, voici Monsieur" ------
Madame turns her pretty little head and
takes comprehensive glance at the tall young
officer in the uniform of national guard who
: enters the saloon and makes his way to her
side. -
"The Prussians have not eaten you up
yet?" inquiries Nilon, with yawn that she
does not take the smallest pains to conceal.
SHOT yet Would it be great source of
relief to madame if such an event were to
take placer" f. F
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 uni
form with PrussiaD gore"
"Poor Parisp' The young officer sighed
and shook his head.
"Paris is very Mccall but the Prussians;
and no one is giving any parties. That an
noys me-"
''Ninon, are you really as heartless as you
seem?''
"Just about. What do you want me to
''Tell me you love me, Ninon, just lit
"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 single tear fell on the little hand
that he stopped to kiss.
''Nnon, Ninon, won't you love me ?"
You are great stupid boy, and you must
go away, or 1 shall never eat my breakfast.
You are very nice boy, Armand, but you
lock as If you were going to cry.''
"Ninon!' The word sounded like cry
of pain.
Then be kissed her hands again and tufned
away to leave her.
81 shall not come again, Ninon.'
Madame lie Baronnne disfgured her pretty
mouth with an incredulous little naoue, and
the door closed upon her boyish lover.
Paris is state of siege-a city of two mill
lion inhabitants surrounded by the forces of
a powerful enemy, and all supplies cut off!
Daily the distress and obstruction increased.
Famine and disease reaped rich harvest
anon the poorer inhabitants. The short
winter days were grim and cold, and the
scanty supply of fuel, of food, grew less and
less every hour The streets were filled with
gaunt and hungry crowd of desperate men
and despairing women. Emeutes broke out
in all parts of the city, and the useless bayo-
nets of the National Guard were turned to
destroy their own fellow-citizens.
The sounds of DISTRESS and suffering began
to make themselves heard even in the luxuri-
GUS quarters of the Faubourg st. Honore,
where Ninon de Valcour wore out her days
wailingov the dulness and dreariness of
the gay capital. The high prices demanded
for all the necessaries of life began to exhaust
even the princely de Valcour revenues. The
establishment must be reduced, and Baroness
Ninon awoke ont of her long dream of luxury
and laziness to face life for the first time Sc
riously. The days wore on; dreary Christ
mas was approaching. and the bitter cold
steadily increasing. The wild eyes of the
swarming populace grew hungrier and hun
grier; the weak died, and the strong lived
only to suffer. Terrible reports of the dis
tress and misery about her made their way
to Ninop. Her friends gathered around, but
their discourse were only of the horror of the
siege.
One among Ninon's friends was missing
the quick, eager tread OF Armand de Roche
occur sounded no more in Nnon's salon. The
boyish form of the young officer, with his un-
furnished uniform and unused sword, ap-
peared no more among her guests. And when
Sc found that he did not come, Ninon began
to miss him. At first she smiled at his abb
sence, then insensibly she began to watch for
his coming, and as the days passed one after
another, Ninon grew anxious. Sometimes
she would sit alone in the twilight-the lone
ly little baroness, itch in everything but loue
and the sweet lips woul murmur, CAT least
he loved me, lie bebe! Then deep far off
look would come into the brilliant eyes.
"Where is the prince?"
1t was the evening of the goth of Novem-
Der. Ninon was sitting alone, watching the
slow motion of the hands Of the clock as they
pointed to eleven, when quick, hurriee
tread sounded behind the chair, and the
clankinS of a sword starteled her.
'sArmandr' she exclaimed as she turned
and encountered the excited glance of the
young soldier.
"Yes, Ninon. At last Paris is reused. To-
morrow there will be grand sortie. The or
der has been given. With a hundred thou
sand 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
tomorrow night Prussian ball or bayonet
may have forever quieted the heart that loves
you so passionately. Kiss me, Ninon say
God bless your"
Then he sank down at her feet and laid his
head upon the little hands that rested on her
knee.
Nn0n lifted the brown hair from the fair
young forehead; a moment her lips rested
there, and she murmured, "God bless you
my Armandp' Then he pressed her for a
moment passionateIy 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 pro-
cess'on as it passed. Cheer after cheer rent
the air; "Vive la Francep' "a la Victorie?'
sounded from the threats of the lookers-on as
the long dehle wound its way to the gates.
The wel-driiled men marched silently along,
their countenances grave and severe. They
were about to make last effort for Paris
for France. With stern and set determina-