The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-03-28


reduced, and Baroness Ninon awoke
out of her long dream of luxury and
laziness to face life for the first time
seriously.
One among Ninon's friends was
missing, The boyisb form OF the voting
officer, with his untarnished uniform
and unused sword, appeared no more
among her guests, At first she smiled
at his absence, then insensibly she be-
gan to watch for his coming, and as
the days passed one after another,
N1non grew anxious.
1t was the evening of the oath of
November. Ninon was sitting alone,
when quick, hurried tread sounded
behind the chair and the clanking Of
sword startled her.
Armandl' she exclaimed, as she
turned and encountered the excited
glance Of the young officer.
Eyes, Ninon! At last Paris is
aroused. Tomorrow will be grand
sortie. With 100000 men we shall
leave Paris, march upon Champigny-
ON to Villers. Ducrot has sworn to
re-enter Paris only victorious or dead.
have come to say goodbye. Before
tomorrow night Prussian ball or bay
onet may have quieted forever the
heart that loves you so passionately.
Kiss me, Ninon, and God bless YOU"
Ninon lifted the brown hair from
the fair young forehead; amoment her
lips rested there, and she murmured,
"God bless you, my ArmandP And
then he pressed her passionately against
his heart, and left her.
In the morning the troops were in
motion. With stern and set determina-
tion they moved forward, looking
neither to the right nor left, lest the
sorrowful faces of the women they
loved should unnerve their hearts and
unsteady their hands.
At the head of his company rode
Armand de RochecGur. He did not
turn his head, but the hand that he'd
the bride rein shook as the heavy
tread of his powerful horse bore him
slowly on beyond the gaze of the
bright eyes that looked down upon
him.
Quietly Ninon watched him go,
steadily she looked after his retreating
form. A soft mist clouded his flashing
eyes, and as the distance hid him
further from her view she murmured
gently, Armand, God watch over
thee !"
All day long, that terrible 30th Of
November, the incessant roar of cannon
echoed back into the stiffness of the
oity's streets. Paris held her heart in
anguish. Outside the walls the sick
ening drama of battle, with all its hor-
rid Accomplishments of tumult, noise
and bloodshed; inside the no less hor-
rible 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
that terrible morning rode the boyish
, officer, Armand de Rocheceur. The
: pure blood of his Norman ancestry
: courses wildly through his veins to.
day. France is his life, and he would
give his life for France.
, Early in the afternoon Champigny
: yielded to the passionate attack OF the
French troops. Amazed at their de
feat, the Germans fell back to recover
= from their bewilderment produced by
= this almost their first reverse. Then
rallying from their surprise, reinforced
by fresh troops and protected by thei
batteries, they fell upon the French
with a sudden fury. With avid feel
. ing, half fury, half despair. Armand
= saw the line give way. "CowardSF
= he muttered below his breath. TheI
" turning suddenly to his lnen he cried
- Courage! Will you go back to you
women and tell them you fled from
Prussian guns? On on Conquer o
= die like Frenchmen r Then he rod
; forward; but the terrified, panic
s stricken men were deaf to his call, an,
% suffered him to go alone. With hi
= right arm uplifted he rushed towart
the Prussian line.
a Ninon has listened all day to tn
sound of that terrible cannOnading
waited all night in frightened sus
n pense for news from the scene o
If battle-for tidings from Armand d
n Rochec9ur. In the morning no wor
a has come. Dark circles have appeare
II under the brown eyes and their bril-
Tiancy is all faded, gone out in tha
70 long night of watching. Restlessl
Ninon paeeS the long salon. Final
# sudden impulse seizes her, Il Wi
/. go and find him."
1t She finds him at last. AS she az
:" proacLed his bedside she tremble'
le She locks upon the white handage
that lie upon his eyes and shoulders
Id Then she speaks to him, and the gla
smile that fits across his lips reas
sures her. His single hand goes ou
er to meet hers, and he tries to speak. 4
lie warning gesture from the nurse a
er tract Ninon's attention, and sh
whispers: "Do not talk, Armand; yo
of must get well first