The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-03-01
That Winter Night.
BY ROBERT BUCHANAN.
CHAPTER /.
The Gathering Storm.

The Gathering Storm.
On a sunny Sabbath afternoon, in
the month of October, 1870, the Chew
alier de Gaprolles and his only daugh-
ter Blanche, beautiful young girl
between seventeen and eighteen years
of age, attended service in the chapel
OF Our Lady, I'm the little village of
Etretat, situated some ten or twelve
English miles from the seaport town
OF Hsvre, in Normandy.
There was scanty congregation,
con listing for the most part of peasant
women, who, during the religious
ceremonies, whispered much among
themselves, and otherwise paid un-
usually little attention to the minis
trations of Father Andre, the cure.
The service over, all seemed greatly
relieved, and pressed rapidly out into
the open air. to find the church-yard
thronged with eager groups of viii
layers, who were excitedly discussing
news just communicated by telegraph
from the seat of war.
The chevalier and his daughter were
almost the last to leave. AS they
fingered in the porch they were joined
by Father Andre, who saluted them
with friendly respect.
Seen thus face to face, the chevalier
and the little priest offered striking
contrast; for the former was tall,
powerfully built man of forty-five,
with erect military carriage, and a
face still preserving much of the
freshness of youth; while the latter,
short, plump, and rotund, was well on
in the sixties. with a head that
dropped between his shoulders, and
hair frosted over with silver rime-
"Bad news, chevalier!" cried Father
Andre, nodding nervously at the
groups in the church-yarj- You
have heard OF course?"
Eyes, father" was the reply; 1.-The
Germans are rapidly advancing, and
we are soon to taste the horrors of de-
feat in grim earnest"
AS he spoke, he glanced somewhat
wistfully at the fair face of the girl,
looking eagerly and wonderiRgly into
his-a spiritualized and softened re-
Election of his own face, without the
lines left by time or sorrow.
Grim earnest, as you saym cried
the little priest, with a pugnaeiou,
toss of the head. "But let them look
4 to it-let them take care; they may GO
step too far, these Germans. Our
I bayonets will dig their graves, though
they were twenty times rs many"
The chevalier sighed as he re
sponded:
after all they are but paying an
old debt We overran their coun sry
as they are overrunning ours"
"But it is different 1t lie widely
different, The great Napoleon--"
"Sowed desoiatiOn and misery far
md WIDE" Interrupted the chewalier.
HE was a great soldier, granted,
nut a little man, father. We are
Gaping now what he sovEid betEre we
v rere b9rn!"
Father Andre, Perspiring violently,
u tered an angry exclamation; then,
co nquerSng his excitement, he fnrced
a smile and added:
"Ah! but | kn0w-tsvery zone knows
-. Tou are a man OF peace! From the
frs you have said ave ware in the
WI, ing. Well, III may be psssible; but
our folly, If it we're folly, was eXpiated
by the foolish emperor at Sedan.
Now il is another affair. The com
try j 3 in danger, ehev2lier. All trHe
mon are docking 90 the standard ref
our b eloyed France. q swear to you
that i ( / were a few years younger.
and ii not wear this black coat. Z
would be fighting at the front anyself"
OncO more the ehevalier glance9
tenGerly at his daughter, an his
counter lance grew troubled with some
inner p,tin.
"Will yoA dine with ns tonight.
Father Andreg" he asked II have
something very particular TO say to
you"
"Many thaMlzs, cheyalier; will
come. l must Grave madesnoiselle's
pardon a thousand times, il / nave
frightened her with my warlike tai k"
II am not frightened" answered
Blanche. with a gentle smile; --oniy |
was thiE4Cing how terrible IL war!
SWhy cannot men Cove one another
and remain at peacG?"
.''Why, ipdee0P" echoed the cbevaa-
Ter, almost 20 himself
."Ahl mademoiselle is child; she
does not understand exclaimed
Father Andre, eagerly. sometimes
j have thought these great calamities
are a punishment upon our people for
the wicbedness of these twenty years
OF empire. Yes. ,chevalier; for grant
you the empire was corrupt But TO
overthrow the emperor was orc thing;
TO threaten the liberties of France is
another. And as for those Germans.
they are bsrbariaEs-savages. who
know only one thing--the art Of plum
derl II is just that. they should re-
ceive lesson, aud they shall receive
It. 1t is guerre o outrsnce, and our
brave Frenehmen will NOV them down
Nike wheatl"
.'And their wives. their mothers.
and their little children, what Of
them," demarded the chevalier. "Ah,