The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-12-04

The French government is, as H1oDN
your readers probably know, a pawn
broker which conducts business on an
extended scale at tine Mont de Pi6te in
this city. 1t is, however, generous and,
sometimes, as will be found in the sequel,
even gullible member Of that not alto
gether guileless and unsophisticated pro-
fession. While the trouble is all about
pipes, it is by no means certain that the
affair will end In nothing more substan-
tial than smoke. 1t transpires, much to
the edification of the Parisians, and to the
disgust of the governors of the Mont de
found themselves to be possessed of all
extraordinary and undesirable stock of
meerschaum pipes. Tnese pipes had been
pledged at the different shops all about
the same time, and had in no case
been redeemed The circumstances
looked suspicious; some wholesale
robbery was feared and the police
were called in. When the next
pipe was presented the pledger was de-
tanned and the police inquiry commenced.
The prisoner told very simple story. He
said he was polisher by trade, and that
he bought wholesale little blocks of
iawed meershaum, polished them, and
made them up into pipes. The Mont de
Piet6 advanced him three francs, and he
sold the pawnticket for two francs. Thus
on each sale, he was three and one-half
francs to the good. The inquiries of the
police only corroborated his story, and
the prisoner was discharged.
The iconoclast is Of no nationality, but
Is always ubiquitous. When he is not an
American, engaged in annihilating the
simple faith OF the children of his coun-
try In that famous cherry tree or in
smashing the trustful confidence of his
fellow citizens in the veracity Of your dis.
tinguished countryman NJ. Mulhatton, he
Is pretty certain to be, as in the
present case, a mischief making French
man. In the present instance it is
the late General Marriott who ruthlessly
destroys the inspiring and historic legend
Of the Maid Of Ratisbonne, the re.
puted savior Of one of the great
Napoleons armies. She Of Ratisbonne
has been held as sacred in the
hearts aud memories OF her people as
have Joan Of Arc and Jeanne Hatchette of
Beauvais. In his memoirs. General Mar
bot. as shown up at a recent reading at
the Academy by Melchoir de Vogue, says,
that after the assaults upon Ratisbonne, he
was in command of a column advancing
to the capture Of bridge. the possession
Of which would cut off the retreat of the
Austrians. The general then proceeds as
follows: Losing my way among the
streets Of the town, 1 suddenly saw a
young woman spring up before me. cry
ing, Save me. l am Frenchwoman.'
She was a dressmaker established in bust
ness at Ratisbonne. / asked her to show us
the way to the bridge, but as we were still
under fire she was afraid. Thereupon u
ordered her to be led by the arm at the
head of the column by two grenaders.
She shreked, but it was of no use. One of
the grenadiers was wounded in the arm,
and the blood, squirting over the poor ter
rified woman, she tainted, and had to be
carried. Napoleon having heard the
story, asked to see the little dressmaker,
and complimented her upon the service
she had rendered the army" This was
the origin Of the legend.
PAUL DE BARsAc.