Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-10-05
WOMA US 10 We.

bAoOuy hEhl III lllt TIcutl rlEhl-lltu-
tenant Jaques Fromentin, severely wounded,
after gallant resistance. had been made pris-
oner by the Germans. The struggle had tax
en- place before Paris, and the dying man had
been carried to the camp of Ecouen. The
surgeon had at once carefully examined the
fatal wound, had fastened n bandage upon it,
and had then passed on to the next bed of
anguish where another moaning and groan-
ing patient awaited him l followed the doc
tor, and was about to go farther with him,
when the glance of the wounded officer ar
rested me. The man had not drop of blood
left in his face, and his pale forehead was al
ready beaded with the cold perspiration of
death. The wide-open, glowing dark eyes
were immovably fixed upon me- and implored
the fulfllment of his prayer. l approached
and sat down beside him. He followed my
every movement with painful attention.
Nearer, please he said in low voice. Il
cannot speak loud"
drew close to him.
You speak French :"
l answered affirmatvely
My name is jacques Fromentin," he con
tinued. MY fdncee is called Jeanne de Vii
lers." d"
He gave me her address.
please write the name for me"
drew out pocket-book, and made note
of his directions.
Let me see."
Il held the book before his eyes, and he
read attentively what had written.
That is right" said he.
Then he was silent, as if he were trying 10
collect his thoughts. HIe averted his glance
from me, and turned it toward the window
his glowing eyes became moist, he closed
them for several seconds, then looked once
more toward me, and spoke with feverish
haste, as though he feared that he would not
hot- t,,,. 90 -l,,N L.. g.,
say
'Hearken to the prayers of dying man.
Go see my fdHcee as soon as circumstances
permit; tell her l have died in the perform
ance of my duty tell her that my last thought
was for her, and only for her; l bless the
hour when l saw her / bless the hour when
she promised me her love; l bless the hour
in which first loved her, and loving her |
die. Take her this ring, and this key of
caskct which she knows we'll 1t contains in
sealed package directed to her, her letters to
me; then bring her to the place where shall
be buried And now thanks; you promise
that you will grant my prayer"
promised solemnly, and withdrew with
heavy heart. At the door turned once more,
and met the last glance of the dying man. l
nodded assent, and the large eyes closed in
eternal rest.
The next day the body of jacques Fromen-
lll WIS lhlll Ill lllb NcnGfnDlt SlliuONN park Ol
the Constable Anne de Montmorency, in Eco
uen On the spot where he was buried l had
a wooden cross erected, inscribed with his
name.
PARIS would not surrender. and the work of
the bombardment and storming of the city
slowly progressed. Days weeks, months
flew by. went frequently to Ecouen, and
visited regularly jacques Fromentin's grave. |
had had it surrounded with low, simple pal
ing, and some pious soul. probably one of the
compassionate Sisters who had undertaken
the care of the sick in Ecouen, had wreathed
the cross with flowers.
thought often of the dead soldier, and |
thought of him MS of some one who had been
near to me- l saw him before me, his beauti-
full pale face transfgured by death and love,
and pictured to myself the grief of the bride
he had left behind.
She must long since have received the news
of his death, and consequently | was spared
the most difficult part of my mission. l saw
her in my minds eye in deep affiiction. She
must have been very beautiful to have in
| spred such love as Jacques FOrmentin ex-
| perienced for her He had said nothing to
me about her family, but Jeanne de Villers
| was distinguished name, and her residence
was in an arstocratic quarter of Paris. My
fancy worked diligently, and even surprised
myself once in the thought that might fall
in love with Jeanne myself
The capitulation of Paris was at last de-
creed, but peace was still to be signed, and
the city remained closed to strangers. l was
obliged to 60 to Germany. When l returned
| to France, Paris was in the hands of the
| Commune, and was invested and besieged by
| the Versailles government. On the heights of
Montmorency, from which had an oppor-
| tunity of observing the destruction of the cap
ital of civilization by the advocates of liberty,
equality and fraternity, and by their oppo-
nents, the advocates of justice, order and
| law, l could overlook that part of the town in
which Jeanne de Villers lived. l was glad to
| see that it remained unhurt by the fire-balls
the petroleum-bombs the incendiarism, and
| similar material manifestations of the genius
of the Grdade Nation. And now the conflict
was over Justice and order-thanks to the
Chassepot and the mitraileuse-had redeem
ed from the reign of terror and equality the
city burned to ashes by liberty and fraternity
Liberty and fraternity had made terrible atone
ment Justice and order had done merciless
work The most beautiful monuments of the
| Mecca of civilization were burned down by
| the men Of progress. For this the advocates
of the law had summarily shot down every
thing that might stand in their path, or that
| could in any way afford ground for mistrust
| and suspicion. The streets were covered with
mangled bodies of men, women and children,
| and the spokesmen of public opinion in
| France, after having lamented and bemoaned
themselves in the first issue of their journals,
had not failed in the second issue to call the
\ worlds attention to the fact that the French
| army, in consequence of the victory it had
| achieved, had once more reinstated France in
| her proper seat of power in the van of ciyili-
zation. Everything was again in exemplary