The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-03-27
From the French.
THE BOMBSHEIL

NChOC VI UllC siege Vi lS5 o. DSADOioA
experience which does me honor and
OF which | am proud.
Let the reader, however, not be
alarmed. ] shall not take him to the
ramparts, nor call upon him to visit
the outposts; he shall not be asked TO
60 farther, in fact, than the Rue de
Trevise, where resided my old friend,
Dutailly, a wealthy manufacturer OF
chemicals, the husband Of an excellent
wife, the father of q charming daugh-
ter, skillful in his business and a good
patriot, though a little wild on the
subject of politics. IN short, one OF
the best men that ever lived.
Although surprised, with everyone
else, by the actual investment OF
Paris, Nine. Dutailly, like a prudent
woman, had long been engaged in the
work of provisioning her establish
ment, and had amassed such an
abundance ofprovisions that, had the
siege lasted three months longer, the
Dutaillys would not have known
want. From the month Of October
her family had reason to bless her,
and as plate was laid for me regular
ly [ had equal cause to rejoice at the
wise forethought which had secured
results so satisfactory. How was it
possible not to grow enthusiastic IN
those days OF privation over an ON
eIete an lard and a bit OF gruyere,
washed down with an excellent wine
was not the only guest welcome at
this hospitable board. Another plate
was placed by heside OF mine. TWAS
for young Anatole Brichau6, head clerk
IN the factory. This brave fellow,
melancholy, lean, rather timid, was
deeply in love with his employer
daughter, Mile. Gertrude, who did not
seem at all insensible to his passion.
Without any discussion, the marriage
OF these two young people seemed to
have been tacitly agreed upon. I'm
fortunately the war had postponed
the denouement. Brichaut, a cor
poral in the volunteers of the Seine,
discharged his duty as a soldier as
conscientiously as he did everything,
but without enthusiasm, and cursed
the amending siege which had retarded
his happiness. He also permitted him
self to criticis9 the military operations
without raDcor, but not without q
touch of bitterness.
These criticisms somewhat disturbed
the composure OF Father Dutailly,
an enthusiastic admirer OF Gen.
Trouchu. About this time a writer
on the Temps was engaged in inditing
a series OF articles reviewing the course
Of the war in the provinces, and ex-
planning, by the aid OF a fervid imagi-
nation, what movement might have
been attempted. Dutailly took these
romances seriously, and predicted, by
their lurid light, important victories
in the near future. Brichaut, an un-
believer, ventured now and then q
timid objection. Dutailly became ex-
cited, lost his head, and could not be
consoled for his clerks want of faith
in such brilliant strategy.
The appearance OF a new guest still
complicated the situation. | was sur
prised one evening to see in my place,
on Nine. Dutailly's right, a stranger
with a high color, broad shoulders,
clustering and vain glorious. He wore
a captains distinguishing decoration
on a fanciful uniform that had evident
" come out OF a theatrical wardrobe,
with enormous boots in which 1t would
have been impossible to disguise a
hero.
''M Robillard," said Dutailly, on
introducing us, captain OF the En-
fants Perdus' of Courbevoie."
| had not got through with the soup
before Robjllard fascinated me. The
exploits OF this gallant warrior seemed
to have consisted in exploring the de.
serted mansions of the suburbs, re.
moving to place of safety any furni,
ture that could tempt the cupidity oil
the enemy, the owners being unknown
was wondering how this capacious
iawed mandarin happened to be there
that evening nibbling at our share oI
the cheese, when Nine. Dutailly in.
formed me, not without emotion. AS
night was coming on she had fallen on
the Boulevard, and the consequences
might have been serious had not Ro.
billiard come to her rescue and brought
her home little Hurried Out of graf.
itude she bad invited him to dinner,
The explanation consoled me.
trusted that / had seen the last of the
doughty warrior. The wal, he said
had brought him back to Paris, whose
safety demanded his presence. As to
his adventures in the suburbs at the
head OF the Enfants Perdus, they sur
passed belief. 1.-The enemy could dc
no more! With 5000 fellows like
those the siege could be raised" etc
Nine Dutailly listened TO these TO
manceS greedily. Neither did Dutailly
seriously resist theinclination to cred
it these tales OF military prowess. AS
to the poor little volunteer, he seemed
totally eclipsed by the presence of this
egregious braggart.
| invented an sefor leaving after
the coffee, utterly disgusted with the
rhodomOntade of this Gascon, from
whom believed | was partin. forever
but IN which belief was terribly de
celved. On the following Sunday he
reappeared; he came again on Thurs
day, and finally his plate was laid al
all the repasts as regularly as my own
NJ. Dutailly's household had beer
charmed as completely as the bird
that the snake selects for its victim
RoblllRrd had gained anintluence over
Mime. Outailly by his droll stories and
had won her husband by his apparen,
interest In the military operations il
the Temps. Anatole visibly lost
ground at every meal, ground which
this bully as visibly occupied.
The formers discontinue was es
8NNANNAAg AioN4Nt10iC cttlSE lilH engage
ment at BOurget, where the poor boy
mad bravely done his duty. and
whence he returned to us wounded il
the forearm. He gave us all the de
tails OF the affair and the circum
stances OF the sad end of the heroi,
combat with so profound a sadness
that the captain seemed inclined tc
charge him with eowardice. With
what a noble Indignation the latter
pointed out that il the EnfaEts Perdus
mad taken part in the engagement
things would have turned out differ
entity. Thereupon, warming with the
subject, he drew the plan Of a sortie. in,
Guiding the passage o. the Disc. the
march upon Rouen, and the triumphal
arrival at H9vre so graphically as to
excite Dutailly TO the highest pitch OF
enthusiasm. Ana this while the poor
Anatole, Inundated, was still suffering