The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-16
A WOMAN'S RUSE IN WAR.


stroyed, obliterated. weeded out. And what
do you think 1 found in the middle of my
greenhouse in place of that delightful little
marble statuette 1 had brought from Ma
pies? Oh, there's no use guessing-you new
er could guess.
After the battle of Sedan my wife showed
great resolution. My dear said She I'VE
must remain here We must stand by our
our camellias."
On Sept II, at 8 o'clock in the morning
one of my tenant farmers arrived breath
less. shouting, 1.-THE Uhlans, sir They will
be here in an hour
My wife was stricken with terror LET
US fly, my dear l do not wish to see the
Uhlans Let us go at once. Take me away.
Oh, take me away, no matter where"
The horses were put in the carriage and
we departed at once. We left at the chateau
seven or eight servants, among them my
wifes maid, Antoinette, 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 will not steal
even a match"
The next day we arrived at Trouville.
Ny wife fell seriously i'll, and for fort
night was very uneasy. From my country
place every week I received letter from
Antoinette. do not be uneasy, SIR" she
would say. Everything is going well here.
We have had the good luck to happen upon
an excellent Prussian colonel and some very
am1able officers. 1t is, thanks to the kind
ness of these gentlemen, that am able to
make my letters reach you. SIR etc. And
the gardener wrote to me: "Antoinette has
saved almost everything, sir, by her clev-
erness. l do not dare to say more on ac-
count of the Prussians, who may read my
letter. And nevertheless the Prussians
thanks to Antoinette, have not been harsh
to u.s."
Toward the end of October my wife was
convaiescent, so one morning l packed my
bag and left for my country place. / want
ed to see my camellias again, and / wanted
above all, to know how Antoinette man
aged to save everything. 1 shall not bore
you with the story of my journey. 1t was
peculiar nevertheless. 1t took me seven
days to go from Trouville to Corbeil. 1 was
arrested three times as Prussian spy by
| the French and four times as a French spy
| by the Prussians.
AT last l saw again my magnificent ave-
nue. of chestnut trees; at the end of the
L
yard, which was full of horses, cannon,
artillery caissons, dragons and Prussian
artilerymen. L walked up my front steps.
1 found myself in my vestibule. The fur
niture, the pictures, the hangings-all were
in their places. But as for me, l stood
there staring like rustic my travelling
bag in my hand, in the midst of five or six
Prussian dragons who were cycling me
| curiously.
What do you want?' asked one of these
dragons, apparently lieutenant why
do you come here?'
Why did L come to my own house? 1 re-
piled that l wished to speak to the colonel.
He is busy He is breakfasting. Who
are your"
who am /? 1 am the proprietor of this
house"
''Ah, the proprietor-you are the pro-
prietor! Wait. 1 shall notify the colonel"
In few moments my door opened and
saw coming toward me a tall Prussian,
booted and spurred, with long, gray whis-
kers. who with both hands extended, cried,
in excellent French: IN. Rivet. 1t is you,
NJ. Rivet!'
Yes, it is l."
"Ah. how glad am to see you! You
have done well to come" And those two
Prussian hands were still extended toward
me, who periodically held as far away as
possible behind me my two very French
hands.
'Ah, L see that you are prejudced," said
the colonel, bursting into a roar of heavy
laughter. II see what it is, you are preju-
diced l think you will get over that But
come-come with me. We are at table"
AT tablet But l don't wish to break
fast"
You don't wish to breakfast with us?
All, more prejudice But you must do away
with your prejudice, because the baroness
delighted to see you"
THE baroness! What baroness?"
But without listening to me, without re-
plying, the colonel seized me by the arm,
and, dragging me along, he made me cross
my own. salon, and then opening the door
of my dining room he cried: Baroness,
here is your uncle 1t is M. Rivet!
Then l saw seated at my table eight or
ten Prussian officers, and in the middle of
these officers Observation-Disclosures, who
had upon her back one of my wife'S velvet
gowns, in her ears my wife's diamond ear
rings, on her fingers all 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 was
my wifes sapphires Antonetto was no
longer Antoinette. She was a jewelers.
show window.
Antoinette seeing me enter jumped up.
table threw herself violently upon my neck
ana began to embrace me. crying: 'Ah,
now glad l am to see you" And as she
continued to embrace me, she whispered in
my ears: Embrace me, embrace me ten
Derby" So / embraced her and she COM
menced again to embrace me, continuing to
whisper in my ear: Look more tender than
that. | am your niece Don't YOU under
stand? 1t is to save madame's diamonds"
etc. It seemed as if we would never stop
kissing and hugging under the eyes of thess
russians There was, however, nothing
disagreeable about it, Antoinette was a
charming young woman. All the officers
looked at me with an air that said: ''What
lucky dog he is to be able to hug and kiss
pretty girl"
Grated to these close condolences and ex-
planatiors, AntOinette took me by the hand
led me around the table and seated me by
her side. With infinite grace she presented
me successfully to each of my Prussian
guests: Colonel So-and-So of the Second
Third Hussars," etc. AS for me- / was like
a drunken man. and. l assure you that it
was difficult for to understand low
could remain thus seated for an hour at
that table in the midst of all these Prus-
sian dragons and hussars. Nevertheless, /
extraordinary conversation which went on
We'll, NJ. Rivet," said the colonel Il
hope that you will soon bring Nine. Rivet
here, too We lead a most charming life
here's Your niece will tell you. We are not
all SUCH savages as your idiotic newspapers
into one Of those roars of coarse laughter
which but q moment before had so Jared
upon my nerves. At once all of his officers
together, as if obey4ng the word of ON
mand. abandoned themselves 20 violent
laughter There is a light and vivacious
1f1I, fe,