Middletown transcript., 1886-03-05
A STORY OF MONTE CARLO.

| A STORY OF MONTE CARLO.
On January 10, 1871, the French
army, beseiged in Paris, fought 1T
last battle-the battle of despair
For feur weary months we had suf
fered mentally and physically all that
human beings can suffer in this world
Doubt and apprehension had succeed
ed to enthusiasm and to- Illusion
Then came the sinister news OF treason
and defeat, then cold, then hunger
then the bombardment, until our
bodies, racked and wasted with misery.
had nothing left but hope to sustain
them.
Such condition of things could not
continue indefinitely, and final and
desperate effort had become inevitable
The whole population clamored for 9
decisive battle; the National Guards,
who were composed Of fathers Of
families, many of them gray-bearded,
claimed the honor to march upon the
enemy. The governor realized that
the hour for supreme action had ar.
rived, and resolved to fight the great
battle Of Montretout.
Throughout the whole day and
night troops, from the forts cross Paris
marching toward Mont Valerien
The poor soldiers are terribly exhauted
and their faces show the traces Of
their suferings.
Think for q moment Of the weary
long weeks during which they have
slept in the snow, while for some days
they have only subsisted upon q mea-
gre ration Of black bread and NOR
sci Of horse-fesh. Nevertheless, they
march proudly with that calm de-
meanor which accompanies quiet
conscience.
On the boulevards, as the regiments
file past, the crowd applaud, and from
time to time women rush forward to
embrace, perhaps for the last time, a
son or q husband marching to the
front. n
But now appears regiment which
calls forth in an especial manner the
applause Of the crowd. From one end
to the other of the boulevards the hur.
rahs ring out, while from the windows
the women wave their handkerchiefs
1t is the regiment of the " Friends Of
France" which, like its predecessors
is going to the front. In this regi'
ment there are no Frenchmen-only
foreigners, friends of France, who by
their devotion have wished to testify
their love to a nation whose hospitality
they have SO long enjoyed. One soldie,
in particular attracts my attention.
man of about forty, with bronzed
complexion, and an expression of great
energy on his face. I ask who he is,
and learn that his name is John Bur-
ter, and that he is an American who
for more than fifteen years has com.
manded a merchant vessel, Of which be
is also the owner. One day while on q
voyage with his wife and child he was
overtaken by violent tempest when
lust about to enter Havre. In vain
the captain battled with all his power
against the elements I; his vessel was
disabled and went aground. John Bur.
ter gave up all hope of saving her, for
at any moment his ship might founder
when he saw in the distance little
life-boat manned by four gallant pilots,
who were making strenuous efforts to
reach the distressed vessel. Suddenly
a huge wave carried away one oi
these brave sailors, but his comrades
were not discouraged. A second wave
swept away a second sailor, but the
life-boat still struggled onward. John
Buffers vessel was on the verge of
laundering. and he had clasped his
wife and his son to his breast, when a
tow-rope thrown by the men in the life.
boat fell at his feet. His vessel was
saved, and saved through the splendid
devotion of four French pilots.
This devotion had inspired John
Burter with warm sympathy for
France. Thus, when misfortune be.
fell her, John Burter was one of the
first to enlist in the regiment of the
+" Friends of France" Frenchmen
had saved his life, that of his wife,
and that of his son. In his turn he
would sacrifice himself, if it were
necessary, for France Throughout
the day on which the battle of Montre.
tout took place John Burter fought
like a lion, and when in the evening