The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-10-13
From Appeton's Journal.
WOMAN'S LOVE.

1arlS, ana the dying Hldii Hdu Deen car
ried to the camp of Ecouen. The sur
geon had at once carefully examined the
fatal wound, had fastened bandage
upon it, and had then passed on to the
next bed of anguish, where another
moaning and groaning patient awaited
him. ! followed the doctor, and was
about to go farther with him, when a
glance from the wounded officer arrested
me. The man had not drop of blood
left in his face, and his pale forehead was
already beaded with the cold perspira-
tion of death. The widc-open, glowing
dark eyes were immovably fixed upon
me, imploring the fulfillment of his
prayer. approached and sat down be-
side him. He followed my every move
ment with painful attention.
9 Nearer, please" he said, in low
voice. . cannot speak loud"
| drew close to him.
. You speak French?'
| answered atirmatively.
My name is Jacques Fromentin," he
continued. My fancee is called Jeanne
de Villers."
He gave me her address.
j" Please write the names for me-
| drew out a pocket-book and made a
note of his directions.
:" Let me See"
! 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 was irving
to collect his thoughts. He ayerted 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 have time to finish
what he wanted to say:
" Hearken to the prayer of dying
man. Go see my f0ncee as soon as cir
cumstances permit; tell her | have died
IN the performance of my duty; tell her
that my last thought was for her, and only
for her; | bless the hour when / saw her;
| bless the hour when she promised me
her love; | bless the hour in which first
loved her and loving her | die. Take
her this ring, and this key of casket
which she knows we'll. 1t contains in a
sealed package, directed to her, her let
tiers 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. | nodded assent, and
the large eyes closed in eternal rest.
The next day the body of Jacques
Fromentin was laid in the venerable
shadowy park of the Constable Anne de
Montmorency, in Ecouen. On the spot
where he was buried | had a wooden
cross erected, inscribed with his name.
Paris would not surrender, and the
work of the bombardment and stormino
OF the city slowly progressed. DAYS,
weeks, months flew by. | went fire.
quently to Ecouen, and visited regularly
Jacques Fromentin's grave | had had
it surrounded with low, simple paling.
and some pious soul, probably one of the
compassionate sisters who had undertake
en- the care of the sick in Ecouen, had
wreathed the cross with flowers.
| thought often of the dead soldier,
and | thought of him rs of some one who
had been near to me. | saw him before
me, his beautiful pale face TRANSPORTED
by death and love, and | pictured to N.Y.
self the grief of the bride he had left be-
hind.
She must have long since received the
news of his death, and consequently was
spared the most difficult part of my mis-
sion. | saw her in my minds eve in
deep affiiction. She must be very beauti-
full to have inspired such a love as
jacques Fromentin experienced for her.
He had said nothing to me about her
family, but Jeanne de Villers was dis
tinguished name, and her residence was
III an arlstocratic quarter of Paris. Nv
fancy worked diligently, and | even sur
prlsed myself once in the thought that |
might tall IN love with Jeanne myself.
The capitalization of Paris was at last
decreed, but peace was still to be signed,
and the city remained closed to
strangers. | was obliged to 60 to Ger
many. When | returned to France
Paris was in the hands of the commune
and was invested and besieged by the
Versailles government On the heights
OF Montmorenci, from which had AN on
portunlty of observing the destruction
OF the capital of civilization by the adj
Socates OF liberty, equality, and frater
hity, and by their opponents, the advo-
Gates OF justice, order and law, | could
overlook that part of the town in which
Jeanne de Nillers lived | was clad TO
see that 1t remained unhurt by the FIRE
pals, the petroleum-bombs, the incen-
dlarlsm, and similar material manifesto
lions of the genius of the Gyaade Not;o,,
And now the conflict was over. Jnstica
and order-thanks to the Chassenot and
the mitrailleuse-hadr redeemed from the
reign of terror and equality the citv
burned TO ashes by liberty and fraternity.
Liberty and fraternity had made terrible
atonement. Justice and order had done
merciless work. ii e most beautiful
monuments of the Mecca of civilization
were burned down by the men of pro-
gress. For this the advocates of the law
had summarily shot down everything
that stood 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 spokesman of public
opinion IN France, after having lament
ed and bemoaned themselves in the first
issue OF their journals, had not failed in |
the second issue to call the worlds atten-
ton to the fact that the French army, in |
of the victory it had |