A Sister's Love: A Tale of the Franco-Prussian War

To a French peasant woman and her daughter Therese comes Oscar Myer, a German lieutenant, and asks for a drink. Therese comes forward, is touched with pity for the man, brings him a cup of water and bandages his wound. Shortly afterward a party of German soldiers led by Sergeant Muler, halt at the gate. The sergeant, half drunk, endeavors to embrace Therese. Therese's brother Jean, a French fugitive, climbs in, nearly dead from hunger. Mother and sister fondly caress him, give him food and drink, after which be climbs to the loft overhead. The next morning he comes down for breakfast, and, returns to his hiding place, but Muler, who has hid behind the curtains, observes this, confronts her, and tries to take her in his arms, when Therese draws a pistol and fires. The sergeant falls to the floor wounded. The soldiers rush into the room, bind Therese, take her outside, line up opposite, preparing to shoot her. Muler is about to give the command to fire, when Myer dashes down the road, and dismisses the soldiers. Three years later the war is over. Madame is bustling about getting supper ready while Therese sits nearby rocking a cradle. The door opens and Oscar and Jean, dressed as farmers, enter. Oscar kisses Therese, looks affectionately at the cradle, then he and Jean sit down to the table, smoking their pipes over a bottle of wine.