Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-06-23
A LOADED BOMBSHELL.

The returns OF New Year S day recalls
always to my memory an episode of the
siege O. Paris, which gained me some
credit. lam proud OF 1t.
Let the reader be reassured. | shall not
conduct him to the ramparts, nor to the
or posts, but only to the Rue Trevise and
| the house of my old friend Dutallly, a
| rich manufacturer of chemicals, the hus-
band of an excellent wife, the father of a
charming daughter, skllful manufactur-
er. d good patriot, little foolish respect
| ing poilLlcs, 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 consoIed by the conviction that the
city would not hold out a 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 DutaiIlys would never have starved.
Then she finished her work by putting IN
her small garden COW, poultry house,
even pigsty, that three months later was
| worth its light IN gold.
| In the month of October we blessed her.
| first, for whom plate was placed on the
, Dutailly table Tuesday and Sunday even
| ings, and who found there a recompense
| for the privations of the rest of the week.
| Why should not one be delighted In these
days of scarcity at the sight OF lard
omelette, or d morsel of cheese which had
DO parentagp, a rare thing considering the
| chemicals of the house.
was not the only guest received at this
hospitable mansion. Another person had
his pIate by the side of mine, young Aua-
tole Bricbant, principal clerk OF the manu-.
factory, the future partner and son-in-law
OF Du, ally. This quiet, serious nd some
hat dIffident young man was very much
In love with the daughter of his patron,
and Mile. Gertrude was not insensible to
| his affection. Without having exchanged
word, the attentions of Brichant we're re-
ceived with favor by the Dutaillys, and the
union of the two young people was tacltly
agI eed upon; but, unfortunately, the war
postponed the event. Brlchant, corporal
| in the corps, moved to the Seine and bar
RACES of St. Denis. did his duty as sol
| der conscientiously, as he did everything
else, but without enthusiasm; it must be
confessed, he execrated this edge, which
postponed his happiness. and mildly crltl-
cispd the operations with little bitter
feeling. These critic SINS did not fail to
irritate Dutailly, who was follower OF
Gen. Trochu. The was something else;
the Temps just at that time published a
series of articles whose author reconstructed
the military operations of the province &C
coroing to his own fancy. Dutdllly had
| taken these fancies as matters OF fact. He
! placed his little flag on the chart, at the
points decided upon by the strateglst OF
the Temps, followed with anxiety the fcti-
| l.
predicted after d brief delay decided VIC
| tories for u.s. Brichant, incredutious, Of
fered timid objection. Duta;ly was e1'
cited and angry. | interrupted to stop the
discussion, but the host at the bottom OF
battles his clerk prevented from gaining.
The presence Of new guest complicat-
ed the matter still more. | was surprised
at the right of Nine. DutailIy occupied by
tul stran ger He wore the epaulettes of a
captain on his fantastic uniform-the cast
off clothing of some theater, and was shod
with enormous boots, in which it was i'm
possible for me to recognize a hero.
Monsieur Robillard," said Mnsieur
Dutaily, introducing US, ''eaptaion of the
L
Before | had finished the soup | had
made up my mind respecting Robillard.
The exploits of the soldier of fortune con-
sisted of stripping the house in the SUBJ
urbs of the furniture that might tempt
the greed of the enemy, and pu ting it in
a safe place. | asked how it happened
that this heavy featured man had come
this evening to partake of our cheese.
Nine Mutually told me with some feeling
she had fall on the Boulevard Poisson
nier. slippery with frost Robillard, who
was passing, had carried her, slightly
bruined and partially insensible, to the
cearest chemist, and returned home with
her. Out of gratitude she could do no less
than invite her preserver to dinner. This
| explanation satisfied me. | hoped to be
rid of the hero from that time.
The rogue was no fool. He said he
was interested in a large coal mining
business that obliged him TO journey over
| Europe, and entertained US very pleasant
| lv with "reminiscences of his travels. The
war brought him to Paris whose danger
claimed his presence. As to his exploits
in the suburbs at the head of the Enfants
Perdus, they passed all credence. Mad
anne Dutailly listened to these falsehoods
| with pleasure. Dutailly was DESTROYS to
believe, too. Gertrude alone was in
credulous. AS to poor little Anatole, paler
| and more lost than ever In his large blouse
| and ffiicted besides with cold in the
head which makes one ridiculous, he
| seemed crushed by the neighborhood of
the greet braggrt, who did not fail to treat
him to dainful illusions. scornful chances
and unpleasant comparisons.
| made an excuse to leave after the COT
| fee, disguised with the b0asting of this
| gascon to whom | thought TO bid adieu
| forever. In that | was deceived. On the
! following morning, Sunday, | found him
in the same place; then on Tuesday. FL
nally he had his plate placed at all our re-
nas-s.
Inc Datailly household vas fascinated
| Robillard had interested Nine. Dutaiily
by his good hunor and a graceful gallant
" to which nc woman OF her age is IL
sensible, and Papa Dutaiily by the inter
est he seemed to take in the military
operations of the Temps and in arranging
the little flags on the chart. Anatcle,
still suffering from his cold, lost at every
meal by this braggart all the ground ne had
gained.
His disrepute was more obvious after the
| affair of Bourget, where the courageous
boy had bravely done his duty, and whence
he lad returned wounded in the forearm.
| He told US about the fight, the death OF
| Baroche, killed by his side, the surrender
and retreat, the sad end of a brave &C rbat,
captain treated him for while as a de.
serter and coward. If be did not do so, it