Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-12-15
ieneral Nrontauban, Connie de pallkao, took

good could be expected from Sucn CdHdtttef
The month of August wore on-a month
of anxiety of wavering hopes, of strength
ening fears. History records no bloodier
battles than RezonVllle and Gravelotte,
fought in the middle of that anxious month;
and although BaZaine claimed the first as
victory, he was still steadily retreating;
every day brought him nearer Metz; where
he finally retired, abandoning his commune
cations with MacMahon and the rest OF
France.
Then came the Tumor that Metz was block
AIDED: Bazane and his hundred and eighty
thousand men were bound round with bonds
of iron, useless, helpless. MacMahon was
encamped at Chalons, re-creating his army,
and thither regiment after regiment of UNI
disciplined youth was sent to him; and UNI
disciplined youth made the country round
ring with the noise Of its follies, made
France blush for her sons. And still the
food of invasion rolled on, steadily as the
rising tide; a week, n fortnight at most, and
the Crown Prince with his victorious army
would debouch upon the plain of Genevil-
liers. And now in earnest this time, see
ing the enemy so near, Paris awakened TO
the possibility of siege; but even yet fear
was not so serious as to stimulate the city
to prompt and earnest action. The people
waited-expectant hopeful still; something
would happen, something unfOrcseen-a
miracle, perhaps
Something unforeseen did happen; but
tie Unforeseen wore the shape of shame,
defeat, humiiiation-an empire oyerthrown
i'm one bloody day; EmperOra state prisoner,
Empress fugitive, army prisoners OF war.
FIRST came the tdings that NlacMahOn,
instead of trying TO block the passage of the
Germans, instead of falling back upon the
CAPITAL to fight one OF the worlds decisive
battles under The walls of Par.S, was moving
northward, obviously intent upon joining
and releasing Bazaine.
What might not be hoped from coalition
between two such generils-Ore who had
risen with every defeat the oth,ras famous
for indOmitable energy as for military skill?
What might not be hoped Tor from Baza.ne'S
hundred and eighty thousand men, the flow
er Of the French army?
For two days, the first bamy days Of
September a restless, feverish. Cver-eXcited
popuiace lived upon the boulerards and in
the streets; questions, statements, counter
statements flew from lip to lip, while false
reports and mOnStrOuS eXaggeratiOns were
i'm the very air men breathed. Then, on =
Saturday night came the news Of a great
calamity; a terrible battle had been fought
was still being fought with huctuating for
tunes, in the enyirous Of Sedan. But the
ultimate result? For this Paris waited with
ineXpreSSibie agitation. The newsycndors
kiO.qucs were besieged by tuMu.tuou-
crowds; hands were stretched forth trcmu-
louS with excitement, clutching ut the pa
pers men stood upon the boulevard benches
reading the news aloud, above sea O.
heads.
Nothing was certain in the news thus
devoured, nothing precise. The crowd, de
prived of official information, was consume
by a nervous irritability, fever of hopes
and fears. Men were inpatient, captious,
quarrelsome. At the first word of doubt
they were ready to treat each othcraS Prus-
slams or traitors; for a mere nothing ,hcy
would have challenged each other 10 mortal
combat Voices We're sharp, strangers gar-
ed at one another with angry eyes.
lamps began TO simmer in the summer
twilight, cafes and wine-shops sho@e outup-
on the night, and gradually, imperceptibly,
the knowledge of 4 great catastrophe spread
and circulated on every side. Details were
wanting: but France had suffered some ter
riblc defeat. That was seen in every face.
No one in Paris sept that night The Corps
LegiSlatf called a midni ght sitting and the
Empire sank through the stage of this world
to the realm of chaos and night cyaneSccnt
as a scene in fairy play; an the curtain
rose upon the Republic.
The next day was Sunday, September the
All, and the newborn Republic began in the
glory of a cloudleSS summer sky. O strange
people, children Of smiles and tears! Last
night Paris had been plunged to the bottom
of black abyss, steeprd in the horror Of
calamity, brought face to face with the GER
tainty of an imminent siege, her army an
initiated, her Empire fallen. Paris had
laid herself down in dust and ashes, with
weeping and wailing for the splendor that
had pelished, the glory that was gone.
To-day, Sunday, and holiday, Paris
awoke radiant. Again the excited populace
filled the bou!evardS, poured along the
streets, a strong current of humanity trend
ing towards the Champs Elysees and the
Bots. But to-day the note is changed Ii is
no longer the harsh minor of Rachers wall
for her lost sons, but the glad psalm of De-
borah. The Empire has fallen, has fallen.
Long live the Republic Let them come,
the tees cdTTeeSl We are more than match
for them 1lOlc JOY beams on every face.
The crowd wears its holiday clothes, its
IOiIhdS d0ICSN'
Every now and then a battalion of the
| Natiosal Guard tramps singing along the
! roadway. They stop their song 10 cry,
Long live the Republic! and thunderous
acclamations reply Long live the Repub.
! licV
And now came a time Of preparation, ex-
| pectaton, anticipation. The days of nm
certainty were over, and William and his
conquering hosts were pouring steadily on
towards this beautiful city Paris. Bismarck
had avowed that he bore no grudge against
| Frarce he made war only on the Empire And
! 10, tho Empire was ended like morning
! dream, the eagles were dragglcd in the blood
stained dust of disastrous battleieds; and
! still Germany pressed onward laughing
/ with a sardOnic lang Iter at the impediments
| that France set In her way. Here a bridge
blown TO the four winds, there viaduct
| shattered, railway-linas cut, destruction
everywhere; and yet the barbaro9s hordes
tramped on over the ruins that strewed the
way, pouring, pouring, pouring onward,
| like the army of locustS in Holy Writ.
| Tho Parisians expected an assault, great
battle, victory or speedy doom. They waited
boldly, strong in their faith that Be.lona