Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-01
MODERN JOAN OF ARC.
Woman Lieutenant Of Sharpshooters
FOUGHT in Franco Prussian War.

In the little white ward of the lit
tie white hospital in the little white
town of st. Nicholas du Port white
haired old woman of go has just died.
Her name was Antionette Lix, and
| she was a lieutenant OF the Francs
Tireurs-the famous sharpshooters OF
France, who did much damage to the
Prussian and Bavarian troops during
the war of 1870, and very nearly
turned the scale on more than one
occa sion.
Antoinette was one Of five brothers.
There is no need to smile. That is
the way in which she always used
to tell her story when she was asked
for II in the little white room In the
hospital Of st. Nicholas du Port. She
was born at Colmar, in Alsace. Her
mother died Just as she saw the light,
and the first thing that she remem-
bered were the words Of her father
and her uncle, soldiers both. as they
stood looking at her: PITY that the
child is not boy" She was brought
up as one.
With her four brothers. Antoinette
learned to&play the same games, to
dress, to think, to work and to do
everything as though she were boy.
Her brothers never made the slight
est difference between their treatment
of each other and of her, and as she
grew a little older her father made
a point Of taking her about with him
lust as he took her brothers, OF talk
| ing to her just as he talked TO them,
even of taking her with him to the
cafe in the evening, where Antoinette
smoked her cigar and drank her beer
as other "boys" Of II smoke their ci-
gars and drink their beer In Alsace.
And she became splendid morse
woman, an expert with the foils and
with the rapier, an unerring shot, ana
learned to speak three languages be-
sides French, which was the language
then of Aisace. Her knowledge OF
Ilanguages-sh had learned and be-
come proficient in English, German
and Polish-got her. In 1862, the
berth of tutor" in a Polish family.
She was to teach three girls there to
become little men" like herself. But
early next year, in 1853, the insur-
rection broke out, and Antoinette Lix
dressed herself in mans clothes
again, and rushed to fight for Poland.
She fought, and fought so we'll that
she was made lieutenant of the
lancers, but the day after she had
been given the accolade by her COM
manding officer, a lancer OF the en-
emy ran her through the shoulder,
and she spent the rest OF the short
campaign in hospital, a prisoner. She
managed to escape, and went to live
at Guebwiller.
Then the war with Germany burst
like a bombshell, and Antoinette Lix
wrote to the minister of commerce:
Let me go, Monsieur lie Ministre."
I hope that these six weeks will be
enough for me to pay my debt to
France or die for her" Antoinette
Lix got six weeks leave, and enlisted
in a company Of Francs Tireurs-
sharpshooters-at Lamarche. TONY"
Lix soon became the idol Of her COM
pany. The bearded veterans, from
rough old Captain Lapicque down.
wards, loved the fearless youngster
who was always first when there was
danger going. and whose beardless
face and squeaky voice were so much
like a woman's." 1t was in a fight
Etape that Antoinette Liz won the
gold stripe, and became a lieutenant
In the French army, after winning
officers rank In the army OF Poland.
They gave her gold medal. She
sold II for the fund which was raised
to pay the indemnity to Germany. A
friend bought the medal In and re-
turned 1t to Antoinette Lix. She sold
1t second time.
In 1875 her wounds made 1t i'm
possible for her to do her work as
postmistress, and friends obtained for
her a government tobacco shop. which
assured her an income. In 1898 An
toinette Lix fell Ill again. She soon
became too i'll to work at all, and she
was taken to the little hospital or
ST. Nicholas du Port.-Paris corre-
spondence London Express.