The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1880-07-21

10 DtTIOiul Ol Ills lpdJB.
pray, do" said the queen " But
let us 20 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 q series of most wonderful
| performances.
He caused mysterious 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, tc jump out of the pocket OF
| the Duchess de Polignac, so startling
that naughty dame that she quite forgot
ber dignity, and acted like a scared
/ schoolgirl.
And, last of all, he nearly sent every
one into convulsions by his Rymnastic
performance. He hoped, leaped,
rolled, and distorted face and form into
the most grotesque shape.
Shrieks of laughter rang out at every
new effort.
THAT is enough" said the queen,
rising at last, while tears of merriment
were rolling down her lovely face. 81
can laugh no more. Monsieur de 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 as a monkey by leaping
| over that ditch" pointing to ravine
some six or eight feet in width, at the
bottom of which babbled tiny stream
with pebbly bed.
The dwarf hesitated.
Indeed, MASTER" he said, slowly,
II would obey you if l could; but l
fear that this is beyond my power. /
cannot jump so far"
Indeed he cannot, spoke out Louise
d'Argeni. 1T is asking too much Of
the obliging little man. Besides there
are stones down there. and Monsieur lie
Santerelle might severely injure him.
self, to say nothing of soiling that pretty
costume. So pray, Monsieur de Lanier,
do not command him thus"
"And why should Mademoisel.e
Louise expect that / should heed any re
quest hers I? She scorns mine," said
Monsieur de Lanier, in low, bitter
| voice, and with look in his eyes that
made the young girl both frightened
ind angry. NO." he continued lie
| Santerelle must do as l command him, y
The poor little dwarf gave one look
of entreaty at his inexorable master,
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 a fall, and a sight of q
green body rolling down among the
stones and briers,
TOO bad" murmured the mobiles.
"Stupid !' muttered De ,Lanier.
"Helas he's killed ~ shrieked the
ladies, while Louise d'Argent exclaip.
ed, with much indignation:
lit was a cruel-nay, dastardly ACT
to compel the har mless 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.
He was not dead, but tainted from tine
pain and loss of blood from deep gasl
in his forehead, where a jagged stone haC
cut him. At this moment the king anC
queen, alarmed by the shrieks, returned
'What is the matterp" inquired Marie
Antoinette, anXiously.
Some one explained to her in low
tones, whereupon her majesty coloreC
with indignation, and, turning to d,
Lanier, she said, in voice of stern re
proof:
Monsieur de Lanier, l am sorry tina
any gentleman of my court shoul(
have acted so cowardly."
The king also administered a sever
rebuke, and then his majesty and tb
queen went down to the little grou
surrounding the dwarf.
, De Lanier flushed purple-red, an
then grew deadly pale, at the words c
, his royal master and mistress; and a
/, they turned away his hand rested o
his sword, and he said in threatenin
tones, while lurid light cleaned in hi
, cruel eyes:
"You have your day now-mine wi
2 come by-and-bye. | shall live to Sc
T those naughty heads bow down
] the dust. And Louise d'Argent, too
curse her bewitching beautyw and s
a saying he strode away, and was 500
lost in the shades OF The forest.
q
r Many events have taken place SIM
Y the ones last recorded. The sunshine
+ prosperity has changed to the storms
o adversity. All France is shaken wit
y the thToes ofa terrible agony.
n Paris, the beautiful, has changed in
n a huge butcher shop-the streets II
], red with the blood of human being
= Men have gone mad. Riot and rapil
e have reared a goddess and Worship
n it under the name of Reason.
i Who does not shudder when recalliI
n that epoch known in history as u
"reign of teTror9'
d A few miles out of Paris there was,
t, that time, q large graystone chateau, q
:, property of Monsieur de Lanier.
t, lis former owner had fallen a victi
n to the guillUtine, and the property
the deceased has been bestowed up,
le De Lanier as gift from his frien
s. Robespierre.