River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-06-22

beth swept past him He vas thus on
the same day - the preeencc Of three
royal persons WHO subsequently fell
under his aye.
The second occasion on which ran
son saw Louis XVI. face to face was
shortly after thu invention OF the
guillotine. The King and his phyaic-
ian, Dr.. Louis expressed desire " cX-
anime the plan Of the proposed ma.
chine. The inventor was summoned
10 the Tuilerits, and told 10 bring the
executi0ner with hin. they found
Dr. Louis IN h!s closet After a few
polite Wo.I5 had been exchanged by
The two physicians, Guillotin showed
the doctor the plan Of the machine
lrst suggested ebyta German named
schmidt, ana afterH ard elaborated by
tho man whose name II bears, san.
cen added a few explanations
While Dr.. lewis was examining II
with great attention door was opened
aud q newcomer appeared on the
scene Ia. L0llis Who was seated, i'm
mediatcly arose. Tho stranger looked
coldly at Dr. Gmllotine and abruptly
addressing DR.. Louis sad Well, Doc.
tor, what do YOU think of 1t ~ The
physician replied that the machine ap.
peared TO him perfect The ncW-com.
Ct took the paper and shook his head
doubtfnlly. The knife has the shape
Of q crescent, - he remarked. "Do yUu
think knife thus shaped would be
suitable for all necks There arc
some nccks which IL certainly would
not cut at all, " Since the speaker On.
trance Charles Henri Samson had lost
none VI his words or gestures. The
sound Of the voice showed him that
his first impression was a true one /.
the King was again before him. but
by the plain costume he wore, IT was
easy to see that he wished TO remain
lncognlto. His laat remark especially
struck the CXeCutiouer.
Looking ut the King neck, be saw
That the prlp0rllo IONS were eKactk those
that justified tho royal remark lie
spoke again and asked in low voice,
IL this tue mani pr. Louis re-
Piled afirmatively. " \sk him what
he thinks of tho matter Tho physi.
clan obeyed and SAMSON replied; " The
gentleman IS right. the knife is not
what IL should bc. The King smiled
with IN air Of satisfaction, and taking
pen which lay OF the table he sub.
stitutod an obliquc line for the cres.
cent may be mistaken after All. =
he added, &" the two shapes should he
tried when heCXperimCnts ~ g made :
rs has been already related. the event
justified the opinion of the King. and
the ohligue knife was adopted Such
was tho second interview between
Louis XVI. and Samson, They did not
meet again until tho DAY when the
monarch q head rolled from under the
blade he himself had recommended
Under the Republic, representative,
of the people, club orators, celebrated
sans culottes fraternized with the
beadsmau. II was seriously proposed
TO call the eXeCutiouer the "Ayenger
of the People, to dress him in an i'm.
posing costume whereby all could rec
ogniZe him rs one of the most impor.
tant itmCtlOnarlCs Of the nation.
David, the great painter, called upon
Charles Henri San on, and showed him
q drawing of costume he had special
" devised for him. The honor, how
ever, Samson declined he was no long.
az excluded from social intercourse
people cheered him on his way to the
scattOld, and many ran up to him after
nm execution, DESTROYS to drink with
him and entertain him.
But the fearful scenes Of the RevO.
luton were too much for even the
iron nerves of this hardened execu.
toner TO endure. In his diary occurs
the following entry A terrible
days work The guillutine devoured
iiftytour victims. Maria Grandma.
son, an actress Of the Italian Theatre,
and Marie NiCole Bouchard, her ser
want, were of the number. The latter
was only eighteen years old, and she
was 50 thin and delicate that she did
not appear 10 be more than fourteen
When tho roCr little glrlhem ont her
hands to LaTiylere, he turned 10 Dcs-
morteg, my head assistant and said,
"Suely, this Is a ioke /! Desmotes
shrugged his slioulders, and II was the
little one, who, smiling through her
tears, answered, mo Sir. 1t Is seri.
GUS ; whereupon Lariyiers threw down
his cords and said. Let some one else
bind her. It's not my profession to
execute children There was some
| delay M starting, and little NiCole
Bouchard sat down 10y her mistress
feet and tried 10 console her. She
asked leave To be with her in the
saIie cart. I really believe that If
she had begged for life, moro than
one would have freed her ana offered
to take her place,
! What we felt the people felt also
! The crowd was very large, owing Ia
/ the proportions of the execution
Five on SIX young and pretty women
were IN the first cart, and their fate
excited pity; but when poor little Nj,
| cole BOuchard was seen there was an
explosion Of indignation. Cries OF
70 children rose numerous and
! loud I'm the fauhurg st. Antoine
/ could see the women weeping. wa.
almost OyepoWerUd hy the scene.
had looked at Nlcole Rpu,hlrd ID IN,
! Concicrgerio, aud her ewes. Ia my
thinking, seemed to say, You Willnoi
| Kill me And vet she Is dead now
She WAS the ninth. When She passed
before me ! had To- struggle with m
inspiration that whispered in my car
Smash az the culllotine. and do not
allow this child 70 die Ny assist
ants pushed her ON toward the knife
7 TUNED away. my legs trcmhlcl, and
/ | turned sick. II was Martin who had
/ charge of the execution. lie said IA
me, You arc mWell Go home and
trust % nae for the rest I did NOT
answer and left the scaiiold
wJ, ina fever. and 10 scared that
dt lhp conner ~ The Rue Smtnngr.