Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-02-16

would not be better to take him into
the country; but, once outside the
walls, the condition of France would
have told him all, and l considered
him still too week, too benumbed oy
his great shock. to be allowed 10
know the truth. So we decided TO
stay.
1.-The first day of the siege l went
up to their apartments, | remember
much agitated with that anguish OF
heart which we all felt to find the
gates of Paris closed, the battle I'M
der our walls, our suburbs become
the frontier. I found the old mah
sitting up in bed, jubilant and proud
"Well,' he said, the siege is be-
gun at last!'
ct looked at him in beWilderment.
elbow, colonel, do you know?
His granddaughter turned to me;
"'Why, yes, DOCTOR 1t is the great
news. The siege of Berlin has be-
gun
"She said that, plying her needle
so calmly. so TRANQUILITY. How could
he have suspected anything? He
could not hear the cannon OF the
forts, He could not see that unhap-
py city, Paris, gloomy and distressed.
What he saw from his bed was a bit
of the Arc de Triomphe, and in his
room about him relics of the first
empire we'll adapted to maintain his
Illusions Portraits of marshals, Ell
cravings of battles, the king Of Rome
in his baby dress; then great stir
consoles, adorned with brass es-
cutcheons, loaded with imperial rel
les, medals, bronzes, a rock Of st.
Helena under a globe, miniatures
representing the same lady with
ringlets, in a ball costume, in vel
low dress with leg Of mutton sleeves,
with bright eyes and all
this, the consoles, the king of Rome,
the marshals, the yellow ladies with
short waists, the awkward stiffness
which was considered graceful in
1906 it was all this, this at
mOsphere of victories and cOnquests,
much more than all we could say to
him, which made him believe with
such simplicity in the siege of Berlin.
From that day on our military OPP
erations were much simplified. To
take Berlin was only a matter of pa
thence. Now and then, when the old
man found it too dull, we would read
him letter from his son, an imagin-
oF CT inc O.
entered Paris any more. and since
1.-THE battle of Sedan MacMahon's aid
de camp had been confined to a Ger
man fortress. You can imagine
that poor girls despair, without news
of her father, knowing him to be d
perhaps sick, yet obliged, as she
was, to make him speak in gay let
tiers, rather short, as a soldier would
write on a campaign, always adEanc-
ing into the conquered country.
Sometimes she lacked the strength
to write; we were weeks without
news But the old man would get
uneasy, would be unable to speak.
Then quickly a letter would come
from Germany which she would
come and read to him gayly neal
his bed restraining her tears. The
colonel would listen solemnly, smile
with a knowing air, approve, crit1-
else, explain to us the more obscure
passages. But where he appeared
especially fine was in the answers
he used to send his son. Never for
get that you are a Frenchman,' he
would say to him. BE generous to-
wards these poor people. Do not
make invasion too heavy upon them.
And there were endless injunctiOns,
delightful little sermons on the re-
spect for prOprieties, the politeness
due the ladies, a regular code of mill
tary honor for the use of the conquer
ors. Sometimes he would mix in a
few general considerations on policy,
on the conditions of peace to impose
on the conquered. In that matter,
ought to say, he was not exacting;
1.-The war indemnity, nothing
more. What would be the
use of taking provinces from them?
Germany
He stated that with a firm voice,
and there was SO much candOr in
his words, such a fine patriotic faith,
that it was impossible to hear him
without being affected.
During. that time the siege was
still progressing, but alas! not that
of the great cold, Of the lombard
OF Berlin. It was the time
ment Of epidemics, of famine. But,
thanks to our care, to our efforts, to
the tireless tenderness lavished upon
him the serenity of the old man was
not disturbed for q moment. TO the
last I was able to have white bread
for him, fresh meat. There was
none except for him, Of course, ana
you can imagine nothing more touch
ing than those grandfather's break
fasts, SO innocently selfish-the ola
man in his bed, fresh and laughing,
his napkin tucked in at his chin, near
him his GRANDDAUGHTER somewhat