The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-06-22

people; 50 one day in March, the two
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS rose as one man,
deposed heir officers, shot their colonel
and eleced Sergeant Roussel in his
stead 9th, same Roussel who afterward
COMMANDED a brigade under the great
emperor. Then our peasants began
to think that it was time to square ac-
counts with NJ lie Marquis, especially
as all his grand friends had gone away,
and there were only few lackeys left
to defenc him. But somebody must
have tolc him of what was going on:
Tor Just is the peasants were all gather
ed IN thevillage yonder, with hatchets
and p1tclforks, and what not, ready to
go up tothe chateau, there came rat
tie of h,ofs along the road, and into
the market place broke the old MARQUIS
himself, On his great black horse, with
his gay tress glittering in the sunshine,
and his ace quiet and smooth as if he
were going into a drawing-roOm, but
his lips were set together like the Jaws
of wolfhap. When / saw him com
ing, l shr.nk away, fearing that he
would seize and devour me, even among
them all but | could see how he rein
ed up his horse fhe crowd parting be-
fore him 70 right and left, } leaped from
the saddle, and stood facing us, with
his arms folded on his breast. Nor
Oheu Think | see him now, drawn
up to his full height, with his lip curl
ing IN defiance, and his eye looking
through llslike the fash of sword, as
he said, i'll his clear, scornful voice -
L am told that you have something to
say to me. Here [ am. What do YOU
want q But there was no answer. AT
the sight of his face and the sound OF
his voice, coming among us this way
like al all-powerful master, the old
fear of lin and his, branded into us
by ages OF oppression, rose up again
stronger than ever, and the whole crowd
of furious men hung their heads like
rated sclool-boys, and melted away be-
fore him. IOnacrre de cioL tyrant
and servant of the devil though he was,
he did deed that day worthy of the
twelve paladins, and perhaps the ton
Dtc,1 nay yet have mercy upon him
for he vas brave man -
| recalled the weird pathos of the
English ballad:
q That heaven may yet have more mercy than mai
On such bold riders soul.'
and looked with almost involuntary ad
miratlon upon this thoroughly French
sympathy with courage, even in al
hereditary and implacable enemy. The
old man was silent for an instant, while
the momentary softness faded from his
iron features, leaving them Steiner than
before. When he resumed, his tone
was deeper and more solemn.
"But although M. lie Marquis escap-
ed for that time, his day was near at
hand, for now came news that the PEG.
pie had marched upon Versailles that
the king ard queen had been brought
to Paris; that the tiers were up IL
every part Of the country, and that the
assembly rationale had decreed the
abolition Of taxation, monopoly, aris
tocratlc oppression, and had pronounc
ed all men free and equal forevermore
Every fresh bit of news worked like fire
IN our blood, and at last the people OF
Besancon got up as one man, and swore
that, come what might, they would
have the Chateau de Quesnoy down.
and make an end of the old wolf that
lived in it; and up they went, hun
dleds upon hundreds.
s. | can remember, as if it were yes.
terday. seeing them filing out of the
town, their pike-heads glittering in the
sun, and the mass of red caps showing
like long smear of blood upon the
white road and |, as a boy will do
fnl 10 h. I
pen. They had expected to find the
chateau barricaded, and to meet with
some resistance but no the garden
gate was open,-so was the hall door,
and on the threshold stood the old
marquis himself, saying quietly: En-.
ter, all is ready for you = There was
sonnet hing IN his voice, and look and
manner that made them shrink, even
then, but they had gone too far to turn
back. Into the chateau they poured.
with shouts and laughter and scraps OF
republican songs, till every room was
chock- full and the leaders took pos
session of the great banquet hall, and
set NJ. lie Marquis in the great carved
chair at the Ii al Of the table, swearing
that he should see them drink his good
wine before they killed him. And there
they revelel till one half of them were
under the table, and the other hall
could hardly stand to light the torches
which they had stuck up around the
hall. Just about n1ghtfall q had climb
ed into tree near the window, anG
could see all that went ON [ saw ole
Mercandon, the stewart, glide up to his
masters chair, and say, Ill low voice
NJ. lie Marquis, all is ready ;!
:" Are all the lackeys gone 2
"All, NJ. lie Marquis"
"'Go you, too, then, and leave me tC
finish it alone!
"But the old stewart hung his head
and answered with kind of sob, M
lie Marquis, | carried you in my arms
when you were a child, and do yot
drive me away 1aOaV p
60 As you will, then, my good fel
low, said the Marquis; I shall at leas
have one honest man with me to the
last
"And then he rose slowly to his fee
(for to that moment he sat like ;
statue), ana looked round upon then
ill. hOHSlCuI, IL I'VE 10 ne uuuoTet
years old, [ shall never forget that
sight."- cid noble standing up like
a tower, with the long gray hair falling
back from his grand, calm face; the
great vaulted hall, with it's huge groin
ed arches and dark paneling of oak
the coarse figures of the peasants, loll
ing III the great chairs, or wallowina
upon the floor, their rough faces al
disfigured by drink, and fury, and lust
of blood, the red torchlight faring fit
fully over ALL There was that in the
old mans face which silenced the loud