The mountain Democrat., 1865-06-03

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siers, the body guard of his eminence. -
The Red Hat watched the commandant oI
~-..-.- >s--- .,>..e, .-->--
apparently interrogate him but his an
s~ers seemed perfectly satisfactory, and
the two travellers were permitted to de-
part.
They started at gallop and were soon
immersed in the Forest Of Butard, leading
toward the chateau de Ruel.
Suddenly the Red Hat reined in his
horse, and. pointing out to his preserver
the gloomy dwelling Of the carninal, said !:
Mark well that little arched window
with grated bars before it, Itcan be seen
only from the place where We DOW are. -
In tG0eturret the dreaded DEGREES Of RicA-
elieu- the sentences from which there is
no appeal-are executed. When my
bloody task is accomplished, trap door
opens, and the headless corpse falls hun.
drcd feet into q vault filled with quick
lime. Every trace of the tragedy thus
disappears. Remain here for an hour. -
Keep yourself concealed behind the trunk
Of this withered elm. If, during that
hour, you see light giim nering from
that arched window, you may assure
yourself that have been summoned not
on your account, but on that OF some 9th.
er unhappy victim. In that case you may
present yourself without fear before his
eminence; for it never happens that am
sent for TO ply my hellish trade twice in
the same night. But ifduring that hour,
the light does not appear, you are the des
tined victim-you are the victim waited
for. Clap spurs to your horse, and make
the best of your way to the frontier, or
you will be captured; and the Lord have
mercy on you!
And so saying, and just interchanging
one hearty grip with his friend, the Red
Hat rode away. The burgess Of La Ro-
chellc never saw him again.
|. He waited an hour-a year, it seemed
to him behind the trunk Of the withered
elm but no light appeared in the little
arched window. lie, then, was the wretch
condemned to death! With cold sweat
believing him, and picturing to himself
the arqueburSierS Of the terrible cardinal
securing the country in every direction to
bind him and lead him to the slaughter,
he urged his horse into gallop, and sped,
as though the 6end who was said to be
the patron Of the inn of St. Nicholas,
were behind him. in the direction Of the
northern frontier. lie could not quite
convince himself that his head was safe
upon his shoulders till he found himself
two days afterward, at Iluy, in Flanders.
How lie HAD Him. man named
Wells kept tavern in one of our West
I'm villages though his house had a good
name, 1t was more than he had himself
for it was surmised by his neighbors that
he used great deal of fodder, corn, etc.
for which he never gave an equivalent
though it had never been clearly prove,
upon him.
Early one morning he was met by al
acquaintance, as he was driving cfort
! HIM hciftr, which he had most proba
bly, borrowed from some farmer.
Halo, Wells, where did you get the
hei(er?' inquired Wilkes
Bought her of Colouel Stevens was
the unhesitating reply.
What did yon pay for herr
Twenty dollars said Wells, as be
hurried on.
About an hour afterwards, as Wilkes
was sitting in Wells bar room, Colonel
Stevens entered. After few minutes
conversation, Wilkes said:
a fine animal that your sold Wells
Il don't understand you; never sold
Wells any animal.
'Didn't youg Why, | met him this
morning with heifer which he said he
bought of you for twenty dollars
lie did, eh? Well, since be said so,
he has got to pay me for her, said Ste
venS.
Wells entered soon after, and, Stevens
stepping up to him, said,
Come, Wells, I'll trouble you for the
money for that heifer; it was cash bar,
gain, you know
: never bought any heifcr from YOU
Don't you remember you bought one
from me for twenty dollars? Here's
Wilkes can prove it,
No he can't, said Wells.
You told me so this morning., said
Wilkes.
A curious expression passed over Wells
face; he felt himself corncred; he either
had to tell where he got the animal, or
lose twenty dollars, and thinking it not
safe for him to do the first, he pulled out
his wallet, counted out the money, and
handed it to Stevens, saying
so | did-so did. had forgotten all
about it; you must excuse me.
Pr, III, ell
paragraph is from the Wisconsin Farmer:
"ro the majority ofmen who we are salts,
fled think that soil is nothing but dirt; but
to the chemist, who knows its origin, its
nature and its capabilities, it is wonder
full mixture of those beautiful elements,
which, in their ever varying forms be.
come the ambient air, the liquid ocean,
the precious opal, the amethyst, and the
still more precious diamond, or delicate
blue bell and violet, the amaranth. the
lily and the rose, but the spear of blue
grass and the cedar of Lebanon; or again,
the ruby lip, the lovelit eye, the noble
palpitating heart, and more wonderful
brain. These are the Jewels of which the
soil is composed, and out Of which the
husbandman strives to force the food
hunger claims. Henceforth, as he turns
the burrows Of his field, let the sleep of
his thought be broken by the reflection
that the earth thus stirred up by his plow
share is doubtless composed of the ashes
Of his ancestral heroes, whose deeds are
the history of the past, and whose mortal
remains are the plastic material out Of
which are building the bodies of men to,
day"