Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-12-28

to make.
Marat did not deign to notice these
letters, although their earnestness made
some impression upon him. The first
time she presented herself for an inter
view, she was refused admittance but
the second time, hearing her voice, and
| presuming her to be the author of the
letters which had excited his curiosity,
| he ordered her to be admitted
The ''friend of the people," as he
styled himself, was suffering from a
lingering nervous disease, which was
slowly consuming him. This, acting
! upon naturally cruel and brutal;zed
nature, distorted his reason, inHamed
his blood, and conduced to make him
the French revolution of 1925, and
4. For months preceding his death, lie
had passed his time now in the bath
and then in his bed, perpetually writing.
apostrophizing and inveighing agaist all
whom he considered as enemies to the
Republic, which included every one who
differed with him, or was suspected of
doing SO, in political faith. Feeling, as
it were, a presentiment of death, he
acted as though he feared his last hour
would come too suddenly and not give
him time to immediate sufficient num-
ber of victims. Access to his person was
forbidden to all save few assured
friends and denouncers of his enemies,
strongly recommended by those in
whom he trusted.
1t was toward the close of day when
Charlotte Corday was admitted to his
presence. The room was family lighted
by the last rays of the setting sun, and
Marat was in his bath, rude wooden
tub filled with tepid water, over which
a rough plank was placed, covered with
letters, papers and death warrants. Be-
side the tub stood an oaken block with
filthy inkstand, from whose foul
source had emanated so many and such
| fierce denunciations and SO great an
amount of bloodshed. His head, wrap
ped in dirty turban, and his chest and
right arm were alone visible. AS he
wrote with the latter, his forbidding
aspect formed most disgusting picture.
Charlotte averted her gaze, fearing her
countenance might betray the horror
she felt at his sight. Calling her close
to the bath, Marat began to question
her as to the state Of Normandy, to
which she replied briefly as possible,
and in accordance to what she supposed
would be his wishes. Several Grondist
deputies had taken refuge at Caen, her
native town. He demanded their
names, and as she gave them he wrote
them down, saying: SIT is well before
they are a week older they shall have
the guiliotine." "At these words" says
the historian, Gas if Charlo.tes mind
had awaited last offense before it
would resolve on striking the blow, she
drew the knife f.om her bosom, and
with superhuman force, plunged it to
the hilt in Marat's heart" Help"
cried Marat, and then expired. Thus
perished one of the most cruel, most
demoralized and blood. thirsty monsters
of whom history makes mention, who
in the sacred name of liberty inundated
hecatombs of innocent victims.
At his cry OF help, Alber;ina, the
mistress of Marat (for like Rochefort
and the Communist leaders of cur day,
he tramplcd upon and violated the sa-
cred rights of marriage and parentage).
rushed into the room, while her loud
cries and lamentations Immediately at
tracted a crowd of passers by, soldiers
and gems darms. Charlotte stood nc.
tionless amid them, as if petrtied by her
crime; while sad ok of sorrow over
spread her features. Laurent, one of
the inmates Of Marat's house, feled her
to the floor with q chair, ard Albartiua
trampled her under foot, and it was
with the utmost difficulty that the sol,
diers succeeded in rescuing her from
their fury. On her way to prison, the
fanatici4m of the populace who were
clamoring for her instant death, moved
her to say" Poor people, you desire my
death, while you owe me an altar for
having freed you from a monster
At her subsequent trial before the
Revolutionary Tribunal, nothing could
be el cited from her save that she had
no accomplices, had deceived her father
and aunt in the object of her journey,
and had slain MArat for the good of
France. The kind efforts of her advo-
cate, who endeavored to save her by
pleading insanity, she mildly rebuked, F.,
giving every evidence of sound reason.
She was allowed to live but few days,
which she employed in writing to her
friends, bidding them loving and af.
fectionate adieu, and begging them not
to mourn f. + her unhappy fate. She
refused to zee the priest who was sent to
offer her the last censolations of religion,
taying that she had no need of him, since
she was about to give her life in expiation
for the blood which she had shed, and
believed herself as worthy of her
Creators pardon without as with his &C
clesiastical aid.
When conveyed to the guillotine she
turned pale fora moment, but soon re.
covered her composure, and calmly and
digniiedly mounte 1 its steps on her
way to meet death. AS the executioner
was about to remove the handkerchief
which she wore about her breast, she
blushed deeply, begging to be allowed
to remove it herself, and then calmly
placing her neck beneath the ak, its
heavy blade fell instantly, and her head
rolled on the scatfold. Legros, as assist.
ant of the executioner, raised it and
struck it blow on the cheek, when ii
became suffused with scarlet, as though
modesty and dignity had triumphed
over death ITSELF
Thus persisted Charlotte Corday, who,
beneath the guilt of deliberate murder,
history cannot exonerate, and who, in
the light of hcroism cannot be con-
demned. Her deed was one of which
the wisdom of men cannot judge, and
which, without appeal, assembled to the
tribunal of the Almighty. And with