Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-02-06

ldent of the revolutionary tribunal Wild
had ordered the jailer to put them all
in one room) came in to see them, and
frightened them out Of their wits by
the sinister way in which he looked at
them-like a wild beast glaring on his
victims.
"WelI, citoyenaes," he said in his clear
high voice, land how do you employ
your time at hOme.'
One of them replied, "Citizen, we
take care Of our households"
Yes; and you stand at the windows
when you hear anybody whistling in
the street." added Brutus meaninglv.
The Oldest Of the ten ladies might be
thirty, the youngest seventeen. They
| looked at each other after this speech
with frightened air.
At last the boldest, Madame Arnaud,
the Young widow, who was about TWEEN
ty-six, ventured to say, what harm
can there be in looking out of the win
dow? 1t can have nothing to do with
conspiring against the republic"
81 have received" continued Brutus,
in his most solemn tones, Certain in
formation concerning each Of you,
know that you are all royalists, and
that you have each sworn not to be
married Or remarked as the case may
be, till the republic shall have been
overthrown. [ mean to see you mar
ried ,every one of you; but married after
my fashion. DO you hear me?"
They were defenselesse women. The
terrible words of Brutus rightly seemed
to them their death doom. Tremb bling
under the influence Of his inhuman
irony, which chilled their very souls,
they huddled together in their prison
chamber with an instinct of in some
way gaining protection from each other.
Brutus breathed hard and snapped his
little eyes. He was enjoying their dis
tress and confusion.
"Come, citOye1nes." he said. 'You are
very pretty, and | find | am getting
fooliSlly soft-h earted as [ gaze at you.
So, if any Of you can find husband ali
ready to take her, will set her at lib
erty and pardon her at once. Now m
derstand: Those of you who can name
upon the spot any citizen willing this
day to marry her, may leave this room
and go before the civil magistrate to be
married; after which she may return to
| her husbands home. AS soon as any
lady names a citizen | will send for
| him. If he agrees, you will get your
| liberty; if he declines, sentence this
evening and death tomorrow Each
Of you may write down name upon a
bit Of paper and give it carefully folded
to me- Then will read it aloud"
Brutus here distributed ten slips of
paper. Each Of the prisoners wrote
! down a name.
When he had got them all into his
hands the monster unfolded the first
and read. paul Vanguard, merchant"
| He unfolded the second and read,
Paul Vanguard, merchant
Eight times more ne read the same
name. Imagine reader, if you can,
| the amazcment of these ten poor Wo-
men,"
| At this point came in a jailer who
said to Brutus that a man almost out of
his senses was making an intolerable
noise outside the prison gate, demand
ing to get in. Brutus desired the jailer
to bring him to him immediately
The man was soon brought in. He
saw the ten fair women, and paused
with his arms uplifted in the air.
paul Janquard." cried they all with
one voice.
cha! ha! Is that Paul Vanguard, the
happy MANI" exclaimed the hideous
Brutus, with an expression of amuse-
ment on his corpse-lke features.
ct is horrible! cried Paul,
as pale rs death, recognizing his ten be-
loved ones.
The lively widow, Madame Arnaud,
here stepped forward, and pointing to
the rest, said, ''Did you whistle for
them too?"
An absurdity is sometimes irresisti-
BILE, even when the executioner is wait
ing for his victim. A general laugh
burst from them all, in which Brutus
joined. as 5eH+ 4. atf... ii 81. .ig
"Ciioyennes,' he cried, paul VANGUARD
cannot marry you all ten before an
officer Of the municipality-the law
forbids it. But our law only claims
authority over the living; perhaps after
death you may all be his wives!'
They did not laugh this time.
Rallying the little strength that yet
remained to him, Paul shook his fist at
Brutus. crying, wretch, you are thirst
ing for our blood?" ,sl
II said you should live for a week,
citizen, and III keep my promise" re-
piled Brutus, in an Indifferent tone.
"Now, follow that man, here he point
ed to the squalid, red-haired jailer who
was standing in the room); he will
lock you up in the next chamber.
There you can whistle for hours to
your linnets if you like, and may thank
me for saving you the trouble Of walk
ing or standing seven hours and half
u day for the remainder of your life"
Paul was almost suffocated with his
excited feelings. He dared hardly look
at those poor women. now all upon
their knees in their despair. When he
flung himself upon the wretched bed
in his prison chamber he was alarm
ingly i'll.
He went out Of his mind for several
days. But at last, after a dreadful
night, during which he seemed to have
heard whistling all around him, he
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