Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-04-14

! half stupefied by grief, cold and ia
ttgue, while in her brain was will
confusion of batle-feIds, ambulances
and citoyen drivers. Before NJ. LIE
mercier returnd she had quite los
| consciousness, aaG in her dark cor
,! ner remained unnoticed for SOM
time.
She returned to life a little late
to find M. Lemercier bending owe
her, a mixture of anxiety and half
suppressed excitement in his face
He gave an exclamation of relief az
she opened her eyes
All, she RECEIVERS! Dear MAIDEN
oiselle, be comforted I have goot
news for you See, then, who is
here
Esperance, thus appealed to, opened
her heavy eyelids again, but only saw
the statue of Voltaire. This reused
her. She sat up, rubbed her eyes
and before she had time to look
again, found Gaspard's arms round
her, his well-known voice once more
in her ears.
Poor tired little one! And SO you
have been wandering all over Paris
She could not look or speak then
but just put her head down on his
shoulder and sobbed for joy, while
her whole being was raised in "a
Wordless thanksgiving.
M. Lemercier, who luckily was toe
true Frenchman to dislike a
scene" waited patiently till she re-
covered herself before he proposed
that they should return
Then for the first time, looking up
Esperance saw that Gaspard's head
was bandaged, and, forgetting he1
own fatigue, began to make eager in
Quires
The wound was happily but a slight
one, and Gaspard would have been
sent home sooner, but when brought
in from the field he had been, like
many others, overcome by sleep, and
SO had been delayed. When ali had
been thus satisfactorily explained,
M. Lemercier went to find a carriage,
this time in good earnest. He, how
ever, declined to take a seat in it
himself, and sent a message by Els
perance to his wife to the effect that
she need not expect him to return
before morning.
During the long walk he had been
making all manner of observations:
disseminated words from passers-by
had caught his ear, disjointed SEN
fences of murmuring against Trochu
and vague hopes of establishing
Flourens. Full of hope for his ideal
Commune, he walked off excitedlv in
the direction of Belleville, thankful
that good fortune had favored his
search for Gaspard de Mabi1lon, and
rejoicing that he was now free to
serve '1apatrie."
Esperance and Gaspard mean
while had reached home safely, and
were so much engrossed in each other
that they scarcely needed the generate.
which, at eleven o'clock, resounded
through the city to summon the
National Guard to attack the Hotel
de Vile. The instruction, however,
was but trif1ing; and, although for a
few days M. Lemercier was very san
guine, he was soon obliged to confess
that it had been unsuccessful, and
that for the ppresent the Communists
must bide their time.
CHAPTER VIII.
Kingdoms that long have stood.
And slow to strength and power at
tain'd at last,
Thus from the summit of high for
tunes flood
Ebb to their ruin fast
Southey.
1T is shameful, abom1nable! I'M
bearable. We could have held for
another month, at least! We will re-
sist, we will not allow it, sueh afro
cious conditiCns-such concessions to
those beggarly Prussians!"
Gaspard was painting with rage and
vexation, NJ Lemercier having Just
brought in the news that the a11mis-
tice was signed
Madame could not help giving Ia
sigh Of relief, and Esperanee might
have followed her example had She
not religiously tried to sympathize
with Gaspards views She asked a
question.
us it all over them"
"Practically," replied NJ Lemerefer,
unless, indeed, we Communists can
egg on the populace, which, as the
Flourens instruction failed. is more
than doubtful"
Think how they will exult over us
the monsters! It is surely impossf-
Bic that France can submit to such
terms, while her sons still live! We
will compel Vinoy to lead us forward
once more; We will show Troehu
that his signature is of no avail if the
children Of France do not approved"
Gaspard paused, out of breath anC
exhausted by his excitement; for, de.
spite his lofty project of future resist
ance and another sortie, his wound
was by no means recovered.
NJ. Lemercier seized the opportunity
| for lamenting his pet grievance
And you have imprisoned the only
man who has any spirit-any public
| feeling! If Fleurens were-Bien
what would you, Antoinette?''
DO you not see how you are ex
citing our convalescent? Go then
and find us some fresh news. ant
wait another week before you try Il
/, make Monsieur Gaspard Commun
list. Now tranquilize yourself, mon
sieur, or your face will be permanent
ly disfigured''
M. Lemercier obediently left tn
room, and Gaspard followed hi
| nnrSn's 6irnctinnS fhn11mh no ne