Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-03-24


tear bandages all day long, and that
will be serving the country. Promise
me, dear papa, that l shall be with
you"
She asked 80 beseechingly that NJ.
de Mabillon could not find 1t in his
heart to refuse.
Very well. my child" he answered,
sit shall be as you wish; you shall
stay here and show your patriotism;
after all, it may be best to keep to-
gether, and for aught we know, Ma
billion may not be safer from the
enemy than Paris
In spite OF all the troubles which she
knew must be in store, Esperance
felt as happy and nght-hearted after
this promise had been given as in
her most cloudless country days.
Moreover, there was a certain excite
ment IN the atmosphere which could
not fail to please the little French
girl
From the windows might be seen
much that was novel and amusing
understand above all a perpetual
stream OF peasantry focking into
Paris for protection, all their worldly
goods piled up on carts in wild array;
beds, clocks. useless old armoires,
sacks of potatoes, strings OF onions,
and not unfrequently aged parents or
tired children were all mingled pro-
miscuously. Esperance chose to see
the laughable side of the picture; her
father, with more insight, saw the
ruin of which this motley procession
was the witness; while Gaspard, with
the selfshness of a citizen, inveighed
against the extra mouths"
By degrees, however, such little ex-
elements ceased to please Esperance
She spent the long monotonous days
chiefly in working with Nine. Lemer-
cier, for the sick and wounded; ia
Vote had already begun to find her
marketing lengthy process, and
was out almost all day; while NJ de
Mabillon and Gaspard were constantly
at drill
And so the time wore slo~1y on;
and although there was still the
eager inquiry for news each day, al
most every one was learning that the
official notices could not be trusted
and that an disastrous tidings were
kept back as long as possible. Gaspard
who was always hopeful maintained
that the dearth of all important aews
was good sign; but NJ. de Mabillon
was of very different opinion, and
when September began, felt more
certain than ever that the lull be-
tOkened a crisis.
And at length it came Late on the
evening Of the Bird eff September, the
terrible news of the defeat at Sedan
became generally known. The sur
render Of MacMahon's army and of
the emperor raised a storm Of indig-
nation at Paris; and the Republican
spirit, latent for SO long, seemed to
burst forth like wild-fre,
The De Mabillons were Imperialsts,
but although, of course, they took
no active part In the next days pro-
ceedings, they were absent all day
and Esperance and Nine. Lemercier
were obliged to console each other as
best they could, both being very eager
to know what was going on.
1t was a long, weary Sunday; Esper
ance would have liked to go out, but
madame was afraid of the crowd, and
had wholesome terror of lies
rouges," although they were her hus-
bands party Not till night did they
hear all that had happened on that
memorable day.
Esperance was already in bed when
she heard her father come back. Her
eager call brought him at once to her
side, and she asked what had kept
him so long.
81 should have returned before had
not known that Madame Lemercier
would be with you, dear child. What
has been done?' you ask There has
been another Revolution, though,
thank God, a bloodless one; the en-
press has fled, and the republic is al
ready proclaimed,
"The republic' All, how delighted
Monsieur Lemercier will be. But.
papa, did you expect this?"
Anything may be expected after
such news as that OF yesterday" said
NJ de Mabillon. sadly. "The captula
ton of eighty thousand men IS an I'M
heard-of thing: the Parisians would
not have borne it so quietly had there
not been the excitement OF setting
up this Republic to content them. But
there, my little patriot, I must not
keep you awake any longer-sleep, and
forget these national disasters"
But the national disasters began TO
thicken so soon that Esperrnce had
not much chance OF forgetting them.
In less than a fortnight two Of the
German armies had taken up their
position before Paris, and the actual