L'Américain - Zeitung Le Lac, Murten

12
An old country music song by Charlie
Walker lamented a cowboy’s life of
fast women, slow horses and wine;
which is some combination when
you think about it! On the other
hand, a normal lake region woman
recently went to a psychiatrist and
said she was greatly worried about her
husband. »He thinks he’s a horse! He
sleeps standing up and he neighs
instead of speaking. He even insists
on being fed oats in a bag; although
this is good for his cholesterol,” said
the woman. "It's terrible!" "How
long has this be going on?" asked the
doctor. "Six, maybe eight months,"
she replied. "You have let things go
too far," said the doctor. "Your husband
will require a great deal of treatment
and it will be very expensive."
"I don't care about the expense," said
the wife. "I will pay you anything --
anything at all to make my husband
stop thinking he's a horse." "But it
will cost many thousands of Swiss
Francs. Can you afford this amount
of money?" asked the doctor. "Why
of course we can," said the woman.
"He's already won three races this
season at the IENA."
The September horse season is coming
up at a fast pace at the Avenches
National Horse Institute (IENA).
The 4th edition of »Equus Helveticus,
The Horse Festival,” shall take
place at the IENA in collaboration
with the Swiss National Stud Farm,
Thursday, September 13, 2012 to
Sunday, September 16, 2012. This is
the event for horse lovers to see
numerous equestrian competitions at
the beautiful Avenches horse site.
Watch and enjoy trot and gallop
races, »Family Days: Horse Discovery,”
Franches-Montagnes and Fribourg
horses sports events, as well as
the Swiss Horse Championship. To
find out more, log on to: www.equus-
We speak English!
heveticus.ch or contact the IENA,
Les Longs-Prés, 1580 Avenches, Tel.
026 676 76 76, info@iena.ch.
The English Speaking Group of the
Lake Region doesn’t mind when their
horse is left at the post. And they
don’t mind when their horse comes
up to them in the stands and asks,
»Which way do I go?” But when the
horse they bet on is at the IENA window,
betting on another horse in the
same race, they think it’s high time
for afternoon tea. Join the English
Speaking Group on Sunday, September
9, 2012 at 14.00 hours for »English
Afternoon Tea,” at the Stand de
Tir, Vallamand Dessus. Everyone is
asked to bring some goodies so that
everyone may share. Teas and coffee
will be provided. Please phone Anna
Galvani, 076 427 9555, to reserve
before September 6, 2012. Later in
the month, the English Speaking
Group is off for a boating adventure
on Sunday, September 23, 2012,
starting at 9.50 hours. They shall take
the 10.00 hours boat from Murten to
Neuchatel (arriving in Neuchatel at
11.35 hours). Return is either by
train or boat. There is no need to
phone for this event. Just turn up at
the Murten harbor at 09.50; please be
punctual.
The new English Speaking Group
Events Program is out. Electronic
copies are available from Anna Galvani.
Just write an e-mail under the
heading: »English Group,” to: a.galvani@sunrise.ch.
The English Speaking
Group remains a social group for
people who want to practice their
English with native English speakers
in a non-educational, relaxed environment.
The organization is open to
everybody and you attend the events
that suit you. See you soon!
Mary Brunisholz
➥ Livre d’Alain Chardonnens
6. 9. – 4. 10. 2012
Les souvenirs
du général Jomini
Comm. › Il y a 200 ans, Napoléon
envahissait la Russie avec 580'000
soldats. Seuls 50'000 ont eu la
force de faire le chemin inverse. Le
général Antoine-Henri Jomini, de
Payerne, était l’un de ces survivants.
Les souvenirs du général
Jomini lors de la campagne de
Russie (1812) et ses mémoires sont
publiés par Alain Chardonnens,
historien de Domdidier.
Apprenant la retraite des soldats
de Napoléon après l’incendie de
Moscou, le général broyard
recherche un autre chemin du fait
des marécages. Jomini découvre
ainsi le gué de la Bérézina et le
communique à l’Empereur, qui
lui ordonne de rejoindre le général
Éblé pour choisir l’emplacement
des ponts à jeter sur la rivière.
Lors de cette tragédie, la température
descend à -32°C. Surveillant
les travaux de la construction du
pont, Jomini est victime d’une
importante bronchite. Alors que
la Grande Armée traverse la Bérézina,
Jomini, sans connaissance,
est abandonné dans une maison
de bois, qui devient la proie des
flammes. Le général broyard
reprend ses esprits au dernier
moment et cherche à atteindre le
pont. Mais un mouvement de
foule l’entraîne dans l’eau glacée
de la Bérézina. Alors que plusieurs
milliers de personnes se
noient, Jomini est tiré d’affaire
par un soldat. Il ne s’agit là que
de l’une des anecdotes de ses souvenirs
inédits.
Livre: Souvenirs de la campagne
de Russie (1812), texte établi,
présenté et annoté par Alain
Chardonnens. Sarrebrück, Presses
académiques, 2012. A commander
sur amazon.fr ou au 026 675
40 25 au prix de 27.– ‹