Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-09-28
Four French Brothers.

Some one has remarked that the old
French monarchy was despotism temp
cred by epigrams. take the liberty of
adding that if the despotism of the later
French kings had not been frequently
tempered by something more solid than
epigrams, it would not have lasted as long
as it did. What tempered and saved it
was, that, occasionally, by hook or by
crook, men of sterling sense aud ability
rose from the ordinary walks of life to
positions of influence and power, which
enabled them to counteract the folly of
the ruling class.
About the year 1901 there was au inn
at the foot of the Alps, near the border
line that divided France from Switzer-
land, bearing the sign, st. Francis of the
Mountain. There was no village near.
The inn stood alone among the noun
tains, being supported in part by travel.
ers going from France to Geneva, and in
part by the sale of wine to the farmers
who lived in the neighborhood. The
landlord, named Paris, was q man of in
telligence and ability, who, besides keep.
ing his inn, cultivated farm; assisted
In both by energetic, capable sons, of
whom he had four: Antoine, aged 90;
Claude, 81; Joseph, Z; and Jean, an in-
FAINT. 1t was strong, able family, who
loved and con6ded in one another, having
20 thought but to live aud die near the
spot upon which they were born, and 10
about the same sphere of life.
But such was not their destiny. An
intrigue of the French ministry drew
fNpY Trnsv nAo - - IL
them to the high places of the world.
Pontchartrain, whose name ia still borne
by lake in Louisiana, was then minister
OF finance to Louis XIV. To facilitate
the movements of the army in the war
then going on between France and Savoy,
he proposed to the king the formation of
company which should contract to sup-
ply the army with provisions; and the
king accepting his suggestion, the COM
D. pany was formed, and began operations.
But the secretary Of war took this move
ment Of his colleague in high dudgeon,
as the supply of the army, he thought,
belonged to the war department. To
Illustrate and disgrace the new company
OF contractors, he ordered the army des-
tined to operate in Italy to take the field
on the first of May, several weeks before
it was possible for the contractors by the
ordinary methods to collect and move the
requisite supplies. The company ex-
planned the impossibility Of their feeding
the army so early in the season; but the
minister Of war, not ill-pleased to see his
rival embarrassed, held to bis purpose,
and informed the contractors agent that
he must have thirty thousand sacks of
flour at certain post by certain day,
or his head should answer it.
The agent, alarmed, and at his wits
end, consulted the innkeeper of the Alps,
whom he knew to be an energetic spirit,
and perfectly we'll acquainted with the
men, the animals, the resources, aud the
roads of the region in which he lived,
and through which the provisions would
have to pass. The elder sons of the
landlord we're in the field at the time at
work, and he told the agent be must wait
few hours till he could ralk the matter
over with them. At the close of the DAY
there was family consultation, and the
result was that they undertook the task.
Antoine, the eldest son, went to Lyons.
the nearest large city, and induced the
magistrates to lend the king the grain
preserved In the public depositaries
against famine, engaging to replace it q
soon - the navigation opened in the
spring. The magistrates, full of zeal for
the kings service, yielded willingly and
meanwhile Claude, the second Of the
brothers, bought thorsand mules; and
in very fes days, in spite Of the rigor
Of the season, loog lines of mules, each
laden with sack Of hour, were winding
their way thsosgh the de6les Of the Alps,
guided by psasants whom the father Of
these boys Id slecied.
This operation being insufficient, hun
dfeds u laborefs were set to work break.
ing the ice in the night, and in construct
sng barges, 90 n TO he in readiness the
moment navigation was practicable
karls in the spriag two hundred barge
leads vere set floating down toward the
seat Of var; and BY the time the gesesal
IN oommasd Vas ready to take the Geld.
thefe vAs an ablndascc Of tents, provis-
ions. zmm1ui.ion and artillery vifhie
Easy reach.
The iaDkeeper AID hi. sons we're lib
orally rcsmpeps~d; and their talents
thus oeing fnsSc kacWn TO the es,m pany
Of eoStr actors, they ~ere eGp;oyed again
year at two sfter in collecting the means
inquired in 9 si.g~, and in favardinR
provssions to . prUsince Threatened With