And there, in the distance, where sky meets valley, our heroes lie dead. Beautiful young heroes, flower and hope of our land, who have given their lives unfalteringly here, that our homes might be saved to us! This thought pervades all the home-coming, and the gratitude of those who are returning floods forth to those who are no more. Now the setting sun stains the sky with crimson, and forms, with bands of azure and of white, an immense standard which it spreads like a winding-sheet over those glorious heroes who have entered upon the eternal life. NOTE BY THE AUTHOR Our humble village has nothing very noteworthy, unless perhaps its magnificent situation on a hillside overlooking the Marne and the Grand-Morin, with beautiful views in every direction. I am going to jot down here a passage which sums up the history of the commune, taken from "Excursions in the Valley of the Grand-Morin," by Monsieur Georges Husson: "The Commune of Quincy is one of the largest of the Canton of Crécy. Built on a high plateau, it comprises the village proper, of pleasing aspect, and several hamlets: Ségy, Moulignon, Voisins, Jonchery, Huiry, Demi-Lune, etc. "The oldest document where Quincy is mentioned is a charter dated 1257, in which King Louis IX gives permission to cultivate certain lands of the village, in return for the payment of seven measures of barley at Christmas, and nine deniers for Easter eggs. "From the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries, passing by the long line of over-lords, quite without interest, we find nothing remarkable in the history of Quincy. But during the Wars of the League, June 12, 1590, the village was the scene of deplorable events. "Chevalier de Thury, Governor of Meaux, and Sieur de Saint-Paul, Governor of Brie, at the head of two thousand men, besieged the village, where intrenchments had been made. The inhabitants were forced to retreat before the besiegers; part of them took refuge in the church, and climbed up into the galleries that were pierced with loopholes. From there they attacked the Leaguers and killed fifty or more of them. The latter, exasperated, set fire to the seats in the church, and the defenders, men and women, about a hundred, were smothered. "Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Quincy still held out, and did not yield until about midnight, after a desperate defence. They were condemned to pay a large sum of money, and the Leaguers did not take their departure until they had pillaged the unhappy village. "In the nineteenth century, at the time of the invasion of 1814, the Allies established their headquarters at Quincy. Frederic William III, King of Prussia, passed the nights of March 28 and 29 in the New Château.