Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-29

let us 60 out and sit beneath the shade
of the trees"
Merrily chatting the party of ladies
| and gentlemen left the neat little dairy.
When all were seated on the violet
| dotted grass Monsieur de Lanier gave
| lie Santerelle. sign, whereupon the lat
ter began n tseries of most wonderful
performances.
He causedmysteriou eggs to sudden
| ly appear in the grass; he swallowed
poinard after poinard; he produced
yards of gayly-colored ribbon from his
hat; he caused six white mice, with
pink eyes, to jump out of the pocket of
| the Duchess de Polignac, so startling
that naughty dame that she quite forgot
her dignity, and acted like n scared
schoolgirl.
And, last of all, he nearly sent every
one into commissions by his gymnastic
performances. He hoped, leaped,
rolled, and distorted face and form into
he most grotesque shape.
Shrleks OF laughter rang out at every
| new effort.
That is enough" said the queen,
rising Mt last, while tears of merriment
were rolling down her lovely face. 81
can laugh no more. Monsieur dc La
nier, we are much indebted TO you.
Come, Louis, let us take stroll among
the trees before the sun sets and the
dews fall;" and she and her husband
sauntered away.
Scarcely had the two royal person.
ages left the group ere De Lanier said !:
Come. lie Santerelle, show US some
more. Give us something new. Prove
your agility rs monkey by leaping
over that ditch" pointing to n ravine
/ O. n;p i,, ,x,,I nt t,a
bottom of which babbled tiny stream
with n pebbly bed.
The dwarf hesitated.
" Indeed, master" he said, slowly,
" | would obey you if could; but l
fear that this is beyond my power.
cannot Jump SO far"
-" Indeed he cannot" "spoke out Louise
| d'Argent. "It is asking too much of
the obliging little man. Besides there
are stones down there. and Monsieur lie
Santerelle might severely iniure him.
self, to say nothing of soiling that pretty
costume. So pray, Monsieur de Lanier,
do not command him thus"
And why should Mademoisele
Louise expect that should heed any re-
quest # hers She scorns mine," said
Monsieur de Lanier, in low, bitter
voice, and with look in his eyes that
made the young girl both frightened
and angry. No" he continued; " lie
Santerelle must do as command him."
The poor little dwarf gave one look
of entreaty Mt his inexorable master r
and then, smiling gracefully as he saw
the'sympathy on the faces near him, he
threw aside his cloak, measured the
distance with his eyes, and then took
the leap.
The result was what might have been
expected.
There was fall, and n sight Of n
green body rolling down among the
stones and briers,
Too bad" murmuTed the mobiles.
Stupid !" muttered DE Lanier.
"Helas he's killed ~ shrieked the
ladies. while Louise d'Argent exclaim-
cd, with much indignation:
" 1t was cruel-nay, n dastardly act
TO compel the harmless little creature
to take leap which has, perhaps, re-
suited fatally to him"
| Seeing that De Lanier made no effort
to ascertain the condition of the dwarf,
she herself descended into the ravine,
and raised the head OF the poor little
man upon her knee.
lie was not dead, but tainted from the
pain and loss of blood from deep cash
in his forehead. where a jagged stone had
cut him. At this moment the king and
queen, alan med By the shrieks, returned.
What Is the matter?" inquired Marie
Antoinette, anxiously.
Some one explained to her in low
tones, whereupon her majesty colored
with Indignation, and, turning to De
1anier, she said, in voice of stern re-
proof:
Monsieur de Lanier, am sorry that
any gentleman of my court should have
acted so cowardly."
| The king also administered n severe
rebuke, and then his majesty and the
queen went down to the little group
surrounding the dwarf
| De Lanier flushed purple-red, and
then grew deadly pale, at the words of
his royal master and mistress; and as
they turned away his hand rested on
his sword, and he said, in threatening
tones, while lurid light CLEANED in his
| cruel eyes:
You have your day now.-mine will
come by-and-bye. shall live to see
those haughIy heads bow down to the
dust. And Louise d'Argent, too
curse her bewitching beautyl" and so
| saying he strobe away, and was soon
lost in the shades of the forest.
|
Many events have taken place since
the ones last recorded. The SUNSHINE oi
prosperity has changed to the storms OF
adversely. All France is shaken with
the throes of n terrible agony.
Paris, the beautiful, has changed into
a huge butcher shop-the streets run
I'd with the blood of human beings.
| Men have gone mad. Riot and rapine
have reared goddess and worshiped
1t under the name of Reason.
Who does not shudder when recalling
that epoch known in history as the
"reign of terror"
A few miles out of Paris there was. nj
that time, large graystone chateau, the
property of Monsieur de Lanier.
Its former owner had fallen n victim
to the guillotine, and the property oil
the deceased had been bestowed upon DE
Lanier as a gift from his friend, Robe
spierre.
| nua do~f, ra.nxy ntobt thara aoi IN nm