The Portland daily press., 1869-07-10
selected story.
SAVED BY A BEETLE.
AN rp1sopr m rHr rnrNcH nnvoLUr1oN.

AN EPlSODE In IAE EhENCA III
On May morning, in the year 1893, man,
about thirty years of age, might nave been
seen vending his way over the broad road,
lined with luxuriant old cnestnuts, that leads
ont Of the little town of Brive-la-G Galliarde.
II was a glorious morning. The fresh,
bracinQ air, the unclouded sky, and the CRATE
full odor fthe young vegetation, were allS cal
culated to make the heart light and the head
clear. But our wandcrer-for such the bum
die carried upon his shoulder, on the end OF a
staff, denoted him to be-seemed to take no
notice OF the beauties that surrounded him.
From time to time, however, he would pause
and cast melancholy look at the spires
behind him, and on the forest that Law half a
league distant on his road.
His heart was heavy and sad! One more
last look. and he turned awaJ, never again,
perhaps, to behold the spot around which all
his outhfnl memories clustered.
The political horizon of France was obsuc-
red by dark and portentous clouds. The par
ty, known as the Mountain had drawn up
proscription-list that might well have been
priest and good shepherd of Brive Ia Ga,liarde.
was compelled, as one of the prescribed, to
leave his humble home. Sentenced to be
transported, he fed towards Bordeaux. hon.
ing there, by the aid of some friends. to find
an asylum.
The heart of Latreille was warmed by no.
bic and innocent love-the love of science.
and especially for etymology, which he pur-
sued with great enthusiasm. So, now quick
ening and now retarding his pace, he walked
on, listening to the cries of an occasional To-
Gust, or watching the butterflies, as they flew
from flower to flower, in the bright morning
sun.
Thus guarded against the ennui of jour
ney on foot, he walked on for some hours, un-
til, finding himself weary, he sat down under
the shade of tree. he was scarcely seated
when the buzziDg of beetle attracted his at
tention. Latrille sprang TO his feet, and.
weary as le was, gave chase. The insect was
not easily caught, but LatreiIle persevered.
ana at last he had it. 1t proved to be an en-
tomoioglcal rarity, a specimen of the NEGRO
vsd rufcernis. Our naturalist drew pin out
of his coat sieve. with which he secured his
victim on the interior of his hat. Just after
nightfall he reached the village where he rrcs
posed posed 70 70 spend the night. Without hesitate
on, he raped at the door of the house that
seemed to him most likely to afford him COM
Portable entertainment and offer greatest Sc
curity, when 10! what spectacle presented it.
self ito his astonished visionl A complete ap-
paratus ofthe Reign of Terror, with the min
ions having il IN charge: handouts, chains;
in short iron, and nothing but iron, with the
His appearance excited suspicion; he was
questioned, and, as he betrayed a degree of
embarrassment that rendered his story less
credible than it otherwise would have been.
he was arrested on suspicion. No plea. no
entreaty, was Of any avail against the logic of
the hairless wretches into whose bands he
had fallen; he was destined, that very day. to
be added to the victims which the prisons of
France held in readiness for the murderous
guillotine.
After brief hearing, Latreillc. exhausted
not less by the mental anxiety Of the last hour
than by his long walk, threw himself upon
MS prisoners couch to await his sentence.
he had not long to wait. He had frankly
confessed himself guilty Of two offences, that
9I pcing priest and of the prescribed.
THAT more was necessary to insure a SEN
tence OF DEATH
The day was far advanced; the next morn
ing the execution was to take place. Latre-
ille had become resigned; he looked forward
to the awful moment calmly and iearlessly.
Above all, he felt the necessity of restoring
his exhausted energies. His jailar, for con
sideratlon. not only furnished him with
plentiful meal, but SO far condescending as to
give him his company, and to return his toast
to his own health and that OF his family.
The wine soon commenced to make the
Ja1ior loquacious- He began by giving his |
companion the history OF the prison, with an |
account OF the most noted prisoners he had
seen within It's walls. and such other particu-
lars as naturally belong 10 such narrative.
"Wbat do you th:nk,n said he suddenly
dropping the history of the prison-"what do
You tnink OF cur citizen-pl esident who read
you your death sentence? Mordieu he has
a face. to my mind, just such as a president |
ought TO have, as hard and stern as a statue. |
And yet he has handsome head; don't you |
think sol"
Our poor naturalist was content to nod an
affirmative.
sand, then, when he is out of the court
room, be has az many virtues as they saw the
Old Romans had; no hatred or envy, no an
ger or severity; he Is as kind and amiable as
a woman. In TACT, he is a model president
and citizen. But there is one thing, between
you and me, don't like in the man. It's
true it's only bit Of ioolishness, but it is SO
unheeomiDg in such man, and takes SO
much from his dignity. Only think, just as
soon as he has leisure hour, away he goes
through the fields as far as his feet will carry
him, and for what, do you suppose ?n
The jaller paused, fixing his eyes on La
treille with comical expression. The latter |
silent, but awaited, the reply with |
evident curiosity.
To catch butterflies, bugs, beetles, and |
such things, which be takes great care to pre-
- L =
serve, eacn Nnd py itseif, In large glass cases.
Morolsu' isn' y sucn nonsense unWortny ora
man ~ nKe ~, MN, OF Oh any man IN times ike
A pale glimmer of hope was visible in the |
lea.u.ss M .1s o. the prisoner, and, Wnle ne iaugn-
~ Will .ne yaner ~ tnls strange nopDy oI tne
Sa.lasn SeS -Plesiesnt, ne reacned ms tremoing
nsuu II, ~ a'uei ms naI, tnen ne caIeiessiy picked
up .le CORK OF tne empty Dottie, on tne lower
END OF which: as u py Steaitn, ne hxed the
MecroosG raspcornaS. Inls done, ne replaced
the cork In the mouth OF tne nottie.
Bis object was attained. NO sooner had |
he completed this little. operation, than the |
jailer, who had observed every movement of
his prisoner, began to clear the table, taking
with MIN, as may be supposed, the mysteri-
GUS bottle. He lost no time In hurrying TO
the president, narrated every particular of the
little scene we have described, and then pro-
duced the treacherous cork. The jailer had
no doubt the little insect was the signal of
some new outbreak, OF some diabolical con-
Spiracy, and already, in imagination. he saw