Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-23
DOOM OF THE TRAITREss.

A cold and dark northeaster had swept together host of struggling va DOTS and thin lowering clouds over the French mctropolis--thc course of the Seine might be traced easily among the grotesquc roofs and gothic towers which at that day adorned its banks, by the gray ghostly mist which seethed up from its sluggish waters-a small fine rain was falling noiselessly and al most impefceptibly, by it's own weight as it were, from the surcharged and yoatery otmosphere-the air was keeniy cold and piercing, although the seasons had not crept far as yet beyond the con fines of the summer. The trees, for there were many in the streets of Paris and still more in the fauxbourgs and gardens of the haute noblesse, were thickly covered with whit crime, as were the names and frontlets of the horses, the clothes, and hair, and eye brows of the human beings who ven tured forth in spite of the inclement weather. A sadder and more gloomy scene can scearcely be conceived than is presented by the streets of large city in such a time as that l have at tempted to descrsbe. But this pecu- liar sadness was, on the day of which write, augmented and exaggerated by the continual tolling of the great bell of St. Germains Auxerrois, replying to the iron din which arose from the gray towers of Notre Dame. From an early hour of the day the people had been congregating in the streets and about the4bridges leading to the pre- cincts of the royal palace, the Chateau des Tonrnelles, which then stood-long since obliterated almost from the mem- ory of men--upon the Isle de Paris, the greater part of which was covered then With the courts, and terraces, and gardens of that princely pile.
 Strong bodies the household troops were posted here and there abont the avenues and gates of the royal demensc, and several large attachments of the archers of the prevot's guard-still called so from the arms which had long since ceased to carry-might be seen every where on duty. Yet there were no symptoms of an emeute among the populace, nor any signs of angry feel ing or excitement in the features ofthe loitering crowd, which was increasing every moment as the day waxed to- ward noon. Some feeling certainly there was--some dark a1' Earnest interest, as might be judged from the knit crows, clinched hands, and anxi- ous whisperswhich everywhere atten- ~ded the exchange or thought through out the roncourse-vbut it was by no means of an alarming or an angry character. Grief, wonder, expectation, and soft of half doubtful pity, as fal as might be gathered from the words of the passing speakers, were the more prominent ingredients of the common feeling, which had called out so large portion of the city,s population on day so unsuited to any spectacles o interest. For several hours this mob increasing as it has been described from hour to hour, varied but little il it's character, save that as the day wor' it became more and more respectable in the appearence of its members A first it had been composed almost with out exception ofartisans and shop boy' and mechanics of the lowest order with not D few of the cheats, bravoe'
 pickpocksts, and similar rufiians, wh
 then as now formed fraternity of n
 merne size in the Parisian world. A
 the morning advanced, however, man
 of-the burgers of the city, and respec
 able craftsmen, mig be seen anon
 the crowd; and lttle latsr many
 the secon(ary gentry and ptate n'
 blcsse, will well-dretsed women an
 even child $n, all showing the sam .