The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-20

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amused. 81 was born in this room
It was to this house that / desired to
come before-my exile"
After a silence / said, "T wish
could look out of the window"
She went to the window and folded
up the vanished blinds
How dreadful the cannonade is
growing she said. wait! don't
think of moving! will push you
close to the window, where you can
see"
Lying there, watching the slow
shadows crawling out over the side.
walk, l had been for some minutes
thinking Of my friend Mr.. Buckhurst,
when heard the young Countess stir
ring in the room behind me.
you are not going to be a cripple ?"
she said, as ! turned my head.
"Oh no. indeed" said I.
Nor die?" she added, seriously.
How could a man die with an angel
straight from heaven to guard him {!
Pardon, am only grateful, not imper-
tinent." | looked at her humbly. and
she looked at me without the slightest
expression.
Are you English, Monster Scar.
lett?" she asked quietly.
American, madame"
And yet you take service under an
emperor"
81 have taken harder service than
that"
"Of necessity"
yes, madame"
She was silent
Would 1t amuse you to hear what
have been?" | said. smiling.
That is not the word" she said,
quietly. ITO hear Of hardship helps
one to understand the world"
Suddenly a shell fell into the court
yard opposite, bursting Immediately
in a cloud of gravel which rained
against our turret like hail.
Stunned for an instant, the Countess
stood there motionless, her face turned
towards the window. | struggled 10
sit upright.
Where is the safest place for US
to stay?" she asked. Her voice was
perfectly steady.
In the cellar. beg you to go at
once"
Bang! A shell blew up in a shower
of states and knocked a chimney into
a heap of bricks.
DO you insist on staying by that
loop-hole?' she asked, without a culver
in her voice.
"Yes, I do" said I. "Win you go
to the cellar?"
No" she said, shortly.
l saw her walk toward the rear Of
the room. hesitate, sink down by the
edge of the bed and lay her face in
the pillow
Shells rained fast on Morsbronn;
nearer and nearer beloved the guns;
the plaster ceiling above my head
cracked and fell in thin flakes, filing
the room with an acrid, smarting
dust. Down the street a dull sound
grew into a steady roar; the Turcos
dropped pick and shovel and seized
their rifles.
"Garde! Garde vous" rang their
startled bugles; the tumult increased
to swelling uproar, shouting, cheer
ing, the crash of shutters and of glass,
and
THE Prussians!" beloved the cap
tain. "Turcos-charge!
His voice was lost yelling mass
Of soldiery burst into view; spiked
helmets and bayonets glttering
through the smoke, the Turcos were
whirled about like brilliant butterflies
in tornado; the fusiIlade swelled to
a stupefying din, exploding in one
terrible crash; and, wrapped in light
ming, the Prussian onset passed.
From the stairs below came the
sound of a voiceless struggle, the
rrample and painting and clicking of
steel, till Of a sudden a voice burst
out into a dreadful screaming. A shot
Observation-Disclosures shot-then
the stairs outside shook under the
rush of mounting men.
AS the door burst open | felt
touch on my arm; the Countess de
Vassart stood erect and pale, one slen-
Ter, protecting hand resting lightly on
NY shoulder; lieutenant of Prussian
confronted us.
Il do not have you thrown into the
street." he said to me, in excellent
French, because there has been no
iring from the windows in this vii
age. Otherwise-other measures. Be |
1t ease, madame, l shall not harm
your invalid"
Under the window strident Prussian
,ugles we're blowing a harsh sum-
mons; the young officer stepped to the
oop-hole and looked out, then hastily !