The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1865-10-14
THE CH0UANS
OR,
Old and N w France

ed this interference Intellectual. Rene's prowe-s
gave him unbounded influence and bis strocious
cruetts did not give serious offence W any, whilo
b. many they were initiated. II was In vsin that |
Jean r. qutntly took away his brothers weapons
Rene sure 10 find q mukket ready to bis hand, |
to carry on his doilIy-reekonino with tho Blues.
One day tie Chouans were ly ng in ambush near |
Cent, bug Rene thrsting for blood could not rest,
and set Of in search o. spoil. lilo soon saw man |
crSeping through the underwood,and without AK |
Ing any questions shot him on the spot. jean |
ami the rest who had been overcome by sleep, |
started ~ and TO the place 70 and one Of their
most tuG.y spes-wbo, .. the peril Of bis life,
was bringing them . sAokful OF cartridges and
fluis, q which thsv were in urgent need-wsller-
lax IN his blood. But what raised jean ChouAn's
kriof aud anger 10 the highest pitch WAS that the
victim vas none other than that coschman oil The
Prlce dc 1a.Aont who had driven bis mother 70
meet the king.
"wrotcheI m,nw be said TO Rene turning up
on him, "thefe 10 700 much OF innocent blood that
Elroady cries against our name. You shall atone
Tor mis- 10 Cod in bsavrnr'
But before he could discharge his weapon, Mich
ao Cr.yior snh,ched 1t from him, aud the res. Of
, lis follow er8 fell upon him and held him fast.
"DsArm your loaderf" shouted Jean, aroused
70 fury.
~, joan" rioined Crivier calmly and serious
| y; "Du. We " % have no Cam among US"
1ncss words were more powerful with jean than
| bis wrath. lie raised cry Of horror his face in
his hands snd rushing into the thicksi threw him
self upon bis knees, and IL was long before he could
he paciAed.
scenes OF terror, the Chouans were not without
bright moments. when, after long .nd frui,less
searching Of the foiest, the Blues had for . brief
space departed from tho immediate mel hboufhood
and the sun thouo bright and clear, the Chouans
| would come out Of their holes, and assemble In Q
meadow in one OF tho cearings and there, on the
banks Of running stream, enjoy themselves in
| song and dance, alter the manner OF tho country.
| As the swelling tones were borne on the wind 70
| the surrounding hamlets, now inhabited only by
women, these would come 70 the doors Of their cot
tases W listen, aud shudderins, whisper to zach
| other
''rho lads are gny tonight, how many OF them
| will 10 there Tomorrow"
II, In their has,y and frequen, night.msrches
| the Chouaus came to a church that had not Teen
| spoiled OF its BELLS rare event. even the vicinity
| u Blues would not prevent their allowing them-
selves tho enjoyment VI once moro hearing tie
sounds they loved 30 well. They would ring tho
Angslls amid crias aud tears Of Joy, and kneel in
ieryeu. prayer around the church, Ill warned
| away ty the urgency Of the peril.
| Jean Chouan no longer took part In those merry
| moments TIC perpetual shedding Of blood was
| horror to him AMI the recent encounter with his
brother weighed heavily upon his spirits. Once,
| when y convoy for which thcy wore lying n wait,
| came within range OF shOL and all we're impatient
| " expecting the word TO fire. and suffered the I'M
: | conscious Blues W pass without molestation. 10
the loud murmurs @. bis people, he replied
"1te CJtt'rcaux have taken the lives Of but too
: | many OF Geo'B creatures, and the righteous Lord
will take vengeance on them for this"
The words we're almost proPhetc.l. The sisters,
Perrine and Roneo CoItareau- VINO had hitherto
lived quic IS the isrIn were soon alter this taken
/, ~ pr. son, and then bought 10 Bourgnsuf where
they were W 10 transferred, W th many others 10
|; Laval. There could be no d0uot OF tue sentence.
jean at once resolved " rescue thcn All hazards
But tue greater number VI his men were absent, or
( | wounded, Ind Ae could only collect about ivsnty.
lie caused to swear by their portion ia para
ulst, .laI they would shed the last drop of shelr
i | blood Ia order TO deliver tie sisters
- The little baud lay in ambush In the forest Of
DurondAis. Jean, whose cAlmnsss and self Iosses-
=, | sioa bad never before been known " fan, now
: | tremtlci 80 that he could scarcely speak lie re-
mind,d his men OF .he loye IA had deserved from
r; tem aud ouueAted gAslr prayers Ior INN and his.
, Time passed Jean won't backwards and forwards,
| continually looking fot intelligence; but nothing
~ 20 or heard oil Ihe escors Win the pris-
"a oners IL raIued in torrents and the loor fellows
stood kucr.uccp wafer ~ her hiding place. Jesn
ceased NOT Wlln streaming tears, " e1nort every
ma. separately 10 perseverance.
: I'VE val rrJlUe tno poor girls, will we notl You
cannot iorssLc me uOwi' he would sAy, over and
over atAu, 70 ehcn.
= "wl.lo you hold out We shall" reply OF hi,
Laituful comrades, and further they spoke not.
Tue rain now increased, the water rUse higher,
aud the cold piercing, and for four-and-Iwen-
hours they had taken no rsireshmtnt. "A tho
second mi .ht began to draw Jean ,ouchod "a
} compassion Tor Ass devoted followers, ba4e them
u return 10 the shelter oil Aisdop.
Tile wus.Lor mus have doIained the Blues 70.
: morrow we rendezvous here 10 ain"
| Tuey accordingly roLred while he himself urg.
A. ed by dark iOrcOOuIugs, hutreu 10 DOurs
" 10 got ldngs ot the prisoners lie heArdtn they
20 had besn tAkcn g. Lava by crtutou- route, snd
FASTENED back TO tue tUresg Of hsuou TO take ouuu
Y .el win Ihe la4thlul hIeliete, who his Lood
la relation Mies.go No. . peculiar aptitude, in dis
- .Jiaug h.Iu-s, 81 an 10 personA1e Without risk VI
dis.o,egy AZ infinite va1.ety Of characters. In tie
| dret. OF peasant woman, he now tlade his Wal
- through tie ul4Js Of The soldiers ~ Lava. On IN
rel.rp lie was 10 Ar overcome by einuEou, that h,
ltaggeTtI into 1ue cave where JsAu WAS vstchin.
: or tiI. without beng CONSCIOUS Of his presence
H. Tho ucsthl kg p,uoss Of his face, and the misery
- | deyc,e4 ~ lI' Ltre5e.OEe eueer'ul Souulehance
n | to,d ALL
!" "They have murdered them :" screamed JesI
- WILDLY.
IL "Ies; but The msiieus have not disyraced you, "
I, replied the other an tAtu proceeded ~ relAIs
n that hA4 Witnessed without being abe inter
IA Ioso.
Renee, who wss barely sixteen, had st first wep
? hItle AID could not walk forward when she " Al
a brought 10 the glllloune; Dug her sister has
T., SUI, rte her, AID whispered softly in her ear ina
"sue SHOULD Bluye 10 dle without making mLcl
/ a4o" Perr.ue tAan assisted her on ~ TIE scanOiC
= snd under tho axe, that the poor child might h
spared the LorrU. Oi seeing ner die lnls over
snc stepieI brsyey forward, aud calmly, las ST.,
h. were gong ~ church." and calling alodd Lon,
live t4c King luug 1--we my brother Jean Chouau =
she lard ner own mead bvneAth tue axe. soarcell
, had II TALON, wAen 81 Gillette mad rlshe,1 forwards
10 and dipped MS handkerchief ia the blood OF tn
s.stefs AID tAls handkerchief he now presented
- a. scared memorial, 10 their brother,
Jean lad listened 10 1he Te.sron IN gloomy silence
and Low tAsuAe4 nls true-hea ted c.nrsds WITH
moi, while uc took 80 UuOdy token IRON nis hAuC
and hid ~ ia AIs breast. lie sAld not wO. d, an,
y. lie BLcu Tear Dat nom thas moMeat, my .ulur
mani assured Iue, he ~as never seen W bu4IIe,
inuoed " ap,aA, eG-rp. when hc w-s eous,I. ne,
A. sly1 os.u.s. he would NOS take any psrtln W
~ IN. o. the RJylIlst leaders IL Lower Aa lie