Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-12-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
IN HIDEN WAYS.
THE ENEMY SHE LOVED.


"If / thought a daughter Of mine
would so much as touch a hated
Germans hand, | would swear she
had been changed in her cradle"
So spoke Jules Eavart in hot
breath, just before the siege of Paris
had begun-breath kindled by the
news brought him by the girl
shrinking before his anger-the
news that one of his schoolmates
and the child of an old neighbor
had absolutely been married, the
day previous, to a young German
officer, bearing active arms against
the country of his newly-made wife
All through the day old jules kept
muttering to himself; at nightfall
he called his little Olive to him.
"Women are strange beings" he
began, as if to relieve his mind of &
load which was weighing upon it
land perhaps I've no right to be-
lieve you are of different stuff from
the rest. These are uncertain times
we're in, too. want you Olive t.
make me a solemn promise; nay
more, to kneel beside me and make
a solemn oath. Kneel, my girl.
kneel."
Pale and terrified, the young
girl knelt.
"Now raise your hand. and sweat
that you will never marry a man
who cannot boast French blood il
his veins
Solemnly the girl swore. Thu
old man smiled triumphantly as h
bent and kissed the long, shining
black braids wound about the LITTLE
head.
I'm ready now," he said.
Within week the siege of Pari
had begun. Within a month tn
child of Jules Favart, who had ell
listed, was orphaned. A German
bullet had stilled forever the hear
so loyal to France.
For a time Olive was stunned
No one found opportunity t.
sympathize with her grief, fol
around and about her every one wa
nursing some misery of their own
Every house bore some badge o.
mourning. Every heart carried it
own burden.
But sorrier days were in store fol
Paris-days when the Germans
marched untroubled through it,
streets, and spoke their hated langu
age in loud, triumphal accents.
On party of these Olive stumb'
led one evening as she hastenet
home. They were common soldiers
and her pretty face, from which she
had thrown back her veil of Grape
attracted them. Instantly two Of
them approached her, addressing
her in insulting praise in her own
tongue.
She hastily drew down her veil
but one holder than the rest raised
his hand to again uplift it. Scarce.
ly had be done so than it was struck
down by sharp, quick blow from
behind. Olive turned to see the
Frenchman who had delivered her;
but 10! young officer, in full Ger.
man uniform, stood before her
touching his hat.
A few swift words of command
to the men sent them abashed away
Then, with an accent almost as pure
as her own, he begged that she
would allow him to escort her Il
her home.
"Such outrages in the time Of
war are difficult always to prevent,
he said; 'but you risk much by APP.
pearing unattended in the street
Always your father--your brother
-"
"Ah" she interrupted, "do yor
leave our fathers and our brothers
No! | have been to the hospital
caring for the poor men who may
be spared to their daughters ant
their sisters. As for me, you have
already taken from me my ALL"
And she moved quickly away, q.
if the conversation were at an end
but the young officer kept pace be
side her.
pardon me-" he said, "but you
are too young and too pretty to pas
through Paris unmolested. 70,
hate me as your foe, but you mus
let me guard you TO your home
even though you hate me the more. '
There is no need" she replied
~ 60 every day to the hospital, ant
every day at this hour Of the day, OF
very little earlier, | must return"
A shadow, and then a light