The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-05-23

before the face of the foe and the invaders
foot was on the soil, tramping onward
steadily, gigantic, invincible, like some
mighty force of Nature, slow, cumulative,
p~iti!ess. But shy that the soldiers of France
had fed: say that Achilles himself had
flung down his sword and shield, and taken
to his heels: whose was the fault? why,
naturally. it was the government that was
to blame, shrieked the Red Flag. Down
with the Ministers! Let us have new Mill
listers, and our arms will be victorious. Mac
Ma!on and Bazaine will unite their forces,
and the tide of victory will roll backward
across those advancing herds of Huns and
Pandours, and sweep the savages back to
their native pine-woods, their desert wastes
beside the Danube.
There was a sudden shuttle of cards in the
political game. Gramont and Olivier re-
tired, driven out by a vote of c%ensure, and
General Montauban, Comte de Palikao, took
the helm.
"a military Mercadet with n touch of
Robert Macaire," said the Red Flag. What
good could be expected from such cdndtleY'
The month of August wore OLA month
of anxiety, of wavering hopes, of strength
ening fears. History records no bloodier
battles than Rezonville and Gravelotte,
fought in the middle Of that anxious month;
and although Bazaine claimed the first as a
victory, he was still steadily retreating:
everyday brought him nearer Metz; where
he finally retired abandoning his communi-
| cations with MacMahon and the rest of
France.
Then came the rumorthat Metz was block
| AIDED; Bazaine and his hundred and eighty
thousand men were bound round with bonds
| of iron, useless, helpless. MacMahon was
encamped at Chalons, re-creating his army,
and thither regiment after regiment OF ul-
disciplined youth was sent to him; and un-
disciplined youth made the country round
ring with the noise of its %follics, made
France blush for her sons. And still the
food of invasion rolled on, steadily as the
rising tide; q week, a fortnight at most, and
the Crown Prince with his victorious army
would debouch upon the plain of Genevll-
Tiers. And now in earnest this time, see
ing tie enemy so near, Paris awakened to
the possibility of a siege; but even yet fear
was not so serious as to stimulate the city
to prompt and earnest action. The people
waited-cxpectant, hopeful! still; something
would happen, something unforeseen
miracle, perhaps.
Something unforeseen did happen; hui
1ne unforeseen MplG piC siiepO VI ohtiiN'
defeat, humiiiation-an empire overthrow
in one bloody day; Emperor a state prisoner
Empress a fugitive, army prisoners of war
First came the tidings that MacNIahon
instead of trying to block the passage of The
Germans, instead of falling back upon tht
CAPITAL to fight one of the worlds decisiv,
battles under the wallso of Paris, was movin:
northward, obviously intent upon joining
and releasing BaZaine.
What might not be hoped from a ~coalitio,
between two such generals-one who ha,
risen with every defeat, the other as famou
for indomitable energy as for military skill
What might not be hoped for from Bazaine'
hundred and eighty thousand men, the flow
er Of the French army?
For two days, the first balmy days O
September, q restless, feyerish, over-excjtc
populace lived upon the boulevards and j
the streets; questions, statements, counte
statements flew from lip to lip, while falls
reports and monstrouS eXaggeratlons Wel
in the very air men breathed. Then, on
Saturday night, came the news of a gret
calamity; a terrible battle had been tough
was still being fought, with tluctuating 70
tunes, in the environs of Sedan. But til
> ultimate result? For this Paris waited wit
inexpressible agitation. The newsvendors
Mosques were besieged by tumultuou
, crowds; hands were stretched forth trent
!, 1ous with excitement, clutching at the ps
: perS; men stood upon the boulevard benche:
, reading the news aloud, above a sea c
: heads.
Nothing was certain in the news thu
d%evoured, nothing precise. The crowd, III
prived of official information, was consume
by a nervous irritability, a fever of hopt
and fears. Men were impatient, caption
quarrelsome. At the first word of dout
J they were ready to treat each other as Pru
u slams or traitors; for q mere nothing she
would have challenged each other to mort
: combat. Voices were sharp, strangers gla
, ed at one another with angry eyes.
Lamps began to simmer in the summ'
y uwlilgnt, cares anu wlne-shops shone ont Il
on the night, and gradually, imperceptibl
10 the knowledge of a great catastrophe spre;
le and circulated oil every side. Details we
70 wanting; but France had suffered some t
IL rible defeat. That was seen in every fac
Is No one in Paris slept that night. The Cor
y Legislatif called a midnight sitting: and t
W Empire sank through the stage of this VOL
" to the realm of chaos and night, evancsce
y as a scene in a fairy play; and the curta
u rose upon the Republic.
i, The next day was Sunday, September t
y. An, and the newborn Republic began in t
y glory of a cloudless summer sky. o s,ran
re people, children of smiles and tears! LIZ
II night Paris had been plunged to the bolt
" of a black abyss, stepped in the horror
III calamity, brought face to face with the c.
tainty of all imminent siege, her army {
DC initiated, her Empire fallen. Paris h
IS laid herself down in dust and ashes, W
ID, ,,,a-;r o,At ,,,oit;,N.r F-, t1.,. o,tn,.j1 80 ~
p had peiished, the glory that was gone,
w To-day, Sunday, and a holiday, Pa
ln awoke radiant. Again the excited poptlia
u filled the boulevards, poured along I
NV streets, a strong current of humanity trel
ol ing towards the Champs Elysees aud I
,e' Bots. But to-day tie note is changed. /
IN, no longer the harsh minor of Rachel's w
"a for her lost sons. hut the glad psalm of !
Int Doran. IN Empire has Tailen, has tail
a Long live the Republic! Let them COZ
rs the tcies cdrreesl We are more thana ma
en- for them 1olo. Joy beams on every ia
ON The crowd wears its holiday clothes,
~. holiday aspect.
to Every now and then a battalion of
ty. National Guard trainps singing along
,rk roadway. They stop their song to {
'I.ong live the Repub!ic!'' and thunder,
ar, acclamations reply, Long live the Rep
en- licV'
md And now came u time of preparation,
OF pectation, anticipation. The days of
certainty were over, and William and
zen conquering hosts were pouring steadily
ws towards this beautiful city Paris. Bisma
"a had avowed that he bore no grndge agai
ON France he n .de wal only OH the Empire
nd, 10, the Empire was ended like a morn
dream, the eagles were dragglt d in the BIZ
IS stained dust of disastrous bntticfields:
,us still Germany pressed onward. largl
the with a sardonic laughter at the impedimt
lell that France set in her way. Here a bri
blown to the -four winds, there a vial
shattered, railway-lines cut, destruct
everywhere; and yet the barbarols no,
tramped on over the ruins that strewed
way, pouring, pouring, pouring onw
like the army of locusts III Holy Writ.
10Y Tile Parisians expected an assault, a e
battle, victory or speedy doom. They WA
NC boldly, strong in their faith that Bell
'ole was on their side. The goddess of bs
ing had hidden her face from them hitht
aty but it must be that she loved her Fra
a, VictriX of so many glor
fields, mother of heroes.
a, Yet, although expectant of short
sharp strife, Par.s rrudently prep;