Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-11-22
observation-disclosures
| PIERRE'S
| DECISION |
| A Story Showing That Love
| Is Stronger Than !
| Patriotism,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
By LEON GARNER

| - 5af
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
/ During the early part Of the pan
European war the French sent troops
into Alsace with view to reclaiming
that province from German rule. AT
that time the fighting had not settled
into trench warfare and the opposing
armies were driving each other, some
times the French getting the better of
the Germans and sometimes the Ger
mans defeating the French.
Now, the provinces Of Alsace and
Lorraine, lying between France and
Germany, have always been bone of
contention between the two countries.
Sometimes they have been occupied by
Germans, sometimes by French. In
medieval times Germans settled there
The population is part German and
part French.
This in the great war between the
central and allied powers engendered
conditions something like those exist
ing during our war between the states,
when there was large sprinkling Of
Union sentiment among the Confeder-
ates. In Alsace and Lorraine the
French, after more than forty years
of German rule, are still loyal to
France. Naturally the German popu-
lation prefer to be ruled by the Ger
man government.
One September afternoon Clochette
Dubois, q young French girl, dwelling
in the southern part of Alsace, hearing
a clatter of horses hoofs and their rid
er's side arms on the road, ran to
window, to see German officer, at
tended by his staff. ride up to the
house, dismount, and, leaving his horse
with an orderly, come through the
gateway and up to the porch. Clo-
Ghetto paled, caught her breath and
shuddered. Then inresponse to loud
knock she summoned what courage
there was in her, went to the door and
opened it.
A man in the uniform Of a general
stepped inside, saying:
I shall need this house for a few
hours. Show me into room that /
can use for a conference"
Clochette led the way to the living
room. and the. general directed her to
clear a table for him. One of his staff
produced maps. and, spreading them
out before the general, the two. were
soon deeply engrossed with. them. In
q short time another general rode up
to the house, dismounted and entered
He was followed by another and an
other, each attended by his staff.
It would have been evident to any
one less ignorant of military affairs
than Clochette that this indicated a
council of commanders. AS soon as
he last general arrived the living room
loor was shut, and what was going on
within could not b heard. Indeed. a
guard stationed at the door ould not /
permit any one to approach.
Clochette, having recovered from her
fright and seeing that the coming Of |
he Germans had nothing to do with |
he welfare Of the family. gave way
% curiosity. Going to room above.
where her mother was confined on ac-
count Of illness, she told her what was
soing on below.
They are holding a war council"
aid Nine. Dubois. "Can you not find
ome way to listen to what they say?
t you can you may be able to bring I
'ietory to our people, who are endeav-
ring to restore Alsace to France"
These few words worked a great
hange in Clochette. She went into |!
BEDROOM directly over the one. being
sed by the generals and listened. But
he floors were too thick to permit any
ound except a dull confusion of voices
0 reach her. Going downstairs she
ntered the kitchen with q view to
sten at door that opened from 1t
the room in which the council was
eing held. But she found a guard
here too. Descending to the cellar,
he stood on a box, bringing her ear
ear to the floor above. But the house
ras well built and all the floors too
nick to transmit sound. /
CiocHeIte, Delns NDalked, turned to go
p to the floor above, when she heard
ne living room door open and the
'ead of boots in the hall. When she
cached the kitchen the generals Were {
counting their. horses in the yard. AS
bon as the last one had ridden away
lochette went into the room where
ley had held their conference and
'oked about her. She detected the
Tor of burning paper. but whence it
Tine she could not tell. There was a
owe in the room, but the season was
ot far enough advanced for a fire.
assing this stove the girl felt a slight
armth. She opened the door and look
! in. There were the ashes of burned
aper, which still retained some heat.
here were a few scraps that had not
zen burned. Clochette took them out
Id examined them. There was MOTH
6 ineligible on any of them except
10 which was half burned. 1t read: