The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-04-27
ANTOINETTE.

by the Prussians, to amuse ourselves altar din-
ner, we enumerated our pianos which had dis
appeared and our clocks which had taken unto
themselves wings "a
"And /, Also" said our friend Paul Rivet,
"have lost pianos and clocks, but can buy
more pianos and can buy more clocks, while
my camelltas, my poor camellias! Twenty
years Of toll. patience. care and adoration!-all
that los., destroyed, annihilated And do you
house, in the place Of that delicious little mar
BILE figure which brought from Naples? Do
you know what found? Oh! do not try to
guess-you will never succeed!
my wife, after Sedan, had shown great
we must stay bore; we must defend our house,
I added: And our oamellias.'
/. "On tho 18th day Of s pt'mber, at 8 o'clock
In the morning. one OF my farmers arrived. out
Of breath and wild with fear. The uhians.
will DO here in an hour!' NV wife was seized
with tesrsr She cried: Let us e. away, nv
dear! don't want to see those uhlans! Let us
20 away 1t saoe Take mo. take me, no matter
where! Tho horses were Immediately har-,
messed to the ca 'eoh and We departed
I'VE left ut the chateau seven or eight so-v-
ants, one Of whom, little femme de chambre,
Antolnotts, Parisicnne, very pretty, very in
tolligent, very shrewd and very bold, said to
ne as We startsi: sHave no fear, monsieur, I
will receive the Prussians. know how to talk
to them, and thoy shall not carry off even
match
"Tho nextday We reached Trou vile; my wife
fell seriously i'll. and for couple OF weeks I
was very uneasy.
ette Monsieur need not be disturbed she
wrote. Everything 10 going on splendidy
here. Wo have had the good luck to fall into
the hands of an excellent PruIslan colonel and
exceedingly amiable officers. Through the kind
ness of these gentlemen am able to send my
letters to monsieur
"And the gardener wrote to me: Monsieur
ought to be very grateful to Antpinette Bya
happy idea she had saved everything. dare
not say moro to Monsieur, because the Prus-
slams might read my letter; but, nevertheless,
the Prussians. thanks to Autoinette. do not treat
us badly
''About the Goth of October, my wife being
completely restored to health, I packed my
carpet bag aud started off. wanted to see
my eameliias. and, above all, wanted TO
had saved everything. will spare you
the details OF my journey. 1t was original,
however. 1t took me week to go from Trou-
vile to Corbeil; was arrested three times as
a Prussian spy by the French. and four times
as French spy by the Prus 'ians. At last I
reached my house. greatly agit tilted. saw
my broad avenue of chestnut trees and at the
ond of the avenue my iron gate. I crossed
my courtyard, which was full OF horses,
army wagons, cannon, Prussian dragons and
u4oullOu 1IOuL slCpS
Was at homo-in my vestbule The furniture,
the pictures. tho hanging., all were in their
places. Delighted. perploxed, I stood M
tioulee- Like u donkey, my carpet-ba. in my
hand, in the milst OF fivs or six Prussian
dragons who were curiously examining mo-
gold lace on the collar of his tunic-came up
to me and .aia:
here!
piled that desired TO speak with the colonel"
"'He is busy. Ho is ut breakfast Who ure
"'Mon D1eu! am tho proprietor of this
mans on
".Ah! the proprietor-you are the proprie-
tor: Wait bit. I will n tfy the colonel
"a few seconds aftrrwarl door-one of
my donrs-opet,ed and saw advancing toward
me tall Prnssian, booted, spurred, with long.
grayish side whiskers, who. with both hands
extended, exclaimed in excellent French:
"'Monsieur Rivet! Is it you, Monsieur
Rive.Y
"'Ah! YOU have done we'll to come. How
happy am to see you'll!
"And those two Prusssn hands we're still
extended toward me, but periodically held
my two French hands at o distance, as far of
as o .sible. behind my back.
"<Ahi you are prujnhicsd.' said the colonel.
bursting into besstly ana heavy laugh. 4
see how it is-you ars prejud cod Very we'll;
you will get over your prcjudices But come
along; Come onickly. We arc at table,
"'Bu don't want anything to oat'
'YuN don't want to breakfast with u.s. More
prejudices! But you must como along. never
fheless, for tho baronne is at table with US
and will be enchanted t, see you.'
"sThe baronne. A baronne enchanted to
see me-
"But without listening to me, without an
swering me, the oolore! grasped me by the
arm. and, pushing me before him. made me
eros, my salon; then. opening the door of my
".Madams Ia baronnc. here is your uncle;
Eere ia Monsieur Rvet!
"And then saw. eeutcd at my table, eight or
ten Prussian officers, aud in tho midst Ut these
officers An,oinette-An'o nett who had on ono
of my w;fe's velve: dresses. My wifo's da-
mond earrings wero in her ears, all my wife's
rnge on her fingers MY wlfe's necklnce OF
black pearls was about her neck and all my
wife's brnce3ets were clsaped around her
wrist. 1sshies eparkled in her hair: and zap
was no lonsor Antoinette-she was the show
window Of jowelry shop!
sAntoint IT,, on seeing M enter, arose quick
~, turned very red. aud let this cry escape her:
monsieur; it is Mon.ieurp Then, quitting
the t,ble Immediately. she ran to me. threw
herself violently upon my neck, and began to
kiss mo fnriously, exclaiming: 'Ah! how happy
an to ree you'll Then she renewed her
kisses, whispering in my ear: kiss me, kiss
me very ieAderly! or course complied with
her request, and she showered another t1.oi Of
kisses upon me-, che while continuing to whisper
to M: Seem more affected than that! I am
your niece; speak to ne lovingly-ah! that's
beltr-itls to save Madame's diamonds We
went on kissing before oil The Prussiun1 Tho
operation, however. was not in the least disa-
greeable, Antninotte heing charming little
person All the officers at r d at me, and had
the air Of saving to themselves:
"'How delightful it is 10 be able to kiss that
pretty girl as much as you want top
"A'd, naturally this exctes mo!
"But after two or three minutes consecrated
to this kissing business, mingled with revela-
the hand, lei me around the table, and obliged
me- to seat myself beside her; then. with much
grace and self-pos.es lion, she presented me in
:urn to o ! my Prus-ian guess:
"tMonsienr the Colonel no nnd-eo. of the Sec
ond dragoons; Monsieur the so.nnl 30 OF tho
Tlir.l hu-sors, etc' As for mo. I was like one
intoxicated, and assure you that must be
pard med TOR having r NAMED thus seated for
IN hour ut that table, amid all those dragoo .
was or what was taking place around me, hut
nevertheless, have pres .rvod a very clear
recollection Of the extraordinary conversation
which onsned. and in which, despite myself I
Was compelled to participate
"sWell, Monsieur Rivet.' said the colonel, Il
hopo you will bring back Madame Rivst immo-
diately. We LEAD q charming life here, as
your neioe will tell you. We are not at ali the
savsges your bsas'ly jurna's call u.s.
Of tue same heavy laughter which lite while
before had shaken nv nerves. Instantly oil
the ofio re- in concert. as If obeying . COM
maud, abandoned themselves to violent hilar.