Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-07-02

loved me, lie bebe," Then a deep far-off
look would come into the brilliant eyes.
''Where is the prince 2"
1t was the evening of the 29th of Novem-
ber. Ninon was sitting alone, watching
/ the slow motions of the hands of the clock
as they pointed TO eleven, when quick,
hurried tread sounded behind the chair, and
the clanking of a sword startled her.
Armand" she exclaimed, as she turn
ed and encountered the excited glance of
the young soldier
''Yes, Ninon. At last Paris is reused.
Tomorrow there will be grand sortie
The order has been given. With hundred
thousand 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 quieted forever the
heart that loves you so passionately. Kiss
me, Ninon; say God bless you,"
Then he sank down at her feet, and laid
his head upon the little hands that rested on
her knee
Ninon lifted the brown hair from the fair
young forehead; a moment her lips rested
there, and she murmured, ''God bless you,
my Armand" Then he pressed her for a
moment passionately 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-
cession as it passed. Cheer after cheer rent
the air; ''Vive Ia Francei" "a la vic
toire," sounded from the throats of the
lookers-on as the long defile wound its way
to the gates. The well-drilled men marched
silently along, their countenances grave and
severe. They were about to make last
effort for Paris-for France. With stern
: and set determination they moved forward,
looking neither to the right nor left, lest Ii c
sorrowful faces of the women they loved
should unnerve their hearts and unsteady
their hands. After them followed the ar
tillery, the wagons loaded with provisions,
and-oh, sickening sight the ambulances
that would convey so many of the brave
men, now leaving the city with buoyant
tread, back again within its walls, wounded,
helpless and diving.
At the head of his company rode Armand
de Rocheceur. With head erect, and lips
firmly compressed to avoid their trembling,
he led his men past the windows Of the
boulevard where NinOn de Nalcour stood
watching the exit of the troops from the
CITY, He did not turn his head, but the
hand that held the bride rein shook as the
heavy tread of his powerful horse bore him
slowly beyond the gaze of the bright eye:
that looked down upon him
Qmetly Ninon watched him go. steadily
she looked after his retreating form. \
soft mist clouded the flashing eyes, and as
the distance hid him from her view she
murmured, gently, Armand, God watch
over thee -
All day long, that terrible 30th of No
vember the incessant roar of cannon echoed
back into the stiffness of the ciiy's streets.
Paris held her breath in anguish. lle'
best. her bravest and her noblcst were
fighting for her deliverance, in deadly peril,
Just outside the city walls. Outside the
walls the sickening drama Of battle, with
all the horrid accompaniment of tumult,
noise and bloOdshed: inside, the no less
horrible torture Of suspense, as those left
behind waited with blanched faces and
bated breath for news from the scene OF
conflict.
|, Among the foremost in the strife on thai
terrible morning rode the boyish officer,
Armand de Rocheceur The pure blood
of his Norman ancestry courses wildly
through his veins to-day France was hi:
life, and he would give his life for France.
: His hatred to the plebeian Bonapartes, OF
, the Odiousrepublic, were all forgotten, wher
for the first time he found himself face tC
face with the foreign foe who dared to at
tack the very capital and strike at the hear
of his sacred land of France.
Early in the afternoon Champigny yield
ed to the passionate attack Of the fresl
French troops. Amazed at their defeat
the Germans fell back to recover from theil
bewilderment produced by this-almos
their first-reverse. Then, rallying from
their surprise, reinforced with fresh troops
and protected by their batteries, they fel
upon the French with sudden fury. Dis
MAYED by the unexpected attack, weary
with long days fighting, the half-disci
plined French sOldiery fell back. With ,
Wild feeling, half fury, half despair, Ar
mand sa the line give way. ''COwards,
he muttered below his breath. Then turn
. ing suddenly to his men, he cried: ''Cour
age, VIII you 20 back to your women ant
tell them YOU fed before Prussian guns
: On, on, Conquer or die like Frenchmenl
Then he rode forward; but the terrified
panic-strickcn men were deaf to his call
and suffered him to 90 alone. With hi
right arm uplifted he rushed toward tn
Prussian line. With the cry still on In
, lips, a fragment of a shell struck the pow
erful right arm, shattered it as if it were th'
rotten branch of tree, and tore its wal
across the fair boyish forehead just abov'
! the eyes. Prone on the earth lay the pow
erful form of the brave young officer. !
cry Of admiration rose from the lips of tn
men behind him. They turned and fled
and left him to his fate.
The evening shadows fell over the battl
D plain, quieting the noise and strife; tn
S fighting ceased. The Prussian guns wer
, silent and the French troops retired sullen
ly back toward Paris. On the battlefield
+ duskv forms came fitting about. Will
t sable uniforms, relieved only by the re-
e cross of Geneva, they went silently on theI
$ merciful errands Two of these minister
I inc spirits bend over the form of Armand
: de RochecPur. "Deadl poor fellow
$ asks one ''No, he breathes. Then the,
e lifted him gently upon the ambulance; ant
e the brave young officer who rode out fron
the gates of Paris that morning full of life
: health and courage, is borne back agall
e blind. manned, the light gone out from hi
ewes forever, and the powerful form wit
{ its strength and beauty forever crippled
: They Law him on narrow bed in ciowde'
: hospital. The gentle hands Of Sister O
: Charity dressed the terrible wounds. and a
: she looks at him she murmurs, pityingly
e s.Poor fellow, he is blind
f Ninon has listened all day to the SCUM
o of that terrible cannonading, waited a
e night in frightened surprise for news fror
: the scene OF battle-for tidings from Al
: mand de Rocheceur. In the morning n
q word has come, and the suspense grow
g more and more intolerable every moment
:. Dark circles have appeared under the brow
II ewes. and their bIilliancy is all faded, gon
IS out in that long night of watching. Res
IS lessly Ninon PAGES the long salon. FINAL
a sudden impulse seizes her. Il will 9
q and find him. "
e 1t was long and weary search The
s direct her from one place to another. III