In Love and in Hate Author:Love General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1875 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: 53 CHAPTER VII. IN PRISON. RAILWAYS are the triumphs of modern civilization, but there are circumstances under which a journey by rail may become even more disagreeable than a toilsome march on foot. Such was the case with the French prisoners taken at the fight of the Marne. From Soissons to the place of their final destination the journey was made on the railroad, but even in speed there was comparatively little gain, and in comfort none at all. The poor wretches were cast into horse boxes or cattle trucks without a seat and without covering of any sort. The December was more than usually cold, and they had the opportunity of enjoying it in all its bitterness. As they were dragged along past the houses and gardens and fields of a country that many of them knew well, their journey was interrupted many times. The franc- tireurs had been at work and had cut the railway in several places. In his despondency Michel sometimes almost wished that they had come unexpectedly on a chasm which would put an end tohis miseries and the miserable freight of the train together. ' What is this ?' cries one of the prisoners to another. ' A stoppage, no doubt, to serve us out our hot soup,' is the reply. ' The Saxon captain is hunting in his baggages for some choice cigars for us,' remarks a third. ' You are all wrong,' cries a fourth. ' It is a telegraphic message from Count Bismarck to say the Prussian exchequer will be ruined, as Houdin over there got two ounces of black bread more than his share yesterday.' Meantime the Germans below examine the rails. There is much cursing, stamping, and shouting. Then a bu...« less