Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-11-18
1.yye,l that wont be difficult

AWell, that wont be difficult Your
hair and eyes, and even your mout h
are like nine. Your face Is zoo white
though. But you can alter that with I
little dirt"
They exchanged dresses, and soor
the young, rich, and noble Marie d.
Nantes was clad in the rags Of Marie
the Beggar Girl Of Paris.
The history Of Marie de Nantes wa
a sad one. Tier father and two broth
ers had fallen victims to the remorseles'
fiends of the Revolution, and thirt
and last brother had been seized but
Of his fate she was ignorant, although
she expected that it would be siinilal
to that of her other relatives. He had
been torn from her but few hours be-
fore.
After the exchange the paupsr, look
ing on the stockingless and shoeless
little feet and ankles of the lady,
said: $40
''That will never do. Your feet ar
too white and too delicate. Let me
arrange matters"
In q few minutes Marie ~as pre-
pared, and in the 9th aud rags she
emerged into the street. She now
took her course back toward the guillo-
tine, and at length reached the square
where the bloody work was still going
on. Gradually she forced her way
through the crowd, and nearer and
nearer she came to the scaffold. She
even forced laugh at several remarks
she heard around her, but those laughs
sounded strangely. She now stood
within the platform, swept it with her
eyes, but her brother was not there.
The cry was raised 1.-The aristocrats
are coming."
Her heart futtered violently, and she
felt faintness come over her, as she
heard the tramp Of The doomed men
approaching. Her brother walked
proudly and fearlessly forward, and as
rended the steps that led to the block.
Up TO this moment the strength of
poor Marie had failed her, and she was
unable to put her resolve into e1ecu
ton. But now o SISTERS love swelled
up in her heart, and she recovered her
strength. She sprang forward, burst
ing through the line of guards, and
ran up the steps. Grasping her broth-
er by the hand, she said /
"What does this meant 1t is only
the aristocrats who are to die.
"Away woman!" exclaimed uhs Of
the executioners.
"Noj l will not go away until YOU
tell me why my brother ia thus
bound"
"Youe brother!" was the echo.
swell, who are you''
81 am Marie; don't you know ne!"
"The beggar gifl''
"Aye."
"But this Is not your brother!'
at is. Ask him-ask him.
Young Antonio de Nantes had
turned scornful glance upon the
maiden, but light crossed his face,
and he murmered, "Oh, my sister +
as this your brother I" asked Robe
sphere Of the supposed beggar, ad-
vancing toward her.
alt is"
''Does Marie speak the truth 7" asked
Robespierre.
"Shs does" was the brothers reply.
Sand you are not de Manifest"
II tell you am her brother"
"Why did you not tell us this be
fore I"
81 attempted to speak, but was
silenced."
'But you might have declared your-
self.
"Yuu would not have believed me"
s'But your dress :"
at belonged to an aristocrat-peri
haps to him for whom / was taken"
Robespierro advanced close TO young
Nantes and gazed earnestly into his
face, then he approached Marie and
looked steadily into her eyes for short
time. II was tnomeut of trial for the
poor girl She tremblsd in spite of
all her efforts TO be- calm. She almost
felt that SHE was lost, when the human
fiend whose word was law turned and
said:
"Release the man."
The enains were instantly removed
and Antonio de Nantes walked down
from the scafold, followed by his sis.
ter, while shouts rent the air, for they
supposed he was corntnonef who had
thus been saved.
The yoting man worked his way
through tho crowd as rapidly as posi-
BILE, leading Marie: They scarcely es-
capped it before the poor girl tainted
from the intensity of her feelings. The
brother scarcely knew what to do, but
hand was laid on his arm, and a
voice said
0Bfink lYef 70 my foum Spaifi sffe