Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-02-06

the parlor-"leastwise a gentleman
from foreign parts. He had par
| ticular need to see the mistress, and,
she being away, had set himself down
to write, and who was to say he was
not a housebreaker in disguise?-
with Thomas away with the cart to
fetch -four from Martins mill. Per
haps missy would just step in and
| have a word with him, and get him
away peaceably If she could"
Missy went with alacrity, for wild
hope sprang up in her heart that it
| might be Frank himself. That hope
was dispelled the moment she opened
| the door and saw a tall, middle-aged
man writing at the standish by the
| window.
He looked round as she entered,
| rose and bowed with a look of sur
prise, having evidently expected to
see only servant, and, after waiting
a moment for her to speak, said
courteously:
Pardon me, madam; I understood
| that none Of the family were at home,
and therefore ventured to put my
| commission to Mrs. Allen into writing,
| as [ could not entrust it to domestic.
| Will you allow me to deliver it by
| word of mouth, after introducing my
| self to you as Mr.. Howard, a friend
of Mr.. Frank Grove, just escaped from
| Verdun? May I ask if / have the hon
or of addressing Miss Allen?"
ooh no, SIR" cried Phyllida, in con-
| fusion. "Mrs. Allen is no relation of
mine-only the best friend 1 have
| but I-she-We, [ mean, shall be so
glad to hear of him. When did you
| see him? Is he quite we'll? Do you
| think he will soon escape from Yer
dun?"
The gentleman smiled at her eager
| inquiries handed her to chair, and
| answered:
81 am afraid there is no immediate
prospect of that happy event. for the
officers are far more strictly guarded
than we civilians were, and on any
suspicion of an attempt to escape are
confined to the fortress; but Frank
| as everybody calls hints always
sanguine, and looks forward confident
ly to showing them light pair of
heels some day before long. He in
vented a very ingenious machine, like
an inverted waterproof umbrella, with
which he swan across the mOat sew
eral times under cover of amusement,
but the authorities forbade any re-
petition of the experiment. When
got away, he and the other mids were
| in great spirits at rumOr of their
being moved to some other town, in
consequence of this foolish affair of
Sir John Crawford's, hoping to find
their opportunity of escape on the
road. l doubt it myself, but it gives
| them something to plan for and look
| forward to, and meanwhile, l assure
you, they are not altogether miser-
| able"
What do they do, then?" asked
| Phyllida.
'Well, they have rations and money
| allowances given them, you know, and
| they live in the town for the most
| part, where they are made a great
| deal of. Frank is special favorite,
| for he is a capital fellow, up to any
thing in the shape of a frolic. He is
| sensible enough, too, to have set him
| self to learn French thoroughly, and
wise enough to keep away from the
| gambling-tables which are the curse
! of too many young men there with
| nothing better to do with themselves.
| One foolish fellow lost everything he
| possessed, and blew his brains out,
only last week.
Phyllida could not repreSS a Shud-
| der at the cool tone in which he
spoke of it.
'He babe me tell Mrs. Allen he was
| perfectly well, and as content as he
could be ashore anywhere but in old
England, and that he never forgot her
and his friends at Scarlet Town, and
! looked to see them soon.
Poor fellow! wish I could have
brought him away with me, but that
was not possible, and, as it is, | am
| afraid the help he gave me may have
| brought him into trouble. He has
plenty of friends to shield him,
French as W eli as English. Some of
the old nobility, who were ruined at
the Revolution. have settled in and
about Verdun, and carry on trade as
| glass blowers - gentilshommes verri-
ers, they cali them.
I'm one of these families there is an
uncommonlyl pretty daughter, who, |
| fancy, is not averse 10 Master Frank,
though she has plenty to choose from.
| There has been perfect epidemic Of
late amongst the officers for marrying
| French girls. and English ones too,
for there are good many amongst
/ the detenus, and Frank is in great re-
| quest as best man."
"Then they are well treated, and
enjoy themselves" said Phyllida,
rather breathlessly.
| ooh yes; there is not much to COM
| plain of on the whole. Rather tire
some having to report yourself at GER
tain hours, and the commandment,
Wirion, is a brute. However, his