THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. 65 
was a needless alarm, for the Prussian shells were much 
better than the French ones, which very often did not go 
off when they were meant to. The landlady was most 
polite and obliging, though she had two officers billeted 
upon her, and the upper part of her “Hotel de Luxem- 
bourg” was in ruins. There was only one chamber intact, 
so some of us had perforce a draughty night of it. 
December 3rd. Utter disorder prevailed at the railway 
station. German guards, porters, drivers, stokers, had been 
substituted for French ones, and the people could not or 
would not make themselves understood. Even the ticket- 
clerk did not know French money when he got it, or a 
bond fide traveller when he saw one! 
Arrived at Metz. Three prisoners, recaptured runaways, 
were chilling themselves and their guard on the platform 
until they could be taken off prisoners into Germany. 
Wretched-looking objects! How different from the smart 
uniforms in the “Grand Place,’ where were being drilled 
a moiety of the five and thirty thousand Prussians who 
now garrisoned Metz, as was currently reported. The flower 
of France went down before these broad-shouldered fellows. 
December 5th. Walked to the village of Woippy ; noticed 
Crested Larks in small flocks upon the snow. Just before 
we got to the village, we met the Curé, who sent for the 
“ Maire,” who sent for the Sergeant of the Police, who con- 
ducted us to the farm of St. Agathe. The Prussians had 
taken it and held it, and the “ chassepdét” had left its mark 
on the walls in many places. I picked up in the grass 
several bullets shaped liked a miniature shell, barring the 
riffs, He then took us to Chated4u Ladonchamps, which was 
held by both parties and twice bombarded. It is a square 
castellated building in a wood, surrounded by a moat. We 
found outhouses, extensive stabling, a chapel, etc. and al- 
together it must once have been—before its investment—as 
nice a residence as any country gentleman could wish to 
F 
