The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-18
A DAUGHTER OF FRANCE.

French military medal and the dec
GRAFTON of the Legion of Honor in
1878.
One November day in the pleasant
land of France a girl stood on the
porch looking on the falling leaves
which were slowly. circling from the
trees TO the ground. The house be-
fore which she stood was the tele-
graph office, OF which her mother,
Nine. Doder, was in charge, the
daughter, Juliette, being her assist
ant. The air was still and no sound
was to be heard except perhaps an
occasional strain of song from a dis
tance of those making wine. though
there was little of this now. for way
had been declared by France against
Prussia.
Suddenly there came the clear notes
of distant bugle. The girls attitude
changed at once from idle contem-
plation to eager interest. She list
ened and presently heard far up the
road faint clatter of horses hoofs
Running into the house. she cried:
Mother, the Prussians are COM
ing!"
How do you know"
Listen"
They stood for a moment silent,
the sounds growing louder every
moment
Come. We must get everything
out of the way that may be of adj
vantage 10 them
They hurriedly gathered all copies
of dispatches in the office and pushed
them into the stove. where they dis
appeared in flame and smoke. They
had hardly done SO when a body of
uhlans dashed up to the house and
surrounded it. This is customary in
war. When a force takes possession
of a town before the main body en-
ters, troop of cavalry is sent on the
gallOp to seize the telegraph Office
An officer threw himself from his
horse and hurried in, placed Nine
Dodu and her daughter under arrest,
then looked for any kilograms that
might be in the office Not finding
any, he sent the mother upstairs 10
her bedroom and placed Julette in
her own room on the ground hoor
Now, Juliette had been accustomed
to attend TO any telegraph work that
must be done at night. She had
placed n machine in her closet and
connected 1t with the wires in the
Office. BY having the closet door
open she could hear a call and trans
nit any message required. Being
used to the work, the slightest click
would awaken her. She was left alone
by her captors, being permitted TO
close her door, mt which q guard was
stationed. Meanwhile Prussian
army under Prince Frederick Charles
poured into the town and its vicinity.
Juliette went TO Sleep that night
expecting to get good rest. The
Prnssians being in possession of the
telegraph station and doubtless hav-
ing their own operators, she would
not be called upon to transmit mes
sages. She had barely got to sleep
when she was awakened by click
ing in the closet. She recognized It
ut once as the call OF Orleans, The
Office in another part of the house
answered, and the operator at Or
leans began to send message, TO
which Juliette, who could read by
ear. listened. 1t was addressed to
Prince Frederick Charles. The Prus-
SLAMS had occupied Orleans and they
were sending in The message a de-
scription OF the exact position of a
part of the French army which was
marching on Glen. There they gave
the information necessary to enable
the prince to surround and capture
the French.
The fate of that corps OF the French
army rested with Juliette. 1t might
be possible for her to transmit the
dispatch that had been sent the
prince to a place the Prussians had
not yet entered But she knew that
any tampering with the wire while
they were in possession of them
meant death She was a French girl
and loved her people. Getting out of
bed, she went to the closet, succeed
ell in calling the subprefect OF
neighboring town and telegraphed the
dispatch with full information as to
its being sent to the Prussian COM
mander. He in turn sent 1t to the
French commander The Prussian
movement was anticipated, and the
French troops were saved from the
trap.
AS soon as Prince Frederick
Charles learned that his move had
been forestalled he suspected a telc-
gram had been sent the French COM
mander informing him Of the Prus-
sian intentions. An examination was
made OF wires leading from the tele-
graph office, and connecting wires
were found leading to Juliette's room
Juliette was marched out and be-
fore a court martial to be tried for
her oifense. The charge brought
against her was that Of being a spy
which term includes giving secret in.
formation OF an army to its enemy.
Juliette, who had expected all this,
a ,rrla At. L.