The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-30

each other until they were standing on
the deck of a bateau mouche, speeding
through the twilight under the high
viaduct of the Point du Jour
Red and green lights on the fleet of
river gunboats sparkled under the shad-
owy arches of the viaduct. On the
eastern bastions an electric light sput-
tered blue and binding, casting lum;si-
Gus shadows over quay and dock, and
long rows of polished siege guns, lying
on car trucks below the ramparts.
Other boats passed them, clustered
lights on bow and stern, windows and
ports staining the dark waters with
golden beams as they passed. The lit
tie waves danced along the wake, crisis
crossed with green and crimson streaks.
distorting the lantern reflections until
the black water surged under a pol
ished surface, shot to its depth with
jagged, trembling shafts of colored
lights.
That's the gunboat Farcy," said
Bourke, as a shadowy shape doomed up
in midstTeam. She's got a big gun
aboard, but, TO my thinking, the recoil
must raise the mischief with her
plates"
Already the dark. endless facade OF
the Louvre appeared on the left. bridge
after bridge SPAWNED the river bright
with festoOns of gas lamps, until a
black bulk surged up before them,
crowned with clustered pinnacles, light
ed only by the stars. 1t was the Cite.
Their voyage has come to its end. AS
they climbed the steps of the quay be-
low the Palais de Justice. away in the
south a bali Of fire sped up into the
sky and burst. spraying the night with
vermilion stars.
What's that signal?" muttered
Bourke.
The distant report of a cannon con-
firmed the answer that the newsboys
were shouting along the boulevard:
Extra The Orleans railway blown
up between Albion and Athisi The
Prussians have reached the forest of
Senartl Extrar .
Hardwood bought a paper and stood
reading it under a gas Jet. while on
every side an increasing tumult arose
from the crowded sidewalks as rocket
after rocket whirred up into the night
and the dull thunder muttered from the
forts of the west. In the glare of the
lighted shop windows black masses of
people gathered. gesticulating, block
ing the street, lingering in knots under
the gas lamps. where some boulevard
orator alternately read from a news
paper and harangued his neighbors
Hoarse voices with the sinister intona-
ton of alarm bells dominated the deeper
hum of the muititude-insistent voices
clamoring disaster Extra, Extrai''-
every discordant cry rang out harsh
and tense, vibrating with the malice of
prophecy.
It's true" said Hardwood, soberiy
"The Prussians have cut the Orleans
railroad near Athis."
He handed the journal to Bourke,
adding: 'There11 be the devil to pay in
the streets tonight. I've a mind to stay
here and dine at the Cafe Rouge. What
do you say?"
Il told Yolette not to expect US" re-
piled Bourke. so it's all right. Come
on
They threaded their way through the
crowd, crossed the street, and trav-
ersed the Place st. Michel. where a
jam of emnibuses and cabs, hopelessly
mixed blocked the passage of a bat
terry Of artillery. In the black mass
silhoUettes of riders. towering in
their high saddles. crossed and re-
crossed the gas lit bridge; here a
horses head tossed, sharply outlined:
there the slim shape of a cannon de-
tached itself from the shadowy chaos
AS they pressed on up the hill of st.
Michel and entered the brightly lighted
terrace of the Cafe Rouge, cuirassiers
were passing through the Boulevard
ST German, sabres, casques and pol
ished armor shining, crimsoned with
mirrored reflections from the flaming
torches borne by single cavaliers. A
trumpeter rode by, a trooper carrying