Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-08-17
The Story Of a Seige,
BY SISTER FRANCES
CHAPTER ".

But neither on the next Jay nor the
next was Mrs. Warren able to bear a
renewal of the subject, nor indeed to
take the promised drive. Not even
when her son spoke most positively of
the threatened danger, and assured
her to the best of his belief it was sure
" coming-a matter of days-would
she listen to him at all.
She took her place on the couch day
after day, and resisted all attempts to
coax her from it. She chung to the
purple gown with a tenacity that sur
prised both her son and the maid, un-
til the former discovered, by chance
mention, that her diamonds were
stitched securely within it, and that
they were almost the only remnant of
the fair little fortune she had brought
with her from America.
Unless he had carried her off by
main force there was no moving her;
and the low fever that seemed a new
feature of her disease came again at
the same time every afternoon, until
her son hourly looked for a return of
the stroke.
All this time the fate of Paris was
drawing nearer and nearer. The En-
press had fled long ago, the Emperor
was prisoner at Wilhelmshohe, and
the tolls were set about the city at
last. The morning came when it was
impossible to carry his mother away.
1t did not find him unprepared, His
anxious mind had taken in all posi-
bilities, and he had laid by a little
store OF provisions to suit his invalid's
taste-cans of meat-soups and jellies
and little stock of Mocha for her
morning cup.
The Park Monceaux had become a
camp. Tents we're pitched there and
colors flying. They had grown used
to trumphets and drums and
the daily drill; but one day came
a heavy booming from the south,
over beyond the Bots, cannonade that
shook the earth. Mrs. Warren had
forbade all mention of the war topic
for days, and had sunk in a kind OF
Gstlessness, rousing only to take her
food. But now, as the deep sound
came up like heavy thunder, seeming
to shake the very foundations of their
house, she sat up and listened.
What is that" she asked sharply
and anxiously.
1T is firing over in the Passy quar-.
Ter, presume. Some troops are sta
toned there"
What troops? Answer instantly
Marie" to the woman who stood in
the doorway shivering with fear.
THE Germans. the Prussians!'
Marie screamed before DR.. Warren
could restrain her by warning gest
ure. They will shoot us all!''
Mrs. Warren fell back on her couch
and did not speak. Nor did she seen
Immediately worse during the day; but
when the faithful Marie came in to un
dress her for the night they discovered
that a second stroke had deprived hel
of both speech and motion.
iii / had only carried her off by
force" thought George Warren, as he
watched by the side of his now uncon
scious mother, '.to have been out o.
all this. Still she might have died OF
the way with anger or with fright.
The siege cannot last long at al
events." For DR.. Warren had a pro
found faith in the Germans and bu
little confidence in the French defence
But he had underestimate the des
perate nature of the struggle. and was
unprepared, as his discriminating
commissariat showed, for the prolong
ment of the siege.
Still, his mother, gradually rallying
into consciousness, had her daily bow
of nourishing soup and her costly cot
fee in the morning, There was M
one to inquire into his own Sigh
meal, snatched in the uncertain time
while the invalid rested and while the
woman Of the house stood guard.
Marie had gone now; she had desir
ed to go her friends in the Bellevillt
quarter, and it was relief to have
her absent, to be spared the daily sup
ply which her healthy appetite con
sumed
And day by day, as the doctor, al
ways so gentle and tender with hii
mother. grew into more and more o.
womanly thoughtfulness and devotion
great change came over his innel
self.
The remembrance OF Margaret, sha
he had so sternly put aside wheel ht
sailed from America, came and stale
with him. sole comfort of those tedious
hours. His own Intensity of sacrifice
for the wailing invalid opened hi
eyes, as with a lightning's flash, to the
devotion Margaret had shown.
''Were the seige raised and she t.
send for me now, bidding me come ant
marry her, how could / answer hei
save in her own words.
And-it was in the days OF the bal
loon mail-bags-he wrote letter one
day and carried 1t himself to NJ
Nadar. But as it never reached its
destination, and indeed was pierced
with Prussian bullet, and fell. with