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

1t was the siege of Paris. Eugene
had fed from the Tuileries, the provi-
sional government been organized I'M
der Trochu. All Paris was in a state of
wild alarm, and the Prussian armies
were steadily making their way toward
the city, investing one point after an
other, and rapidly cutting off all COM
munication between the besieged city
and the surrounding country. Winter
was coming on; food and fuel becoming
scarce; business was entirely suspend
ed; the bouleyafds 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 artillerywagons
echoed through the streets, and the
ambulances formed a sad procession,
with their terrible suggestions of the
dead and wounded for whose convey
ance they were prepared. The air was
heavy with sadness; Paris shuddered
at the thought of the suffering that it
must encounter, and bitter wall arose
from the lips of the poor.
Into the quiet and aristocratic pre-
cincts of the Faubourg st. Honore the
grim ghosts of famine and bloodshed
had not made their way, and the lux
urious 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. Ninon her.
self was the dullest thing amidst all the
brilliant glitter of ormolu, gliding and
looking-glaSs. She was leaning back
in her cushioned fauteuil, with the toes
of her slippers extended toward the fire
and her head thrown back wearily,
looking theve personification of ennui.
"Would madame eat her breakfast?n
inquiries Fifine, with solicitude, as she
arranges the inevitable rolls and coffee
on a small table by her mistresS's side.
NinOn opens her eyes and shuts them
again, and the coffee grows cold. Fl
fine knows her fate. If this cup of cof-
fee is spoiled, in half an hour she will
be called upon to prepare a fresh one,
so Fifine ventures another suggestion.
"Madame has no appetizer"
"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 yetP" inquiries Ninon, with yawn
that she does not take the smallest pains
to conceal.
" Not vet. Would it be a great source
of relief to madame if such an event
were to take placer"
Rather"
"Don't you care for me at all,
NinonP"
"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.
"Paris is very mccall but the Prus-
slams; and no one is giving any parties.
That annoys me-"
"Ninon, are you really as heartless
as you seem?"
"Just 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 single tear fell
on the little hand that he stopped to
kiss.
NinOn, Ninon, won't you love me ?"
4" You are a great stupid boy, and you
must 90 away, or shall never eat my
breakfast. You are very nice boy, Ar
mand, but you look as if you were going
TO cry 4"
Ninon!" The word sounded like a
cry of pain.
Then he kissed her hands again and
turned away to leave her.
Z" shall not come egain, Ninon."
Madame la Baronne disfgured her
pretty mouth with an incredulous little
7noue, and the door closedupon her boy
ish lover.
Paris in a state of siege-a city of two
million inhabitants surrounded by the
forces of n powerful enemy, and all
supplies cut Off Daily the distress and
6estitution increases. Famine and dis
ease reaped a rich harvest among the
oorer 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 des-
perate men and deSpairing women.
Emeutes broke out in all parts of the
city, and the useless bayOnets of the Ma
tional Guard were turned to destroy
their own fellOw-citizens.
The sounds of distress and suffering
began to make themselves heard even
in the luxurious quarters of the Fau-
bourg St. Honore, where NinOn de Val
cour wore out her days wailing over
the dullness and dreariness of the gay
capital. The high prices demanded for
all the necesSaries of life began to eX-
haust even the princely De Valcour
revenues. The establishment must be
reduced, and Baroness Ninon awoke
out of her long dream of luxury and
laziness to face life for the first time
seriously. The day wore on; .lreary
Christmas was approaching, aud the
bitter cold steadily increaS;n.. :. The
wild ewes of the swarming populace
GREW hungrier and hungrier; the weak
died, and the strong lived only TO suffer.
Terrible reports of the distress and
misery about her made their way to
Ninon. Her friends gathered around,
but their discourse was only of the hor-
ror of the siege.
One among Ninon's friends was miss