Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-07-22
A LOADED BOMBSHELL.

The return of New Year day recalls
always to my memory an episode OF
the siege OF Paris which gained me
some credit am proud of it
Let the reader be treasured. l shall
not conduct him to the ramparts. nor
to the outposts, but only. to the Rue
Trevise and the house of my old friend
Dutailly. a rich manufacturer of
chemicals the husband of an excel.
lent WIFE, the father of charming
daughter a skilful manufacturer u
good patriot little foolish respecting
politics but after all the best fellow
in the world.
Surprised by the investment of
Paris when he had packed his trunks
to leave he was consoled by the con-
victlon that the city would not hold
out week. Better advised. Madame
Dutailly began at first by provisioning
the house. in which she amassed such
an abundance OF food that had the
siege lasted three months longer the
Dutaillys would never have starved.
Then she finished her work by putting
in her small garden n COW, a poultry
house. even pigsty that three
months later was worth its weight in
gold.
| was not the only guest received at
this hospitable mansion. Another
person had his plate by the side of
mine young Anatole Brichant prin-
cipal clerk of the manufactory. the
future partner and son-in- law of Du-
tally. This quiet serious and some-
what diflident young man was very
much in love with the daughter OF his
patron. and Mile. Gertrude was not
insensible TO his affection. l was
surprised one evening. arriving late.
to find my place at the right of Nine.
Dutailly occupied by n red-face
broad shouldered and boastful
stranger He wore the epaulettes of
a captain on his fantastic Uniform
the cast-oif clothing OF some theater
and was shod with enormous boots
in which it was impossible for me to
recognize hero.
Monsieur Robillard said Mon
sieur Dutailly. introducing us. cap
tain of the Enfants Perdus de Courbe-
voie.'
Before 1 had finished the soup | had
made up my mind respecting Robil-
lard. The exploits of the soldier of
fortune consisted of stripping the
houses in the suburbs of the furni-
ture that might tempt the greed of
the enemy and putting il in a safe
place. / asked how it happened that
this heavy featured man had come
this evening to partake OF our cheese.
Nine. Dutailly told me with some
feeling she had had a fall on the
Boulevard Poissonniere slippery with
frost. Robillard who was passing.
had carried her slightly bruised and
partially insensible, to the nearest
chemist and returned home with her.
Out of gratitude she could do no less
than 10 invite her preserver to dinner.
This explanation salts led me.
hoped to be rid of the hero from that
time.
The rogue was no fool He said he
was interested in u largo coal mining
business that obliged him to journey
over Europe. and entertained us very
pleasantly with "reminiscences of his
travels. The war brought him to
Paris whose danger claimed his pres
ence. AS to his exploits in the SUI
burbs at the head OF the Enfants Per-
'dus thew passed all credence. Mad
anne Dutailly listened to these false
hoods with pleasure. Dutailly was
DESTROYS To believe. too. Gertrude
alone was incredulous. AS to poor
little Anatole, paler and more lost
than ever in his large blouse. and =
nil
which makes one ridiculous he seemed
crushed by the neighborhood OF the
great braggart who did not fail to
treat him to painful illusions scorn-
full chances and unpleasant COMPARE
sons.
The Dutailly household was fasci.
mated. Robillard had interested Mime.
Dutailly by his good humor and q
grace ul gallantry towhich no woman
of her age is insensible and Papa Du-
tally by the interest he seemed to
take in the military operations of the
Temps and in arranging the little
flags on the chart Anatole. still suf-
1ering from his cold. lost at every
meal by this breggart all the ground
he had gained
his dtSrepute was more obvious
after the affair OF Bourget where the
courageous boy had bravely done his
duty. and whence he had returned
wounded in the fight the death Of
Bar0chc. killed by his side. the sur
render and retreat the sad end OF
brave combat with so pitiable a de-
spondency that the captain treated
him for awhile as q deserter and
coward. II he did not do So it was
only oat OF regard for hls entertain
ers but ho made him understand it.
With what a noble indignation he
demonstrated that IL the Eniants Per-
dus had been there. the fight would
have had anothe result Thereupon.
excited he sketched plan of sortie
by tho heights OF Montmorency
Cormoillies with the passage OF the