Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-17
st. Nicholas for November.
A Dark Bit of History.
BY DONALD q. MTTcHETJ..

BY DONALD G. MITCHELL.
When that tempest of madness [ was
speaking of just now first swept
through the streets of Paris Gin the reign
of Louis XVII it drove the crazed
people III herds to glut their vengence
upon those who were keeping captives
in chains within the great prison of the
Bastille. It was indeed a grim and
dismal-looking building upon the
borders of Paris, with sluggish water
around it, and it's door was entered by
draw bridge. Toward the frowning
walls of this prison (there is only a
tall bronze column upon the spot now
the populace of the city rushed head
long, with whatever weapons they
could lay hands upon. Butchers
took their cleavers, stable-me
their forks, carriers their heavy
os ken stakes, carpenters their axes; and
there were thousands with guns, and
there were brawny women with heavy
pistols. The soldiers who guarded.
the prison were frightened by the sights
and sounds of this tempest of the peo-
pies fury, that they could hardly
make any opposing fight at all. The
governor of the prison, seeing what
mad rage he must encounter, would
have blown up the huge building alto
gether, and had actually laid the match
to do so, but the soldiers rebelled and
forced him to surrender. Then the
raging mob flowed in, and those
who wore the uniform. of the
king were smitten to death, and dun
geon gates were unlocked, and prison
ers staggered ont who had not seen the
day for dozens and scores of years.
A beautiful girl was caught sight of
flying down one of the great stair ways,
and she was straightway seized upon by
those who believed herto be a. daughter
of the governor, and would have been
burned in the court yard had not a few
generous soldiers stolen her away and
secreted her until the sack was over.
AS for the governor, who was marquis
and the kings friend, they cut off his
head and bore it bleeding from the top
OF pike-staf all down the street; and
all down the street poured the mad, re-
joicing rabble, staying many another as
they went, and carrying the trophies
with them-gory heads on pixies, or
CORY heads on chatting dishes carried by
women.
AS 1t was that day SO 1t was on many
a day thereafter, and for many a week
and month; and for years whoever was
noble, or friend of the hated nobles,-
or rich, or friend of the hated rich,-
lived, if he lived at all in that city of
revolution, in great dread and danger.
There was not much feeling at the
nrst against Louis XVI, for5 he was a
Tar better king than those who had gone
before him. He was kindly at heart,
and what we might call NOWADAYS a gen
tlemanly, amiable man, with not much
force of character, and disposed to
yield to the opinions of those who had
been his old advisers. These. by their
obstinacy, brought him very soon to
grief. The people forced him to trial.
and there was forced condemnation
His head, too, fell before The fury of
the enraged people, and was held up by
the executioner upon the scaffoid for
the thronging mob to look upon.
This poor king had left behind him
In the prison son, whom he had
taught, as he best could in those dreary
prison hours, arithmetic and geography,
Dc you think the boy ever forgot these
lessons; or ever forgot the sorrow and
loud wailings of his mother, the queen,
when he king went out to his bloody
DEATH
A little after this, those crazy ones,