Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-12-14
his napkin under his chin, and ne.

him his granddaughter, a little pale IN
consequence Of her many cares, guild
ing his hands and giving him drink.
Then, refreshed by his repast, there in
his comfortable warm chamber, while
the wintry north wind whistled with
out and the snow beat against the win
dows, the old soldier recalled his cam
paigns in the north, and recounted TO
us for the hundredth time that terrible
retreat from Russia when there was
nothing to eat but frozen biscuit and
horse flesh.
"'Do you understand, granddaugs-
ter. We ate horse fieshP
"Ah! she understood him well. For
two months she had eaten scarcely
anything else.
From day to day thereafter, as he
became convalescent, our task in car.
ing for the patient became more diff
cult. The torpor Of hissenses and his
limbs, which up to this time had
served our purpose, began 10 disap-
pear. Two or three times already had
the terrific volleys fired from the Mail
lot gate made him start. IL became
necessary 10 invent a final victory for
Bazaine at Berlin, and we told him
hat in honor of il these salutes were
fired from the Invalides. One day,
his bed having been pushed near the
window, he plainly saw the National
Guard as they were being massed in
the Avenue de La Grande Armee.
az wonder why those troops are
thereF said the old man, and we heard
him mutter between his teeth, They
carry themselves badly, very badlyr
Nothing more happened at that
time; but we perceived that hence
forth it would be necessary to take the
greatest precautions. Unfortunately
we were not careful enough.
'One evening when | arrived at the
house the young girl displayed great
anxiety as she received me.
Tomorrow they will enter the
city, she said to me.
Sat that moment the door Of her
grandfather's room was opened. On
thinking of the matter since then |
have recalled the fact that his face
wore an extraordinary expression that
evening. 1t is probable that he had
overheard us. We, however, had
spoken of the Prussians, and he
thought we had referred to the
French, to their triumphal return, for
which he had waited so long-Mac-
Mahon descending the avenue amid
flowers and the blare of trumpets.
Col. Jouve's son at the side of the
marshal, and he, the old man, on his
balcony, in grand military costume, as
at Lutzen, saluting the tattered battle
flags and the eagles ~blacIIned with
"Poor old Col. Jouvel Without
doubt he thought that we were trying
to prevent him from witnessing the
parade of our troops in order that he
might avoid emotion that would be
too severe for him. He spoke little to
any IN that evening. The next
morning, however, at the very hour
the Prussian battalions emerged timid-
ly in the long way which leads from
the Maillot gate to the Tuileries, the
window was opened softly and the
colonel appeared on the balcony wear
ing his casque and the gorgeous cos
tune of an old cuirasSier. | have
often asked myself since what effort of
the will, what renewal of youthful
vigor, had thus put him on his feet
and in harness. At any rate he was
there, standing erect behind the rail
ing of the balcony. He seemed sur
prised TO find the avenues almost
empty and silent, the shutters of the
houses closed, Paris gloomy ms a great
l%azaret, flags everywhere, but, strange
TO say, all white with rcd crosses, and
no one there 10 receive our soldiers.
For a moment he seemed to think
that he had been deceived.
But mol From a distana. behind
the Arc dc Triomphe. came a confused
sound, and "a long black line moved in
sight. Then, one by one, the eagles
on the casques CLEANED in the sun
light, the drums began TO beat. and
under the Arc de lEtoilc, where the
pavement sounded with the rhythmic
tread of the legions and the clanking
of saberS, burst forth the tiumphal
march of Schubert.
Then a cry was heard, a terrible
cry; TO armsl TO arms! The Prus-
sians!' And the four Ulsans Of the
advance guard saw above them on the
balcony a grand old man totier, throw
up his arms and fall. This time Col.
Jouve was dead. TRANSLATED from the
French Of Alphonse Daudct for The