The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-16
"G7l. iDMERE JEAsEzTex."

roeoi0g -. VIC On the espiah& aus IN oLas'
bours. when Twas accosted By an old woman
who inquire in French for the nearest pho
togrspher. & wore the common dress of
the Alsssisn , sassnt, and her dusty shoes
Indicated Ion gfoot journey, bat under her
linen head drei ,feii her white bSIr around
face that, sunhs med and wrinkied and wear
ing traces OF rec ut tears, yet was 30 beauti-
ful I'm its expreM ion of tender goodness and
touching resigna Jon, not unmixed with a
certain pride. tina / involuntsrily addressed
her "a 'Grandmeie," and forgetting that
had promised fiend ID await his arrival,
cffersd to guide he ITO her destination.
On the road she I'D me her simple story.
She was o widow, and lived prior to tho
French German wa with her married son in
o village fifty miles rom Strasbourg. Taey
were well-to do peas ante before the enemy
invaded their little ulsge; bat enc morning
they woke to find til Prussisns encamped
in their fields and n liking themselves per.
sectly at home. Mo trocps arrived the
next day and the fol DwlDe until the quiet
village was big cam }, where the enemy
hsrssd up the stores iisded fer the seige OF
sfasIouig
ida. night the c mp was alarmed and
ibside1able quantity If powder was found
Tfe, and there was % doubt that IL Was
iework OF the inhab! ants. Accordingly,
1tDext morning six OF ihe most prominent
almost patriotic OF thu inhabitants We're
Drought before the Prr nsian Commander,
and otter q short examination that proved
nothing, without further trial, shot in the
square in front OF the vi. lage church. The
Widows son was one OF IL SIX victims, AID
Invite, who became frantic with grief over
- H.
.,fon his grave thus lesvi g her infant son
the sole care Of bis grant mother.
The OLD woman now cent ned all her hope
: call her affection in the tile boy, and IS
ne grew mp she was fully rep Nd, for he loved
his grandmother with an Intensity often
found in children who die young-a love
that was alone equaied by h.s vene.ation of
his dead parents, his adoration of Ia belle
France" and bis hate for thS Prussians, for
the old woman, who loved her beautiful
country dearly. and never forgot that her
husband fel! fighting for it at "Soferine."
and that her son was killed by its enemies,
snstilled, perhaps unconscious.y, DO ID feel.
In gs in his young breast.
One day, when the boy was ten years old,
Pfussisn official who inspected the village
)chooi Was struck with his beauty and serious
sir, and addressed question t0 him in Ger
man respecting his parents. Tine Prussians
killed them" answered the boy in French.
The official colored and IN Teouking tone
sssed the boy Why he didn't speak German.
Because it is the Language Of my couutrys
0ps mics - srswered the boy fearlessly.
The official ordered him in arrest aud he
vas shat up in q char Der aoove the Gchooi-
Loom, wrers he remained until night, when
ne boldly leaped from tie window to the
ground, and, as he fell 10 q thick copse es-
capped unhurt. The by DOW fairly few to
mis- grandn others house. bat IS he was afraid
of being seen and brought back TO the school
- he followed the road he crossed in through
sne fields behind the village.
1t was In the hsrveet and the grapes were
ripe, so old Martin. the owner OF the choic.
eat grapes in the village, kept watch with q
loaded shotgun over his precious treasures.
Softly he walks over the field bahind the
wine press. when he hears somsthiDg force
its way through the grape.vines. He stops
and cocks bis piece. He will now catch the
thief who robs him of his biggest grapes.
The moon is behind the clouds, but he sees
the outline of q person running fast through
the vines "Hsltl" he commands-but the
person never heeds him. He raises his gun
-aHssh-a screams fall of a body among
the grapes. and when the old man arrives on
the spot he fiBds instead of the supposed
grape thief little curly headed boy whose
life is fast ebbing away with the blood that
lows out and mixes with the crushed
grapes; bis black eyes are already fixed and
CLASSY, and it ia with q feltering
voice hs whispers "Give my love to grand
coming'-his hands grasps the vine tighter,
he raises himself to a sitting posture, the
moon coming from behind the clouds shines
on the wine leaves Ia her curly hair q cry
rises in bis throat: "Viva Ia bells Francel''
ne SINKS back. his eyes closed and the
orphan boy is gone.
And 1t was meme alone-who murdered
hisa," conplsined the grandmother when
sh9 concluded her tale. Her eyes were dry,
but the muscles round the corner of her
mouth worked convulsively, and there was
3 great sob IN her throat. 1T was all my
fsult-the result of unforgiveness; Holy
Mary, have mercy" and the old woman
run the black beads of hsr rosary through
her 9ngers, murmuriDg her prayers.
We arrived shortly after at our destina-
with whom am slightly acquainted. l in
esoduced my companion to him. end he, az
ssr offering her seat, addressed some ques.
lions to her about her picture. She looked
at him with wonder, and finally replied that
abe only wanted picture of her boy. "Ah. I"
good; where is hep A tear dimmed to old
wcmsn's black eye, and for answer
she pointed to heaven. "Oh" exclaimed nv
friend. dead do not like to photograph
dead bodies; but still, az monsieur has
brought you here, viii make an exception;
when did your little boy dieg'
when the grapes ripen be will have been
gone year" replied the grandmother.
But, my dear began the PHOTOGRAPH ar,
perplexed, when ] interrupted him, and
taking HIM aside. told him the old womsn's
story. and now she had walked fifty miles on
her old legs to procure likeness of her dead
glsndchiId.
But my dear fellow, what eau do! am
grieved, upon my word | am; but what
would you have me Go! / can't Photograph
an2elsln
noise of rompiug children was now
heard, and two boys ab out and 10 years
cid, came running into the atelier, crying at
The top of their voices: "Oh. papa. vocil'
Hush. children." raid the parent, 'sgo