The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-04-13
JEANNE's BRAVERY.

Pelit Libsrdie bed been freact
tirsgr 10 the great var of lsI0, spd
ilhed roihips better 10 the evening that
10 sit snd listen 10 bis stories of the terri
bic tine shsn foeee lay ssspins snd
hlsedins
Oss evening We had been sileptly smok
Ing 70, some tire ubea be said; Did
ever tell you. monsieur, bow | Tell itto
the b.pd. Of the Gsrmsos and cot sssinf
No said. thought the osrmsus
shot sll tho sasrill.s ,tsy causht
Tsfy let ne go free, monsieur. be ssid
wlih grim laugh, IL msy seem ioersdi
bic. mou.ieur. bat Jespne y 3pd,r held The
lie Of royalty on hsr nnssr tips.
l ~ould like very much 70 beer The
story, | said.
CertsiBly. monsieur, aud u monsieur
thinks what vas done vas wrong be must
excuse woman 10 Lore.
After Sedan, monsieure, . meeting vas
c.lled 10 our village. and thirty OF ns en
rolled ourselves ~ . company Of Frspcsiir
snrs We felt We could do more for
Frauce as irresulsrs than serving under
incom peieut generals We we're we'll
armed and a brave and skillfnl old veteran
con msrded u.s. As the Germsns were 10
force . ouud Metz We msrcbed 10 ths'
direction. and made our besdqusrtes 10
the bills behind . village called Pepoy,
about three leseues from the fortress. II
wss 10 Psncy Jeanne lived. snd from the
ar moment saw her. monsieur, ! said
to myself, II fortune is kind. Felix. that
girl shsll be your wife. Her father was
tbe miller OF Psncy. and the sccursed
Uhlsts had slmost ruined him. They
we're very bitter sgsiDst the invaders and
my profession made me fnd favor 10 her
eyes Before We bad been u Pency
month we had plishted our troth. on the
upderet ,ndins that VIC should not marry
until France WAS rid OF the eneDy.
Small rs our band WAS We made our
selves terror to the msrsudins Uhlsns.
thanks to the generslsbip Of old Montbon.
Jeanne was Invaluable 10 us. She was oil
eyes and ears. snd Mon,boD called her The
head OF the intelligence department OF
our bard. l used to meet her every even
ing. when il was possible. 10 little cave
| had discovered. which, having no ont
let's. was proof against surprise.
We stsid three months st Pency, and
then the place became too hot for us. and
We prepared to leave for q village some
leagues TO the south. l fell into the
hands OF the Bavsrisns the very evening
before we were to leave Pency.
Jeanne declares to this day. and be
lieve rightly. that was betrayed bysvil
lager, q young fellow named Odesu, who
believed tate had intended Jeanne for his
vile. and who was even savage when she
refused him. But be that ss ii may, mon
sieur, 1 was seized at dusk that evening.
as was on my way TO meet Jesnne, and
taken so completely BY surprise that
had not the least chance OF defending my
self o. trying to escape. and, worse than
oil, was taken with the rife 10 my hsad.
You are sn assassin. said the stout little
officer 10 commsnd 10 bsrbsrous French.
You shall be SHOT. Where are your com
psnions?
Bot 1 proiessed not to understand.
was sirsid Of being shot on the spot.
There was much OF the e1ecutioner and
little Of the Judge 10 those days. mon
sicur.
Much to relief my arms we're bound be
bind me, and we set out for the hamlet
where the Grown Prince Frederick had
bis hescqusrters.
As for uue would have II, Jeanne met
US on the road. Monsieur would suppose
that Jeanne is quiet little woman, but
monsieur has not teen her thoroughly
aroused. She was reused then. monsieur.
She Auns herself on me and tried to re
lease me. Then she stizsd the bsyonet OF
q Bavsriap, and II l had net begged her ,
for nv sake TO be calm she would have
fought the whole psrty single han Ted.
Then she fell to beseechins them, for she
could speak German well, but they only
lang shed 1t her spd Grove her fl With
foul words. My heart wss like lead thep.
monsieur, but / did not know Jeanne.
was taken before the princes sdjutiat.
Who prom ised me Liberty II would be
tray my conpstriOts Bot feigned stu
pidi,y, and when be found thst ] would
tell nothing be ordered me to be sbtt at
five The next morning. We give you till
then. be said, to find yonr tongue. You'li
be dumb enough after. Aud be laughed.
Was bound like log, monsieur, and
thrown into . Int and brut.lly kicked.
Ny thoughts were not pleasant ell this
time. l Icy thinking Of jeanne. whom
snould never see sasio. piclufing thst.
wom snIike, she would 90 home and weep
10 her htlplessness and despair But
dill not know her then. She vas working
Tor me with oil the energy std Wit OF .
somsn, Jeanne, Jeanne. ms petite, come
here.
Jeanne came 10 The door.
Come And tell onsieur how you saved
me. ms petite.
A blush overspresd Jesnue's festurea {
What, that foolish story ssainf Z
Cer.sioiy 20. fcoli b, | ipterpossd.
should deem II kindptS II 700 vculd
obligs me.
Ifmop,i uf si,tet II, sud morsieur