Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-31
THE VILLA POTTER.
! STORY IN TWO CHAPTERS. CHAPTER ].

STORY IN TWO CHAPTERS. CHAPTER j.
"As for that" said our notary with shrug,
'there are times in all mems lives OF which they
do not care to talk-periods Of failure and de-
pres sien-and in the same way we French are
not too fond OF talking about the late war; so let
US paSS to something else"
We had been dining with our notary and were
now taking our dessert In the garden, a rough,
unkempt kind OF place, but picturesque, too, in
It's wealth OF roses and wild, tangled creepers.
Through the heavy wooden gates you caught a
glimpse OF the Seine, calm and placid In the
golden light of summers evening. Beyond
the broad eXpanse OF river Ia poplars caught
The last rays OF the setting sun, and between
these hay band OF purple suggested distant
landscape and far away hills. The last glass OF
The old Bordeaux, rivaling in color the glowing
tints OF the sky, was about TO disappear. Rosa
lie. the ancient bonnie. stood behind us hugging
the big black coffee-pot, one man Was rolling up
acigafeIte, another lighting a cigar, while tne
notary's hand inStinctiveiy sought his POCKET
for his pipe.
"Rosalie." said one of the guests, turning to
the bonnie; awe have beeu talking OF the war;
You could tell these gentlemen few thingS
about that; che
All, ah, Have you told monsieur OF the
havoc the Prussians made with our masters
b ST faIence ana the holes they burned In the
curt iins!''
make on ordinary minds" cried the notary
.aud Is IL no, the same with all OF us? In my
own u iru the great tragedies OF the war occupy
less space than the Insignificant part played by
II was quite clear that in spite Of his alleged
j, mctaaCe TO talk about the war. the worthy
notary had a story on his mind, and it required
little pressing on the part OF his friends to
elicit II.
at was a sad dull time" he began, ..as most
o; us remember the time of the Prussian occu-
patton The future was wrapped in gloom, the
resent hideous with the perpetual sense or
humiliation. In my own profession there was
little or nothing doing; no marriage contracts
no transfer or lands. II you would borrow
there was no one to lend; indeed, coin was
almost unknown among US. Our banker had
fed TO Paris and was there shut up; and thOS ,
who had money buried 1t in the ground. You
viii remember, POTTER" turning to one of his
guests, 1.-The circumstances under which i con-
box"
NJ. POTTER nodded gravely, and held out his
hand TO the notary, who pressed it warmly.
"IlKe many others In those days or Sadness"
went on NJ Brunei, 81 took refuge from the
contemplation OF my countryS miSfortuneS IN
the pursuit of studies, partially suspended from
the pressure of more urgent business l began
TO prepare a long-delayed monograph on Tue
geological structure OF the basin of the Lower
Seine for our local society. l doubted very
much whether our society would ever meet
again. thought it most improbable that my
paper would ever see the light, but went on,
f!indly. hopeleSSly. but still on. Two young
PruSSan officers were chartered on me-they
might have been BavaranS, but they are all
PrusSans to me-and as individuals mad moth
ing to complain OF in them, They spoke our
language tluently enough, although with vile
accent, and they made themselves very merry
with Resale and Susette, my servants Me they
left alone to my studies and my gloomy
thoughts. These thoughts were made gloomter
still by anxiety as 10 the tate of my younger
brother. my only living relative. Ernest was
almost a son to me as well as brother. y
well-loved mother on her death-bed had con-
fded him TO my charge. He had just COM
pleted his studies. and was about to become an
avocat. and he was already affianced to Made
moiselle Therese, the charming daughter of NJ.
Potter; and, indeed the necessary notices had
been given at the marie for their marriage,
when the progress OF the PrusSians necessitated
postponement. / had purchased substitute
Tor him in the ranks OF the army-a thing per-
mitted in those dayS-but he had thrown In his
lot with those who were fighting for their coun-
try, and madly, as / thought. had joined one o.
those irregular bands OF franc-tireurS Who to
say the truth, were almost as formidable to
their countrymen as to their foes. Not word
had come TO me from him for many weeks.
1.-THE Winter was frlghtfully cold, YOU NAV
remember, and the river was almost covered
with ice-ice in huge masses that went up and
down with the tide, Earring and claShng to-
ge.her dsmally. Never such a desolate scene
rs then upon our quay. Not sail upon the
river not a boat could venture out, nor were
there any faces in the street. unless under
pickelhaUbe. l sat one night in my library
working away at my manuscript, c0nSolet q
little by the reflection suggested by my subj act
that, after all, the troubles OF the human race
were the merest trifeS in comparison with the
great cyclic changes l was now studying.
Everything was quite still, except the measured
tread OF a Seutry outside.
- 1t jar sadly upon me. that solid marital
tread reminding me that there was no escape
anywhere from sense OF the invaders pres
ence. The step approached, the step died away
in the distance, with measured swing like the
beat OF pendulum; and then when tie peniu-
lum had reached its turtleSt limit heard low
tap at my library window, low tap, such as
my brother used TO give, when, coming home
late. he would find the house locked up and
every light but mime extingu,shed.
IL opened the windoT AMI looked oft. Moth
ing was TO be seen but fog. in which the feeble
rays OF tbs street-lamp at the corner seemed
ln1a iFNF1 falIir
trouble and depression came over me. My phil
Osophy was at Iau!t 10. Oace. could not escape
the influence OF hitherto deSplSed superstition.
Perhaps he was dead my brother. and thinking
of LIE at his last moment. had sent me this mos
S &c. Ipecred into the foTmleSS void without
fl vague expectation OF knew not what. Me
moTies OF the past came back to me; the bitter
thought OF what Is passed forever, hopelesS!y
bitter TO the lonely Chiidless man.
-. Have you al that you want tonight, Sir?'
said voice at the door. Ii was my tall, aws-
ward bonnie, Susette had sent her hours be-
fore to the house OF my friend POTTER to borroS
q book wanted, but had forgotten all about
dreaded the presence OF that young woman in
my library as should have dreaded the inra-
Aon OF u Cherokee or n Thin.
80 Nothing, | want nothing-awayr / cried
angrily; but the girl continued 10 advance
awkwardiy across the room. knocking over q
pile OF books here, and there putting clumsy
foot into the middle Gi my most cherished man
Uscripts.
Twill you be gomez reiterated in rage and
almost terror, as my hand was seized and
pressed: aud then the supposed Susette threw
back her hood and revealed the cloSely-cropped
head and dark tiasll!ng eyes OF ErneSt-of my
brother.
when the first greetings We're oyer-i0yous
but Subdued by the sense OF danger-I baran
10 repToach Earnest Tor coming 70 me in this
unworthy disguise. Detection would b. IJl-
lowed by instant military execution; there
would be no hope Tor one thus almost silicon
fesSed spy.
81 know said Ernest glyly; but | could
reach you In no ether way. There is less risk
Ior me than another, as | am already dome
&c the fuSillade when caught in my capacity o.
iTanc-ureur: but they have 20 catch me first
'' urged him 10 90 ii o1ce and Resume his
proper habilimentS. There were some in his
own room tia, was keI. always prepared for
him. Let him not lose an instant; the dan ,er
was frightful and imminent. In his real Gu Ar
acter, as my brother. could easily account for
his presence: and who vas there to identify him
as The franc-tireur? Safety on one side and i'm
minent death on The other why did he hesitate.
Let us talk 4 little. my brother said
Ernest seating himself calmly in my arnl-ci lir
In the first place, am not alone | have i've
comrades not so comfortably placed as mvSalf:
In fact, lying at the bottom OF 4 very damp
ditch
Il threw up my hands i'll despair.
So And TEeresC? asked.
- Yes; have seen ThGrtse he said MOURN
fully. ! felt that | must see You both once
mere Consider me- rs one coming from the
grave 10 visit YOU