River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-01-07
IL


H.
In the last year of the empire, as in
the final days of the previous one. haste
and precipitation took the place of care
and caution; the soldiers were rushed
through their drills with as little atten-
ton as was applied TO their kits, the one
object in view being that of having a
large army TO take the field as soon as
war should have been declared; the pro-
visions indispensable for the campaign
were considered as duly supplied. on
:he strength of those official returns
which were accepted as unimpeachable.
the supplies of the ammunition itself
being almost taken as a matter of
course.
All this was too soon realized before
the fatal month of August had but lit
tie more than half run its course. each
day bringing the outnumbered French
men nearer to their doom in the disas-
trous year of 1870.
The defeats of GRAY elotte and Re-
zonville had compelled the retreat of the
forces into Metz, leaving many of the
wounded to the promiscuous attention
Of the victors. Without asserting that
they were worse cared for than were
hose wounded on the conquering side,
/, is certain that the Trench soldiers
who were left on the field had a very
bad time of il. In the crowded shell
ters which we're improvised as hospi.
tails. the dangers that were not the
least terrible s@Sse from gsngrene and
pvaemia. and the symptoms of these
fatal developments quickly doomed
their sufferers to the inferno DER which
might have been written the dread
warming: abandon hope. all we that
enter here"
Among the crowd of the doomed vic
Tins of the lust of empire and the
pride of power. we're two French sol
Tiers hurried in with the rest. One had
suffered amputation of both his legs,
the other had been the victim of a
breast confusion, caused from the frag-
ment of an exploding shell. and was in
peril from the shock. rather than from
the gravity of the effects of the wound,
which could not be considered serious.
In any case he had been brought to
that pest house hastily and improperly.
for there was no sign of gangrene or
blood poisoning ia his symptoms.
As the former rolled his head from
side 10 side upon the straw spread over
the earth of the shed where he lay. his
eyes fell upon the form of his neighbo-.
"IIeavens." he exclaimed, am mad
Louis LemoiRe. for you must be, how
do find you a comrade of this accursed
place."
For a moment the other was struck
silent i'm his establishment.
Jules" he at last gasped, do we
meet under such cloud of misery?
What YOU revealed to me made life un-
endurable, and the day after you left
me | volunteered into the service in
which | had already supplied a substi-
tute. | wanted 10 die"
The heaving chest of Jules, who was
past all physical suffering, betrayed
mental torture.
Louis" he stammered. forgive me:
| shall soon have to plead for pardon
elsewhere. | was envious of all your
good fortune. l felt that but for you
Hortense might be mine. When saw
Nou so safe and prosperous and happy
the devil got possession of my heart.
went away and wrote the letter which
| showed you. Ii was not written by
IIortense. | used one of her notes to
me TO copy her writing. 1t was a for
gery!"
As il suddenly electrified, Louis
sprang from the straw with the inn
pulse of vengeance IN his soul. But as he
looked at the poor dying wretch who
was of the same blood as his. compass
sion conquered anger. and, STOPPING
down. he kissed him and whispered:
Il forgive"
Ii was only i'm time. The excitement
had exhausted the little strength of
the moribund soldier. who sank down
in his wretched bed. closing his life
with penitencc and confession. Like
dreaming man. Louis left this Nalhalls
of misery, where the heroes changed
tkeir shouts for Naterland and la
Patrie 10 dying groans and shrieks of
| agony. No one took much account OF
/ those helpless men. and thus Louis
emerged from the place unnoticed, and
mixed with others who were prisoners
AalkG HaluSGtts NbuAAtAtA anu AAoA oC NOAh
hat. awaiting the outcome of events
/ which they could no longer influence.
If all had such heavy grief at heart
/ rs he had. Heaven help them!
/ More than a year had passed when
/ Nine. Dupuis and her daughter re-
turned to Paris to find their homo
+ wrecked during the rule of the COM
mune, aud at last TO put themselves in
I communication with their own eoun-
I trymen. They had heard from Henri
/ Constant. Ia reply TO their inquiry. that
/ Louis had .oincd the army, but the
disorders of the year had prevented
any further communication with him.
Il regret. ladies' said Henri Con-
slant. that we have no news of Lee
moline. lie was missing after Grav-
elottc. and l fear that he must have
been left upon the field of battle"
As Hortense heard the words that
doomed her life. the color left her cheek
. and she would have swooned TO the
floor, had size not been caught in the
aims of Louis. who entered that mo-
ment.
~Ah, Louis" she said, where have
YOU been and why is il that you have
kept silent so long iimeG"
dearest" he whispered. it is a Sc
cret of the dead. NJ. Constant" he
went on. Il have been a double pris-
oner. held by illness and the enemy.
] I have exceeded my leave. am afraid.
brit won't ask for another until am
married Spare Moments.
A Rick.
My DEAR" eNpostulated bis wife,
"why will you eat such hearty break.
l IL -. Sr.r,.In.. r.,.,-..i,a.ro Norl knnNx