The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-04-20

inc old tapes a S SSd @ csfpets OF d ehs
some or the moro valuable pictures
ana ornaments. When morning
at ia NED the Count left US. going south
issimo-a somewhat childish proceea-
ing, thought, though l did not OPP
pose him, as Aimee was thus left m
tender sentiments, and after blessing
us both he babe me watch her care
luIiy and at the approach of the en-
envy to set out for Bethel, a small town
to the northwest, where Aimee had
numerous cousins.
The Mouse in front of the Chateau
Lagunay was perhaps quarter of q
high, precipitous banks in which there
was no break ter a considerable dis
lance north and south. Some three
rowed, at the town OF Ramune. where
massive stone bridge spanned the
deep waters. This point was selected
by the Germans for crossing. Loav-
ing Aimee with strong guard of
armed servants, some of whom were
veterans of the Franco-Prussian war,
| set out on horseback for Ramune,
LOOKING ike a French dandy in my
i found the town In great confusion.
~ persons were loading up their
household goods and making ready for
departure;. others had already fed. SO
stealthily had the Germans approached
that their advance at that point was
unknown half a dozen hours before my
arrival.
From stone tower on woooed
hill back of the town I looked across
into the valley beyond. AS far as the
eye could see stretched the ranks of
the invaders. They had risen out OF
Prussia and Baden and Saxony, out of
Wurtemburg and Brunswick, out OF
Hesse and the Mecklenburgs; and mob
liking rapidly had swarmed across the
fro tier of Lorraine, that ancient bone
or contention, and neutral Luxembourg.
As l learned later. once they stepped
a storm: Spies preceded them cutting
telegraph wires In all directions. The
thirty miles between the frontier and
the Mouse River had been covered in
swinging trot. And here they were at
the crossing without the least show
of opposition.
Meanwhile the French were advance
ing with characteristic elaboration,
their main force being then at and
around the great military camp Of
Chalons, some fifty miles to the south
west; They had been apprsed on the
previous day Of the appearance at the
frontier of several bodies Of Lancers
and, Hussars There had been no
about that timel and it appeared I'M
necessary to make any decided move.
or the detachments sent out In auto
mobiles at the time of my departure in
nothing. 1t was not until months
later. when I returned to Paris for a
honeymoon with Aimee, that / learn
ed the facts. Our wireless message
had not carried. Martins sacrifice
was vain. The scouts in their ma
chimes reached the rendezvous, did a
little, scouting on their own hook,
found nothing suspicious, and toured
leisurely back to Paris and Chalons,
where they reported that the story or
a northern invasion was q canard
Therefore the mobilizing proceeded, all
eyes being centered on Luneville, Bel
fort and Besaneon, where the German
Crown Prince, with his Bavarian, army
manoeuvred at safe distance, threat
ening, retreating. building mock forth
fcations, and steadily pulling the Ger
man wool over the French eyes.
There was no defense possible for
Ramune, In old, provincial town with
weak fortifications. Yet the small
garrison, with true military spirit an
nounced its presence by a volley of
cannon, which seemed to anger the
Germans. A battery of mortars was
brought up to the river bank. Into
more sixteen-inch shells, which broke