River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-04-02
"OUR PEOPLE SENT Me-"
An Episode From the History OF the
Days OF June, Is4s, at Paris.

translated from the RUSSIAN OF ivan Iurgenln
for Petersons Journal
1t came the fourth of the celebrated
days Of June, 1S49, which are inscribed
in bloody lines on the tables of French
history.
lived then in house, long since de.
stroyed, on the corner of La rue de la
Paix and Boulevard DIES Italiens.
From the beginning of June the air
seemed TO smell Of powder, everybody
felt the conflict inevitable; and after the
interview between the delegates of the
closed national workshops with Marie,
member Of the Provisional Government,
who, in an address to them, had thought
lessly pronounced the word slave (es-
claves), construed by them as reproach
or ofense-at once the question at issue
was, not how many days, but how many
hours remained before the inevitable inn
pending conflict! Est &c pour aujourd.
hui?" (Will it be to-day p was the SEN
tence with which the people greeted one
another each morning.
al commence y Ut has begun y my
laundress told, Friday morning, the 23d
Of June.
According to her words, a great barri
cade was erected across the boulevard,
not far from the gates of St. Denis. l
went there Immediately.
At first nothing particular could be
noticed. The same crowds of people in
front of the open cafes and stores, the
same endless procession of carriages and
omnibuses-the faces seemed somewhat
more animated, the conversation louder
and, strange to say, merrier this
was all. But the further | proceed, the
more changed the physiognomy of the
boulevard. Fewer carriages were to be
met, the omnibuses disappeared entirely
the stores and even the cafes were being
locked hurriedly, or were already closed.
The Ed on the street became less. But
the windows in the houses were opened
from ;he basement to the top; and near
these windows and on the thresholds of
the doors were crowds Of people, mostly
women, children, servants and nurses;
this multitude chartered. laughed, called
over to one another, turned their heads,
waved their hands, as if in readiness for
a spectacle; a mindless, holiday curiosity
seemed to seize ALL Ribbons of different
colors, fichus, caps, white, pink and blue
dresses intermingled and appeared varie-
gated in the bright sun, and rustled in
TIE summer breeze-like the leaves on
the numerous poplars trees Of freedom.
Impossible that in five or ten minutes
there will be a riot, shedding Of blood !"
thought !. mo place to imagine TRACE
dy-as yet.
But suddenly, in the foreground, cross
ing the boulevard in zigzsg manner,
projected the uneven line of barricade,
three yards in height. In the very midst
of it, surrounded by tri-colored, GOLDEN.
broidered banners, little red flag faunt-
ed its sharp, Ominous tongue. Some
bLouserS were seen from behind the ridge
Of heaped up gray stones. approached
nearer. The front Of the barricade was
quite deserted: about fifty men, not
more, paced back andsforward on the
pavement. TAT that time the boulevards
were not nacadamized.) The blousers
joked with the arriving spectators; one
belted with q soldiers white sword.hanger
offered an mcorked bottle and half
filed glass Of wine, as if inviting them to
come and drink of it; another, by his
side, with a double-barreled gun on his
shoulder, cried out, in n drawing voice !:
"Vive the national workshops! Viye the
republic, democratic and social J"
Near him stood tall, dark-haired wo.
man, in q striped dress, equipped also
with n sword belt, and a pistol placed
therein. She did not laugh, but in a
thoughtful manner fixed her large, dark
eyes on the scene. l crossed the street,
turned to the left, and, with five or six
fdneurS like myself, took refuge near the
wall of the house from which the straight
line Of the boulevard began to curve,
where was, and is still located, Jouyin's
glove factory. The jalousies Of the win.
dows Of that house were closed. was
still in doubt, Notwithstanding the expec.
tations ard presentiments Of the proceed
ing days, whether the affair would take q
serious turn or not.
Nearer and nearer were heard the
drums. From morning the streets had
resounded with peculiar three.fold beat
- lie rappcl--by which the National Guard
was assembled And, at once, slowly
swaying and stretching out like a long
black worm. appeared, about 200 steps
from tie left side Of the barricade, a
column Of citizen soldiers; above it, ike
fine sparkling needles, glistened the bay
onets, the officers rode in advance.
The column reached the opposite side
Of tho boulevard, and, occupying 1t en-.
tirely, wheeled in front Of the barricade
and halted. ever increasing in numbers
and becoming more consolidated. Not
withstanding the arrival Of SO many
troops. everything became more still I;
voices were lowered; at rarer intervals
resounded the former laugh Il was as II
pall had fallen on every sound.
An empty space between the line Of
the National Guard and the barricade