The morning call., 1892-03-04
THE SIEGE OF BERLIN.

.DO YOU see tlOSo IUul SlooVu nihNO"o
above that balcony? In the early days of
the month Of August. that terrible month
of August In 1870, so heavily freighted with
disasters. l was summoned there 10 attend
very bad case of apoplexy. 1t was at the
house of Colonel Jouve. n cuirasSier OF the
First Empire, an old man, infatuated with
glory and full OF patriotism, who at the De-
ginning Of he war had come to live In
the Champs ElySees, in an apartment over
that balc0ny-aEd Tor what purpose, do you
suppose? To take part in the celebration
when our troops should return IN triumph.
Poor old maui When the news OF the
hattie of Wissemhourg came he was about
to rise from dinner On reading the name
of Napoleon IT the end of that bulletin OF
defeat he fell MS if struck down.
II found the old soldier lying at fun
length on the carpet. bis lace purple with
blood and the veins sluggish as If lie had
been stunned by heavy blow on the head.
When standing he seemed TO he n very large
man: living down his stature seemed I'M
mense He had handsome features. superb
teeth, a fleece of white curling hair and was
SOyears Old. although he did not appear to be
more than 90. Near him was his grand
daughter on her knees and IN tears. She
resenbled him. Seeing them side by side
made one think of two beautiful Greek
medalions from The same mo!d-the one,
however being antique. with the contours
partially effaoed, the other 1reSh and clean
The grief of the child touched me. She
was both the daughter and the grand
daughter of a soldier Her father was
staff officer with MacMahon, and the sight
of that grand old man. lying before her
called up in her mind another image not
less terrible. ] treasured her rs best
could: but | really had little hope. for l
knew that al his age one could hardly re-
cover from such an illness. For three days
the patient lay IN The same condition Oh I'M
mobility and StupOr.
In the meantime news OF the battle of
Reischoffen reached Paris. YOu remember
in what strange way ii came. Until even
ing we thought we had gained great We
toIy: that 20 600 PruSsians had been killed
and the Crown Prince made a prisoner. l
know not by what miracle or magnetic cur
rent an echo of the national joy reached that
poor old man, lying mute and helpless on
bis couch. On visiting him that night L
found him altogether another man. His
eve was almost clear and his tongue less
thick. He was able to smile at me and to
siammeT, Victory
"'Yes, colonel. 1 answered. "a grand vic
tory
tails Of MacMahon's success, | could see his
features relax and his face brighten.
when was about To depart / found the
young girl awaiting me a. the door. She
was pale and was sObbng.
go But be is safe. l said to her, taking her
hand in ne.
1.-THE poor child had scarcely the courage
to answer me. The truth in regard 10 the
battle OF ReiSchoffen had just been made
known. MacMahOn was in retreat aud his
army was crushed.
I'VE looked at each other in consterna-
zion. She was In an agony OF doubt as TO
the fate of her father. Bpt | trembled for
the life OF the old man. ! was sure that he
would not be able to survive this second
blow. But what was to be done? Clearly
we must not destroy tie JOY. the Illusion
which had revived him. But II would be
necessary TO lie.
on. we'll, | will lp.' said the young girl
her0ically, as she quickly brushed away her
tears. Then, with bright face, she re-
turned to tie chamber Of her grandfather
at was severe task which she had uu-
deTtaken. AT first, however, il was not 30
difficult, for the old man was very feeble
and allowed himself TO be deceived, as II he
were child but With returning health his
ideas became more clear. 1t became neceS-
saFy to keep him informed of the move
ments of the armies, to write out military
bulletins for him. 1t was indeed pitiful to
see the beautiful girl bending night and day
over n map OF Germany in Ter efforts TO
plan a glorious campaign. Bazaine was AT
Berlin Frossard in Bavaria, Mac Mah0n at
the Baltic. In all this she asked my counsel,
and l gave her such advice as could; but
it was her grandfather, above all, who aided
US most in making this imaginary invasion.
He had taken part 10 so many conQuests in
Germany under the First Empire! IL knew
all the routes That he would say, is the
way they will go; there is where they will
fight His predictions were always full
filed. Thus nothing was left undone that
might help to keep up his spirits.
'UnfortuDately we had to capture cities
and wage battles. We were never expedi-
tious enough for him. He was Unsuitable.
Each day, on arriving at the house,
heard news from the seat OF war.
a." Doctor. we have taken MentZ' the
young girl would say, as she received me
with sad smile, and, opening the door OF
her grandfather's room, | would hear a joy
out voice crying:
1--WE are advancing! Still advancing
In eight days we shall enter Berlin
"At that time the PTussians were only
eight days march from Paris.
1--WE considered whether it would not be
better to take him into the country, but, on
going abroad, the true condition of France
wonld be made known to him, and | saw
that he was altogether too feeble to endure
the suffering which a knowledge of the
truth would entail. 1t was decided, there
fore, that he should remain where he was.
"Ah! | remember we'll how. on the first
day of the siege, / assembled the stairs lead
ing to Colonel Jouve's apartment / felt
that anguish Of heart which we all expert
enced when the gates of Paris were closed
w
walls and the outskirts of the city were
made our frontiers. found the old man
iubilant.
"'Well.' he said to me, the siege has been
begnnp
last said:
"How, colonel, you know -"
His granddaughter turned quickly
toward me.
"'Wnv. yes, doctor; that is the great
news The siege OF Berlin has been be-
''She said this In quiet manner as she
Eiie5 her needle.
How could the colonel doubt this news
9e could not hear the reports of the cannon
Sc TIE forts. He could not see the gloomy
ANA sgitated city. All of 1t had met his
eye, ON the bed of which he lay, was bit
Of the Arc de Triomphe. In his chamber
the bric-a brsc, which had come down from
the First Empire, helped to maintain his
Illusions. They were portraits of the mar
shals, engravings of battles, the King of
Rome-he had his baby dress; and then
there was the large, stiff consoles, covered
with imperial relics, with medallions.
bronzes, rock from st. Helena, under a
glass globe; miniature representing lady,
with closely curling hair, in a ball dress,
and another representing the same dame in
ayellow robe, with leg-of-mutton sleeves. a
high girdle and all the inflexible stiffness
which was grace in 1906. Ah, gallant
colonel! 1t was this atmosphere Of victory
and conquest far more than what we
were able to tell him, which made him be-
lieve so naively in the siege Of Berlin.
From this time our military operations
were more simple. To take Berlin reoujred
patience. From time to time, when the old
man became too uneasy, letter from his
son would be read to him, an imaginary
letter, of course, as none entered Paris al
that time, aud as. since the battle of Sedan,
bis son had been prisoner in German
fortress. You can imagine the despair of
that poor girl without news from her father.
whom she knew to be prisoner, suffering
from priv atoms. i'll perhaps, and yet she
was obliged to make him write joyously in
those letters, which, however, were little
short. as would naturally be the case with
those of a soldier making campaign and