Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-08
rHE BEGGAR GIRL OF PARIS.

p o.,I Of affection exhibited The very
an loss ~ Paris were deluged with human
sLeed hut near the guillotine it ran in
oio; torrents. One dark morning an
Ioa,,a1 number of the aristocracy had
una .. ,narched forth, and countless heads
ooTn from the block A gaping multi
I !'.aa stood by, and with shouts rent the
=. a. the aristosracy were thus butch
cred. ,,,aa ,,.;4,ao .,..
s-.erv morning, were two females One
IF them was plainly clad, while cloak
~.s thrown around her. with which she
Vent her features nearly concealed. But
.rlose observation would betay the fact
that the woman had been weeping. Her
ewes were inflamed and red, and she gazed
eagerly upon the platform, while shock
of the glittering knife severed the head
from the body Of some one who had been
unfortunate enough to fall under the ban
Of the two leaders. The face of the wo-
man was very beautiful, and she was
voung-certainly not more than sixteen or
eighteen years of age.
The other female was quite different in
character. Her face. was fair, but there
Was brazen expression about it: She was
clad in rags, and as each head fell she
would dance, and in various ways express
her delight, and then exclaim:
"There falls another aristocnt, who re.
f,scd charity when humbly sued him.
Each expression Of the kind would Gre
,te 4 laugh from those who heard her. But
any thoughtful person must WONDER now
one so young could have been so depraved.
The first female watched this creature for
a few moments, and then passing her hand
70 her side, she laid her hand upon the
shoulder of the wretch, and whispered:
would you like to become rich at
once"
Tho female in rags turned about with
look of surprise, burst into loud laugh,
md then replied:
"Of course would"
"Follow me, and you shall be-"
Enough. Lead on"
It was with considerable difficulty that
the females extricated themselves from the
crowd; but they did so at length, and
then the first female asked Of the other
"What shall call you?"
"Oh! l am called the Beggar Girl
Marie"
"You live by begging!"
do you want"
haino 10 HA"iio' VIC o"i'0 10 Jo"i
own"
"Are you an aristocrat?"
cit does not matter. If you know where
shall have gold"
The pauper led the way into narrow,
filthy street and then down into eel
lar. and into dark and filthy room. The
other female could not but feel sicken-
ing sensation creep over her, but she re-
covered herself. After contemplating for
A time the apartment and what it con-
tanned, she asked:
"Are YOU we'll known in Paris?"
eyes. Everybody knows Marie, the
Beggar Girl"
Are you known to Robespierre! If so
want to make bargain with you
az am. What do you wish ?"
"You see my clothing is better than
YOUR own, and l wish to exchange with you.
I want YOU to remain here, and not to show
yoorself at all for a short time, or until
como to you again. AS recompense for
aiding me will give you thousand francs,
and when come back will give you a
thousand more. AS security of my return,
take this ring"
The lady drew diamond ring from her
finger and gave it to the beggar girl. Then
handed her purse containing gold. The
girl appeared little puzzled, and asked:
"Well, what are you going to do with
my drcssf'
II want to put it on, and 60 where
first met you"
"Ohi understand now. You want to
sec the chopping go on, and you are afraid
that YOU will be taken for an aristOcrat If
you wear that dress. You want to repre-
sent met"
Eyes. want to look as near like you
a. possible"
dWell that won't be difficult Your
hair and eyes, and even your mouth is like
mine.
"Your face is too white, though. But
YOU can alter that with little dirt"
They exchanged dresses; and soon the
Young, rich and noble Marie de Nantes
was clad in the rags Of Marie, the Beggar
Girl of Paris. The history of. Marie de
Nantes was sad one. Her father and
two brothers had fallen victims to the re-
NO rseless fiend of the revolution, and q
third and last brother had been seized
But of his fate she was ignorant, although
she expected that it had been similar to
that of her other relatives He had been
torn from her but few hours before. AT
ter the exchange had been made the pau
per looked on the stockingless and shoe
less feet and ankles Of the lady, and said:
''That will never do, Your feet are too
white and delicate. Let me arrange mat
teri" w
In few moments Marie was prepared,
and in the filth and rags she emerged into
the street. She now took her course back
towards the guillotine, and at length
reached the square where the bloody work
was still going on Gradually she forced
her way through the crowd, and nearer
and nearer she came to the scaffold. She
even forcsd laugh at several remarks she
heard around her, but those laughs sounded
strangely. She now stood within the
platform and swept it with her eyes, but
her brother was not there. The cry was
raised:
Here comes another batch"
Her heart fiuttered violently and she felt
q faintness come over her as she heard the
tramp of the doomed men approaching
Her brother walked proudly and fearlessly
forward, and assembled the very steps that
led to the block. Up to this moment the
strength of poor Marie had failed her, and
she was unable to put her resolve into
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