The Bossier banner., 1879-07-24

4
full velvet dress is.''
/ She touched the dress with familiar
gesture, which made Mrs. d Eresby
/ shrink back.
"There is not hing the matter with me
now," said Adele, with terrified look,
for she saw her mothers gloating gaze
fixed upon the visitors jewels and iich
/ dress. "I thank you for coming, mad
anne, but you had better 60"
"She is ashamed of her home, this
Duchess?" said tie woman, angrily.
"She does not wish her great friends to
see how poor her mother is"
Since you are SO poor, madame, "
said Mrs. D'Eresby, seizing her oppor-
tunity, "perhaps you would be willing
to part with your daughter. will re-
compense you for the loss of her serv-
ices, if you will put value on them.
She shall lind friend in me, and have
pleasant home"
The drunken eyes of the woman be-
gan to twinkle with greed. She leaned
towards Mrs. D'Eresby, and put her
hand familia 'ly on her shoulder.
"Madame must be enormously rich, ="
she said, her wine-tainted breath full
upon the lady's face.
Mrs. D'Eresby shrank back, with a
| look of disgust, which the woman, in
spite of her besotted condition, nstant-
ly perceived, Her mood changed to
| fury.
"You vile aristocra.!' she cried.
"You come here, offer to buy my own
| flesh and bl ood, and shrink back be-
cause q woman of the people touches
you. Wait! wait!"-her voice rising
to a shrill scream-' your day is over,
and ours begins! Aha! what will those
haugh.y eyes say Men?'
Adele had sprung from the bed, and
seized her friend hand. She drew her
down the stairs and to the door.
"FareN ell, dear madame" she cried
"You have been insulted in my house :;
but forgive me, and go-go quickly!"
Her voice broke into sobbing cry She
bent down, kissed Mrs. D'Eresby's
hands, and watched her until she turn
ed out of the alley.
1t was long before the lady forgot the
agonized face of the girl as she saw it
that day. But events crowded upon
her. She had delayed leaving Paris un.
til it was too late, and she could not get
out. The terrible days of the Com
mune were inaugurated, and day and
night the work of desolation went on
The fires in the city had notreached the
quiet street in which she lived, watch
ing and hoping for some chance to es-
cape. But every day she heard of some
new incendiary. The Petroleuses, :"
so called because their business was to
pour petroleum over the doomed build
ings, in order to make them more in
fammable, were like an army of Furies
rushing from street to street. Mrs.
D'Eresby was cool, brave English
woman, but she was growing nervous
under the constant and terrible excite
ment.
One night, about 10 o'clock, as she
was preparing for bed, the bell at her
front door was rung violently, and in a
few minutes there was hasty knock at
her bedroom door.
"Open, open, madame!" cried Adele's
we'll known voice. "They are coming,
and you must lose no time!''
AS she opened the door, the girl rush
ed in, pale and breathless, crying
They are going to burn down your
house tonight. They are on their way
here now-the Petroleuses-and nv
mother is with them! Quick, madamel !
take your valuables and fiy-to the En-
glish Minister'S, or to some of your
friends.n
"My valuables are safe,n said Mrs.
D'Eresby. her courage rising in the face
of danger. 81 secured them some
months ago. But will not fly, Adele,
until those women set fire to the house.
My servants are all here, and l will see
them safe before stir. They will do
me no harm personally, suppose, and
| will have ample time to get out before
I'm burned ups
A hoarse, increasing murmur came
down the street. Adele sprang to the
window and looked out.
They are not square Gift" she
cried, throwing herself on her knees be-
fore Mrs. D'Eresby, and clasping her
hands.
Dearest madame, fy!" she gasped,
sobbing- "You say they will not harm
you. say yes. My mother has bot
tie OF vitriol. l heard her say she was
going to put out the naughty eyes that
scorned her. Do you hear them? They
are at the door now"
For the first time in her life, Mrs.
D'Eresby quailed and trembled. Only
a week before, she had seen horrible
looking object, scathed and blinded by
the vittiol-throwers. Adele saw her
terror, and seizing her by the hand,
dragged her into an inner room and to
ck-staircase.
You must get out that way, and over
the back WALL" she said; ''it is your
only hope will go back and try and
save your house if l can.''
Mrs. D'Eresby hurried down the stair
case, but when she reached the bottom
step, she found the door which led into
the yard locked. There was another
back stairway, butto reach it, she must
pass through room which adioined
her bedchamber, and by the trampline
overhead, she knew the women were in
there.
She flew up, and peeped into the room
before entering. 1t was empty, but a
tumult of voices rose in the chamber