The record-union., 1898-01-30
A WOMkN'S RUSE IN WAR.

my camelIiaS, my poor camellldS--tNeil-
ty years of patience, labor and adora-
ton, all lost, destroyed. obliterated,
weeded out. And what do you think
found ir the middle of my greenhouse
in place of that delightful little marble
statuette l had brought from Naples?
oh! there's no use guessing-you never
could guess.
After the battle of Sedan my wife
showed great ksolution. My dear"
said she I'VE must remain here. We
must stand by our house!" And
added, mentally, "and by our camel
las"
On September 18th, at o'clock in
the morning, one of my tenant farmers
arrived breathless, shouting, The Uh-
lans, sir. They will be here in an
hour"
My wife was stricken with terror.
Let us fly, my dear. / do not wish
to see the Uhlans. Let us go at cnce.
Take me away, oh, take me away; nc
matter Wherei"
The horses were put in the carriage
and We departed at once. We LEFT a.
the chateau seven or eight servants,
among them my wifes maid, Antoi-
nette, a Partisan, pretty, Intelligent,
saucy and cunning. Antoinette kept
reassuring US, saying: Have no fear,
sir / shall receive the Prussians. I
know how to talk to them. They VIII
not steal even match"
The next day we arrived at Trouville.
My wife fell seriously ILL., and for a fort
night | was very uneasy. From Iny
country place every week l received
letter from Antonette. DO not be un-
easy, SIR she would say. Everything
is going we'll here. We have had the
good luck to happen upon an excellent
Prussian Colonel and some very ami
able officers. 1t is, thanks to the kind
ness of these gentlemen, that l am
able to make my letters reach you, sir"
etc. And the gardener wrote to me:
'Antolnette has saved almost every
thing, sir, by her cleverness. 1 do not
care TO say more on account of the
Prussians, who may read my letters.
And nevertheless the Prussians, thanks
to Antoinette have not been harsh en-
us"
Toward the end of October my wife
was convalescent, so one morning
packed my bag and left for my coun-
try place. | wanted to see my camel
las again, and L wanted, above all. TO
know how Antoinette managed to save
everything. l shall not bore you with
the story of my journey 1t was pecul-
lar. nevertheless. 1t took me seven
days to go from Trouvile to Corbeil.
l was arrested three times as a Prus-
sian spy by the French and four times
as a French spy by the Prussians
AT last l saw again my magnificent
avenue of chestnut trees; at the end OF
the avenue, my gateway. l crossed my
courtyard, which was full of horses,
cannon, artillery caissons, dragons and
PrusSian artillerymen. / walked UP MY
front steps. 1 found myself in my
vestibule. The furniture, the pictures,
the bangings-all were in their places.
But as for me, l stood there staring
like {. rustic, my travelling bag in iny
hand in the midst of five or six Prus.
sian dragons who were eyeing me Gu
riously.
What do you want?" asked one Of
these Dragons, apparently a lieuten-
ant. Why do you come here?"
Why did come to my own house? |
replied that l wished to speak to the |
Colonel.
He is busy. He is breakfasting.
Who are you?"
Who am 1? I am the proprietor CT
this house"
All, the proprietor-you are the pro-
prietor. Wait. l shall notify the Col
onel''
In few moments my door opened |
and l saw coming toward me a tall |
Prussian, booted and spurred, vita |
long. gray whskers who, with both /
hands extended, cried in excellent
French: M. Rivet. 1t is you, NJ
Riviti"
yes. It is t.
All, how glad / am to see youi You |
have done well to come" And those two |
Prussian hands We're still extended to-
ward me, who patriotically held as far
away as possible behind me my two /
very French hands.
''Ah, | see that you are prejudced,"
said the Colonel, bursting into a roar
of heavy laughter. Il see what it is
you are prejudiced. l think you will /
get over that. But come-come with [
me. We are at table,
''At table. But l don't wish to break
fast"
You don't wish to breakfast with us? |
All, more prejudice. But you must do |
Baroness is breakfasting with us, and |
she viii be delighted to see you"
The Baroness. What Baroness?"
But without listening to me, without
replying, the Colonel seized me by the
arm, and, dragging me along, he made |
me cross my own salon, and then open
ing the door of my dining room he |
cried: Baroness, here is your uncle, |
1t is NJ Rivet,'
Then / saw seated at my table eight |
or ten PruSsian officers, and in the mid
die of these officers Antoinette = An
toinette. who had upon her back one
of my wife's velvety gowns, in her ears
my wife's diamond earrings. on her fin !
gers my wife's rings, and about her |
neck my wife's black pearl necklace. /
All of my wife's bracelets We're around |
her wrists, while in her hair she wore |
my wife's rubies and in her corsage
my wife's sapphires. Antoinette was
no longer Antoinette. She was a jew
eler's show window.
Antoinette. seeing me enter jumped |
up, became very red, and then, quitting
the table, threw herself violently upon
my neck and began to embrace me.
crying: "Ah, how glad l am to see
you And as she continued to en-
brace me, she whispered in my ears:
Embrace me- embrace me tenderly."
So | embraced her and she commenced /
again to embrace me, continuing to
whisper in my ear: Look more tender
than that. / am your niece. Don't /
you understand? 1t is to save mad
ame's diamonds" etc. 1t seemed as if