The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-22
A DAUGHTER OF
FRANCE.
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One November day in the pleasant
land OF France girl stood on the porch
looking on the falling leaves which
were slowly clreling from the trees TO
the ground. The house before which
she stood was the telegraph office, OF
which her mother, Mime. Dodu, was in
charge, the daughter, Jullette, being her
assistant. The air was still, and no
sound was to be heard except perhaps
an occasional strain OF song from a
distance Of those making wine, though
there was little OF this now, for war
had been declared by France against
Prussia, the Germans were sweeping
across the French border and most OF
the wine watts had been emptled.
Suddenly there came the clear notes
of distant bugle. The girls attitude
changed at once from idle contompla-
ton to eager interest. She listened and
presently heard far up the road a faint
clatter Of horses hoofs. Running into
the house. she cried:
Mother, the PrussIans are comlngw
''How do you known
Listen"
They stood for moment silent. the
sounds growing louder every moment.
"Come. We must get everything out
of the way that may be OF advantage
to 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 body OF
uhlans dashed up to the house and
surrounded It. This is customary in
war. When a force takes possession
OF town before the main body enters,
a troop OF cayalry is sent on the gal.
lop to seize the telegraph office. An
officer threw himself from his horse
and hurried in, placed Mime. 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 to her bed
room and placed Juliette in her own
room on the ground floor.
Now, Juliette had been accustomed
TO attend to any telegraph work that
must be done at night. She had placed
machine in her closet and connected
1t with the wires In the Office. BY
leaving the closet door open she could
hear a call and transmit 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. at which
guard was stationed. Meanwhile
Prussian army under Prince Frederick
Charles poured into the town and its
vicinity.
Juliette went to sleep that night ex-
pecting to get a good rest. The Prus-
SLAMS being in possession Of the tele-
graph station and doubtless having |
their own operators, she would not be |
called upon to transmit messages. She |
had barely got to sleep when she was
awakened by clicking in the closet
She recognized 1t at once as the call |
of Orleans. The Office In another part |
of the house answered, and the opera |
tor at Orleans began to send a mes
sage. to which Juliette, who could /
read by ear, listened 1t was adj |
dressed to Prime Frederick Charles. |
The Prussians lad occupied Orleans I
and they were saading in the message |
a description of ne 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 tam
pering with the wires while they were
In possession of them meant death.
She was French girl and loved her
people. Getting out Of bed, she went
to the closet, succeeded in calling the
subprefect of a neighboring town and
teIegraphed the dispatch with full
information as to its being sent to the
Prussian commander. He in turn sent
it 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 fore
stalled he suspected a telegram had
been sent the French commander in
forming him of the Prussian inten-
tions. An examination was made Of
wires leading from the telegraph office,
and connecting wires were found lead
ing to JuIiettes room.
Juliette was marched out and before
n court martial to be tried for her Of
Tense. The charge brought against her
was that of being spy, which term
includes giving secret information OF
an army to its enemy. Juliette, who
had expected all this, confronted the
men who tried her with composure,
listening to the formalities without
paying any attention to them. She
had saved thousands of her country's
defenders. What compared with this
was the life of little daughter OF
France? X
As was to be expected, she was con-
gicted and sentenced to be shot Ii
But no man with the record OF Prince
Frederick Charles could shoot little
French girl who had outwitted him
and offered her life for her country
men. He not only pardoned her, but
her bravery.
After the war France was much dis