Middletown transcript., 1876-02-12

to see the chopping go on, and you al
afraid you will be taken for an arist'
crat if you wear that dress you wal
to represent me-"
Eyes. want to look as near lib
you as possible"
'sWell, that won't be difficult. You
hair and eyes, and even your mout
are like mine Your face is too white
though. But you can alter that with
| little dirt"
They exchanged dresses. aud 500
the young, rich and noble Maria d
Nantes was clad in the rags Of Maria
the "Beggar Girl Of Paris " The bis
tory Of Marie de Nantes was sad one
Her father and two brothers had fallel
victims to the remorseless fiends of th
Revolution, and third and last brothe
had been seized, bat of bis fate sh
was ignorant, although she expected
that it would be similar to that of be-
other relatives He had been torn from
her but few hours before. After th,
exchange, the pauper looking on th'
stockingless and shoeless little feet anG
ankles Of the lady, said I:
"That will never do Your feet are
too white and delicate. Let me arrange
matters"
In few minutes Maria was pre-.
pared, and in the filth and rags she
emerged into the street. She now took
her course back toward the guillotine,
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
a laugh at several remarks she heard
around her, but those laughs sounded
strangely. She stood within the plat
form, swept it with her eyes. but her
brother was not there. The cry was
raised, The aristocrats are coming!'
Her heart futtered violently. and
che felt a faitness come over her as she
heard the tramp of the doomed men
approaching. Her brother walked
proudly and fearlessly forward, and as
cend the steps that led to the block
Up to this moment the strength of poor
Maria had failed her, and she was un-
able to put her resolve into execution.
But now a sisters love swelled up iD
her heart. and she recovered her
strength. She sprang forward, burst
ing through the line Of guards. and ran
up the steps. Grasping her brother by
the hand, she said:
"What does this mean? 1t is only
the aristocrats who are to die"
Away, wonan!" exclaimed one Of
the executioners.
mo; l will not go away until you
tell me why my brother is thus bound"
.Your brother!'' was the echo.
"Well, who are you? ?"
II am Maria; don't you know me?"
"The beggar girl?"
"Aye."
"But this is not your brother"
1T is Ask him-ask him
Young Antonio de Nantes had turned
a scornful glance upon the maiden, but
a light crossed his face, and he mur-
INJURED, "Oh. my sister !"
lis this your brother ?" asked
Robespierre of the supposed beggar.
near her.
at is"
"Does Maria speak the truth ?"
asked Robespierre.
"She does," was the brothers reply.
"Are you not de Nantes?"
II tell you 1 am her brother" !"
"Why did you not tell US this be-
fore ?"
Il attempted to speak. but was ST.
enced."
"But you might have declared your
,elf."
"You would not have believed me-"
''But your dress p
at belonged to an aristocrat-per-
laps, to him for whom l was taken"
Robespierre advanced close to young
Nantes and gazed ca, a,nestly in bis face;
hen be approached Marie and looked
'teadfastly into her eyes for short
ime. 1t was a moment of trial for the
Door girl. She trembled in spite of all
Ter efforts to be calm. She almost felt
hat she was lost, when the human
lend whose word was law, turned and
aid:
"Release the man"
The chains were instantly removed,
md Antonio de Nantes walked down
rom the scaaold, followed by his sister,
While shouts rent the air, for they sup
,osed he was commoner who had thus
,een saved.
The young man worked his way
through the crowd as rapidly as pos
ible, leading Maria. They scarcely
escaped it before the young girl tainted
rom the intensity Of her feelings The
,rother scarcely knew what to do, but
hand was laid IN his arm and a voica