Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-09-13
TViZtLife and Death
UNDER MEDICAL ADVICE.
A Story of the Franco
Prussian War.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
CHAPTER III.
AN ADVENTURE.

CHAPTER III.
AN ADVENTURE.
When it became known that the Cheva-
her de GavrOlles was about to throw in his
lot with the defenders of France there
was great local enthusiasm. Father An
Dire, both in public and private, discOursed
slOquently on the glories Of patriotism,
and pointed to the lord of the chateau as
D shining example. The immediate result
was seen In the formation of a large num-
Der of volunteers from the district, many
Of them being men who had already served
!heir time, and were otherwise exempt from
CONSUMPTION.
The day of parting arrived, and, fol-
lowed by those whom his example had in
spired the Chevalier left his home. A few
days letter word came that the Norman
recruits, with others from neighboring
districts, had been formed into a company
of the Line, Of which GavrOlles was con-
stituted Captain.
Courage, my darling, wrote the Chew
alier to MS daughter. We are ordered to
the front at once" He added in post
script to his letter: "The medallion, with
your mothers picture and yours, lies
always on my heart. Every night before
1 lie down to rest look at the pictures and
bless both the living and the dead May
God have you in his keeping and speedily
reunite usi"
Left alone in the chateau, Blanche felt
the full solitude of her situation. Always
deeply religious, she now spent much of
her time in prayer. Her piano was locked
up and never opened, her painting (of
which she had been very fOnd) quite neg
lecCed; even books had no attraction for
her any longer. All her care was to read
the journals, full of news from the seat
of war. and to look eagerly for her fathers
letters. AS time advanced, the position
Of affairs grew more and more critical.
The French forces were driven back on
rers1 n
mans were pouring like torrent into the
heart of France
One morning, as Blanche sat in her bou-
doir, there was a knock at the door, and
Hubert entered, the very picture Of con-
sternatiOn.
News, mademOiselle, horrible news!"
be cried. The Germans are close by!"
Blanche started In amazement.
1T is quite true, mademoiselle, con-
tinued the old man. Il had it from the
mouth of M'sieu DudeVant, the school
master, who has seen them with his own
eyes. Oh, that the earth would open and
swallow them up alive, the cannibalsl
They are coming here and we shall soon
be eaten up alivel"
The news was not without foundation.
A portion Of the advanced columns of the
enemy had entered Normandy and taken
possession of the capital. The whole
district was in a panic. The widest and
most hideOus stories were in circulation,
and it was asserted on every hand that the
Germans were committing the most inhu-
man crimes.
Meantime. Blanche de Gavrolles was
agOnized with anxiety, for nearly fort
night had elapsed and there was neither a
letter nor a message from the Chevalier.
His last letter, hurriedly written on the
scrap of an old envelope, had been sent
from distant town in the North, where
some sharp business had been going on
NIT IA w. eE-i eTeh had
contained one passage, which afterWard
formed source Of hope and comfort.
I do not know if this viii ever reach
you, the Cbevalier wrote, but if it does
so, do not be alarmed if you do not hear
from me speedily again; tor 1t is now eX-
ceedingly difficult to pass letters beyond
the lines. Keep up a good heart, my
Blanche, for 1 think the horrors will soon
be over; it is the beginning Of the end.
Another bomb of alarming intelligence
was presently exploded by old Hubert.
They are IN Rouen, mademClslIe!
They have cut the telegraph wires! Lord
deliver usl"
In these clements of alarm Blanche did
not think Of herself, nor of the personal
peril which might soon threaten her; all
her thought and care was for her father.
She prayed for him necessarily. While
all the district was In an uproar, and the
chateau itself like a startled roOkery, with
old Hubert wildly holding forth and the
female servants chattering In terror, she
remained on wardly calm, seldom leaving
the privacy of her own apartments. But
one cold, still afternoon, when the first
Gutumnal frost was on the ground, she
left the chateau and walked out into the
woods, which looked beautiful in the sere
Ind yellow leaf. Clad in a simple dress
of black velvet, with an ivory cross, her
fathers gift suspended arOu ID her neck
she seemed aim 49, like q re igieuse. Her
only compani on was IN old Norman deer
hound, ohristened Castor, after her
5ather
The sun was sinking over the sea, and
inland the prospect was alrendy growing
dark; ye she did not hasten her footsteps,
though she now turned her face in the oil
rectiOn Of home. Before she reached the
wicket-gate le ding into the home woods
the full moon had arisen, mingling its
bright beams with the last FAINT rays Of
daylight. Sad and pensive. vet struck by