Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-11
WHY FRANCE ,
FIGHTS so HARD
1t Remembers the German Out
RACES of 1870-The Story of
Vengeance of an
Old Man
By HENRI BAZIN

special Correspondent OF the EVENING LEDGER
in France.
PARIS, March 10.
LNlVE months ago, in the Boulevard
l. Clichy. met a passing battalion There
was nothing unusual in that. But one of
the officers looked upon me with curious
glad recognition as he strode by. He had
been my roommate at College Chaptal in
Montmarthe in the long ago, when neither
of us had gray about the temples, and we
had not met for years.
Today / visited him in a Paris hospital
where he is convalescent from wounds re-
ceived at -. And as I sat by his cot.
where we had exchanged a flood of personal
"reminiscences and experiences. he told me
this story:
I'VE needed re-enfCrcements in my COM
pany after -. And among those sen,
us from the rear was tall thin, wrinked
Eray-haired man. atsleast sixty. When he
saw me he presented arms like conscript
and then, approaching, held out his hand
saying:
my captain, am honored to make your
acquaintance
while / s action was not quite regular,
there was, 'ch genuine sincerity in 1t that
1 grasped ais hand and said
"'Your name
-, my captain.
".And In civil life?
"A mechanical engineer, retired. my
captain
Your age exempts you from service
"I know it, my captain. I am sixty lone
A volunteer
"It's bit hard here at times
81 know that too, my captain. But I
have my reasons, and I volunteered
He was a good poilu. always willing
and always ready. And his mates fell
in love with him. willingly doing much
OF the heavy work that would have fallen
to his lot. He accepted without false mod
esty. but insisted in return doing double and
triple service at the observation posts I
found he lived in Paris. was a father and
grandfather. originally from Metz and that
he had left Lorraine in 1871 rather than
become German subject Beyond that he
would say nothing of himself.
"One night before an attack, -. who
was always an eager volunteer, went out
on preliminary service toward the enemy
lines and returned with tho necessary infor.
nation and three minor wounds, for he had
been under fire going and coming. In six
teen days, hardly fit, but at his own re-
| quest he returned to the company from the
hospital. And after the welcome unusual
| by his mates his old eyes illed with tears
and he suddenly told his story.
He had been born in the outskirts of
Metz. In 1870, when tho city was invaded
and captured by the Prussians, a dozen
entered his fathers house and took possess
sion 1t was in the afternoon. his mother
was lying III in bed and his father in the
| fields at his work, for the city had not vet
! been attacked, and his father beyond mill
tary age had refused to believe In any real
| danger
There were three beds In the house.
| modest farmers cottage And there were
twelve Prussans Two dragged the sick
| woman from her bed. half carried Paid half
threw her down the stairs. where. amid the
cries Of her terrified children. she was left
upon the kitchen floor, There, It seems, she
died during the night. But before, some.
thing happened.
His father came in at dusk while hi,
wife was lying very still upon the floor with
| her weeping children about her. Upstairs
through the open door, there were sounds OF
| snoring. Without a word his father seized
heavy three-legged stool and invaded hi
| wifes room--his ROOM There he put two
sleeping Prussians hors de combat with
fractured skulls before he was overpoweret
and bleeding from wounds taken away. Tn.
three children passed the night beside thu
body Of their mother, wondering why shs
| was 30 quiet.
The next morning they were reused from
sleep before daylight by . patrol that drov,
them out into the dark. There, by the ligh
Of two lanterns before the eyes Of his thre,
children, the father was shot against III,
wall of his own house. 30 you see, MOI
vieux. they have not changed in forty-fv,
years. lee Booheel
"It va over ~ bullet1l11la bely q -