The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-10-02
TWO SURPRISES.

even to the present day, the honor of a
proud name, though the representatives
have passed through all manner of vicis-
situdes attendant upon revolution and
loss of property, and we may add life
itself, since more than one who bore the
name died by the guillotine.
1t was nea, TIE close of the reign of
Louis XIV, one January afternoon, that
crowd might have been seen gathered
upon one side of the Rue de la Paix,
Paris. There stood in the midst of the
group woman, neatly but simply
dressed, with an infant in her arms,
while hard by couple of officers of law
were forcing man away from the spot.
A few busy hands were loading q cart
with furniture and other domestic arti-
cles.
1t was not an unusual scene in Paris
in those days. A creditor had this
power over his debtor when the debt due
amounted to certain sum. He could
seize upon his debtors personal proper
ty, even to the bed he slept upon, turn
wife and children into the street, and
could also send the father to prison.
Such was the explanation of the scene
to which we have referred as now occur
ring in the Rue de la Paix.
In vain the wife's tears. An advocate,
as he was called, had been employed to
enforce the law, and he stood there as
rigid and cold as marble. Hard by a
good cure was trying to comfort the
wife, and interceding, but fruitlessly,
with the agent of law, who acted for the
creditor. In the struggle with their pris-
oner, the coat of the husband had been
torn from his back, and he was now be-
ing borne away to the prison through
the cold January atmosphere in his
shirt sleeves.
The wife,also shivering from exposure
to cold, could only press her infant to
her breast and sob aloud.
AT that moment there rode down the
Rue de la Paix, young and handsome
man in an open carriage. AS the vehi-
Gle came opposite the throng it was
stopped by the crowd, so that the driver
could only draw up his horses and wait
for it to disperse. The occupant of the
vehicle leaned forward to ascertain the
cause of the interruption. His eyes
caught those of the good cure, who in
stantly came forward, saying:
"It is poor unfortunate family Mon
sieur, who are being driven from their
home by heartless creditor. They are
worthy and good people, as L well
know"
And cannot pay the debt ?" asked
the young Marquis Journot, for that
was his name.
" The man cannot pay"
"And how much is the debt ?'
Fifty louis, Monsieur"
els that all ?"
GA small sum to you, perhaps, Mon
sieur, but quite too much for this poor
man to attempt to pay.o
The marquis was young spendthrift,
a gay, dissipated sprig of nobility,
scarcely yet of age, but he was not with
out generous instincts, and, indeed, he
was known to have good heart. He
lived in dissolute period, when few
young men of his rank escaped the con-
tamination of vice. Gambling was a
daily pastime, and the honor of women
was held of light account.
The young Marquis had taken out his
pocket-book as he remarked, I" is that
all pn
Here, my good priest,' he said I,
"you seem to be the friend of this un-
fortunate family. Take this money, pay
the creditor, and restore them to th cir
home" f
But this is hundred louis, Mon
sieur. The debt is only fifty" said the
cure.
Never mind, there will be some ex-
ira expenses in getting the family to
rights once more"
+" May Heaven bless you, Monsieur" !"
said the cure, solemnly lifting his cowl
and looking up to the sky. "Such dis
interested charity must be recorded
above.n
"Drive on, Antoine" said the mar
quis to the coachman, as the crowd who
readily interpreted the generous act,
sent up a ringing shout of "Vive lie
MARQUES ~
The priest settled the account and
took receipt upon the spot. The advo-
cate and his officers slipped away, and
the crowd WED with each other in en-