The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-01-30

from the boat to the chapel. My first care as
reached my seat was to cast glance around in
search of my friends, but j could discover
them nowhere, which greatly surprised me for
none of us ventured on liberties with the regu-
lations, and nothing short of serious illness as
excuse for absence Several of my comrades
at distance answered my cheerful mods OF re-
cognition with grave air that increased my
uueasinesS. l was on nettles till the END OF
the ceremony and did not wait till we were out
of the church to ask Guyamor what had be-
come of the Nayls, and If there was anything
new.
"Then you know nothing at Belle Isle of
what is going on ?" he asked:
"Why,-no," l replied, 1--WE have heard of the
murder at Bgnan; but no other ncws from the
continent has reached u.s."
~ Exactly" said he, sit is just that death of
NJ. Brossard which makes lis all SO sad and we
| cannot yet understand how the Nayls could
have done it,"
"The Naxlsm " L exclaimed, "and what have
they to do with this horrible affair ~ For even
after Guyomar's words my mind still would not
take in the idea that he accused them Of being
the assassns. When he repeated the charge,
adding that the three brothers were IN prison,
and they would be tried at the coming asslzesI
l felt my blood chill; eyerytbing turned about
me, and / fell faintng on the steps of the
chapel. I was carried to my lodgings, where
recovered strength enough to rise, went to 81;
LIE Neve, our principal, hoping still that had
been deceived, and wishing at any rate, TO De
enlightened about the matter, and learn all the
details.
I had no need to question him for as soon as
he saw me Ire came forward, giving me his hand
and weeping. "But they are innocent, he
said, al would take my oath OF 1t, and yet ap-
fpearances are all against them l am sum-
moned as witness. will dc them JnsIic e;
will tell all the good know of them Chill
dren that have brought up, whom nave
known for these ten years, and who are an ex"
ample S0r the whole college cannot be mnr-
derers Have no fear, Will save them.
JoafTan has promised me to save them@
Although the principals confident assurances
did not entirely remove my anxiety, they
helped me to calm my agitatlon; learned
DAYS before, and hastened TO call on them:
There were father and mother, and the wife OF
! the eldest son. who was already married, al
| hough he was but "a years old found the
| women seated in a corner their aprons thrown
over their heads and weeping bitterly. Ine
old man was standing holding his penbach IN
his hand, his gazs fixed and-v vacant. as Gu
| ing interrupted by heart-rendlng sobs Inc
/ father grasped my hand and held At long lh his,
! He'd him near the-eT44
| making a great effort to speak, for n1y-hearl
/ was choking my throat, said, ARE they gun,
! tyF ~ He hardly moved his lips, and uttered
! but q single phrase. 1t made me shudder. Inc
| father had answered " believe So"
i i was beginning to believe SO too, while con"
stautly repeating to myself, We will save
| them I" n. LIE Neve had informed me OF two
j or three circumstances that threw me into ter;
/ rible doubt. He had told me that Father Nay
| was q determined chouau, whose hostility was
SO notorious that the prsfet bad placed guard
/ in his house TO watch his movements jean
| pierre the third SON. had reached the age fol
military CONSUMPTION THAT 5-estF.- We had snip
posed, from the number that he drew, that ne
was exonerated from military service. !
1 pT0vECf; contrary tetFff't
commission had completed their eNanllnatlons
to be within the limits of the draft allotted x
his district He had immediately LETT ms 1ath
er's house to avoid serving, and his two broth
ers had followed him. In that and the proceed
ing year, ut least one-fourth of the young sol
diers had deserted rather than enrollet
among the Blues, and there were several band
of Tefractories rowing through the country
tracked from village to-village by the movable
gendarmiery. This little troop, swollen by ni
nerous tributary mal-conteutS and by such ~
cherished the hope of reviving the chouannery
was usually broken up into bands of fifteen o
/ twenty, but gathered together sometimes Il
the number of 700 or 800, whether to conn
their forces or essay some bold adventure.
Every peasant was their friend, and when
toward nightfalI, three knocks were heard OF
the window, the farmer 1astened to open th
door, which was well barrfcaded within as sool
as they entered. The farmers wife then pu
lbuekwheat cakes, bread, pork, and pitcher o
u cider on the tables the farm hands hlled thei
mines for them. cleaned. their guns, renewed
. their supplies, and drew out for them from tn
common chest their best shoes, CATERS, coats
whatever could soften the hsrdsnlp OF 5 q 49
lives. When supper was over they reeited tn
prayer- together. Then the women went T.
bed, and the men, blowing out the resin can
die, sat before the fireplace. speaking OF Tn
Government and discussing plans-ot yengeanc
and insurrection. Often such meetings wer
broken in on by the barking of a dog that an
nouneed the approach of strangers. The
/ every man sprang to his gun, and the masls
r of the house went up to the garnet window t
try TO see what WAS going on without. If !
was the gendarmes, they counted them AM
. counted themselves ,0ftenest they tried I
nv to hide under theahay, to make hole il
the tbatch of the roof and escape by the rea
|, of the house, while the door was getting itsel
( slowly opened. Bnt s3metines they appeals
. | "a force and the nendarDes oUnd=tbemselye
] caught in a trap. Blood had flowed in many