Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-06-24
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. JUNE "a, 1882.
THE ESCAPE.

ten ion had been directed to the extern |
slve' Notifications the Germans had cree |
ted since the city had come into their |
possession, From this subject the con- |
versatiOn tiverged to the FrancO-Prus- |
sian war, and Pascal said:
by the way was in Paris during the
Commune, and the occasion met with
rather curious adventure"
"What was it," inquired.
II will tell you" he replied. You are
aware that the firm of which I am a
member has extensive dealings with va
ri0us French commercial houses. Short
ly after the siege of Paris was over,
went there, and had not been in the city
more than week or ten days before the
lnsnrrectiOn, which resulted in the es
tablishment of the Commune, broke out.
After the Versailles troops had made
themselves masters of Paris, hundreds
OfNnfOrtunate wretches were ruthlessly
shot, but little trouble being taken to
discriminate between the guilty and the
innocent. For several days it was not
safe to venture into the streets; but at
last made my way to the local perfec-
ture and obtained pass to leave the
city. On the following evening at the
railway station found that each passen-
gers passport was subjected to rigid
scrutiny. Mine, however, being perfect
en- reggie, / was allowed after only brief
Interrogation to pass on to the platform.
l took seat in coupe, the only other
occupant of which was lady dressed in
deep mourning. She was tall and rath-
or good looking woman. IbOwed slight
ly on entering the carriage as is the Gus
tom in France but no word was spoken
10y either of us for some time. Presently
my travelling companion took out her
watch. slight exclamation of veXa-
ton escaped her, and turning to me she
said:
pardon, Monsieur, can you inform
me what o'clock it is? find that my
watch has stopped"
"Just twenty minutes past nine, mad
ame."
After brief pause, she said:
Monsieur is English, is it not SOP"
'N0w rather pique myself on the
correctness of my accent, so Twas slight
ly annoyed at the speaker ready cOnclu-
sion that was foreigner. / therefore
simply bowed. With Frenchman's in
tuitiye tact, my companion seeing that
my amour propre was hurt, fastened to
add:
monsieur speaks our language admir-
ably and his accent is, if may be per-
lt1ttbCu w bdy 81 JtlOlOuklly l. Dub
ther0 Is slight difference of intOnati0n
which led me to believe that he was
foreigner"
could not resist the compliment and
replied smiling.
MADAME flatters mep'
There was silence between us for
few moments; and then my companion
said rather abruptly:
Monsieur, may solicit a favor at
your hands?"
If Madame will indicate the nature of
the service she requires of me, replied
guardedly, l will inform her whether or
motif will be in my power to render it.
1T Is simply, Monsieur, that If when
the train stops at any station and we are
Intercepted, you will have the goodness
to declare that am lady well-knOwn
y you and travelling under your escort"
But Madame, l began with surprise,
when she interrupted me, saying:
Monsieur you need be under no appre-
tensions that you will compromise your
self by acceding to my request. 1t must
appear to you an extraordinary one,
admit, but reasons that am not at lib
erty to explain, render it most desirable
for me not to be supposed to be travelling
alone"
But you would have travelled so had 1
not by pure chance entered this cOmpart-
ment, said.
"That is true; and it is most fOrtu-
nate accident which has given me Mon
sieur for fellOw-traveler," was the
quick response.
/ reflected moment before I again
spoke, and made shrewd guess at the
motives which had actuated my fair COM
pani0n in making the proposition she
had just addressed to me. She appeared
a resOlute determined woman and it was
thought more than possible that she
had played part during the Commune
which rendered it absolutely essential
to her safety that she should escape from
France. Chance having thrown us to-
gether, the idea had evidently struck
her that by representing herself as a
lady under the escort Of an Englishman
suspicion would be less likely TO attach
to her then If she were found travelling
alone. In any case could not see that
/ ran any very serious risk by acceding
to her request, so replied:
Twill do what you require Of me rely
ing upon your promise Madame that
nOill consequences will arise from my
compliance.
/ thank you most sincerely for your
very great favor Monsieur" was the re-
Spouse. and then nothing more was
said until we reached the depot.
When the train stopped perceived
several men in the uniform of the
French police upon the platform, and
observed that they went up to one car
riage after another and Intercepted the
occupants.
As they approached the one in which
we were, my fair companion suddenly
changed her seat for the one next to mine
threw her arm around my neck, and
rested her head lovingly on my shoulder.