The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-03-27

IL BY ANDRE THURIET. :
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The towns of certain of the French
provinces are like plants Of the same
family in having the cast Of counte-
nance, so to speak, which reveals the
common ancestry. Haute-Marne's char
acteristic is it's high perched, grim, sui
len towns, among which L. is unde-
niably that which emphasizes the ia
miliar features with the greatest orig
inality.
Built on the summit of a rocky hill,
it is protected on the south by citadel
with eight bastions, while on the north
stand forth it's towers, hospice the
stern profiled cathedral and the dark
walls Of the ancient ramparts which
stretch away from Roman Gallo tri-
umphal arch.
Within are the seminary and bar
racks. The old streets are constantly
swept by the fierce bise.
The smaller homes lie at the back of
damp and solemn court, protected
from curious eyes by a high wall and
a Theoretically sealed carriage gate.
There are few windows on the street;
but, to make amends, many openings
overlook the inner gardens and the sur
rounding country. One gets the i'm
preston that the inhabitants rarely
venture out and so live after the Eng
lish motto, my house is my castle"
The people Of L. are, in fact, "stay
at homes" uncommunicative, not par
ticularly pleasing which, however,
does not hinder their being good ma
tured lot at heart and high spirited on
occasion to the point of absurdity.
Ny old cousin Melasippe Rousselot
had lived in L. since time immemo-
rial He practiced medicine and was a
complete resume of the virtues and fol-
bles of his compatriots. Tall, thin,
stern and rugged as a native rock, pref
udiced and impassioned in his tastes
and ideas, he had withal the gentle
madness of the collector, the most he
roic chimeras and tendency to make
mysterious the future. With a high
temper and the fierceness of a wild
boar, he was often brave to the point
Of foolhardiness. He boosted, indeed,
of having known fear only once, and
under these circumstances:
The province of Haute-Marne was
invaded by the Germans in the August
of 1870. They had already occupied
the principal points; but, despite LIS
being an important town, they had neg
lected to lay siege to it, doubtless
thinking it useless to waste time and
men in investing it, while they COM
manded the situation on both sides.
So up to the beginning Of January,
1871. not helmet had been seen or
cannon shot exchanged. Nevertheless
the invasion continued, and communi-
cation with the outer world grew more
and more difficult, rations became
scarce and very dear, and as they liv-
ed from day to day in the expectation
Of being besieged, each one put him
self on a short allowance.
Suddenly it was discovered that a
fresh supply of drugs would be needed
for the ambulances. Ten miles away
at Recy-sur- Ource was military phar-
macy protected by the French troops
that occupied the part of the province
Of Cote dor which as yet had not
been invaded. To gain this little Ber-
gundian town, though, the risk must
be encountered of falling into the
hands of the Germans. My cousin Me-
lasippe was a member of the Red
Cross and offered boldly to go to Recy
for the necessary quinine and antisep-
tics
So one morning, wearing the Red
Cross badge, bundled up in his fur
greatcoat, he set out on his journey,
jogging along in an ancient cab drawn
by brisk mare. The road was free
not Prussian on the horizon-and he
arrived without trouble at his destina-
ton. After stufing the box Of his We
hicle with whole pharmacy he went
to the principal inn and resolved to or
der fine dinner. 'If / am going to
pull in my belt these next few weeks"
he reflected, ait is only right to console
myself beforehand with a little dissi-
pationw
In the hotel dining room he found
large and merry gathering Of officers,
delegates of the province, surgeons, all
epicures and the owners of good appe-
tites, so that they did honor to the
menu. With the dessert they turned
to military affairs and the march of
the enemy. My cousin told of his ex-
petition and said that he had found
the road open from L. to Recy.
"Ah, you come from L., doctor"
interrupted one Of the delegates.
When do you returnY
Tomorrow morning"
"In that case | am going to charge
you with a dispatch for the sous-pre-
fet. 1t is urgent"
Melasippe lost no. time in putting
himself at the prefectural service. The
official wrote his dispatch, sealed it in
An official envelope, gave it to my cous-
In, adding gravely:
81 commend this to you. 1t is i'm
portant business. and shall thank you
for delivering it into the hands Of the
sous-prefet himself"
The next morning, after taking fine
roast and some burgundy eon board for
ballast and trusting the official missive
to his waistcoat pocket. Melasippe
mounted to the box and whipped his
mare into a brisk trot. The air was
clear and dry. and his hosts wine at
Recy had toned up my old cousin, so
that he was in gay spirits. As he was
leaving Auberive he saw an old farmer
of his acquaintance standing In the
barn door, very preoccupied. He hail
ed him loosely:
"Eh, there, Father Sausseret! What
are you doing there-waiting for the
PrussiansW
"I'm not waiting" he answered sar-
casticaIly, because they're here al
ready. All you have to do is to look
toward Montavoir to see them"
Melasippe turned his head quickly
and saw the Prussians pouring forth
from the edge of the wood in the direc-
ton indicated.
He trembled from head to foot,
cold sweat burst out on his temples,
and he flung out a sharp crack of the
whip at his mare. who trotted on quick
ly. He thought of the important dis
patch in his pocket, and train of lu-
gubrious reflections wound through his
mind.
'They viii take to the road. They
will search me, find the dispatch-com-
munication under cover of the Red
Cross. The military code is pitiless; /
shall be shot!'