Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-21

fict of uncertainties. The Hotel de
Vile invites him to admit National SOL
diers, which is a soft name for surren-
dering. On the other hand. His Males
ty's orders were precise. His Garrison
is but eighty-two old Invalides, rein
forced by thirty-two young Swiss; his
walls indeed are nine feet thick, he has
cannon and powder; cut alas, only one
days provision Of victuals. The city
too is French, the poor garrison mostly
French. Rigorous old de Launay, think
what thou wilt do.
All morning, since nine, there has
been a cry everywhere, ITO the Bastile 2
Repeated Populations of citizens have
been here, passionate for arms; whom
de Launay has got diminished by soft
speeches through portfolios. Towards
noon, Elector Thuriot de la Rosiere
gains admittance; finds de Launay in
disposed to surrender; nay disposed for
blowing up the place rather. Thuriot
mounts with him to the battlements
heaps ofpaving stones, old iron and mis-
siles lie piled; cannon all duly leveled;
in every embrasure cannon, only drawn
back little. But outwards, o, Thuriot,
how the multitude flows on, yelling
through every street: tocsin furiously
pealing, all drums beating the generate
the suburb Saint Antoine rolling hith-
erward wholly, as one man. Such vi
sion, spectral yet real, thou 0 Thuriot,
as from thy mount of vision, beholdest
in this moment, prophetic Of what other
Phantasmagories, and loud gibbering
Spectral Realities, which thou yet be-
holdest not, but shalt! "Que voulez-
vous ?" said the Launay, turning pale
at the sight, with an air of reproach, al
most of menace. Monsieur" said Thu
riot, rising into the moral-sublime,
"what mean your Consider if l could
not precipitate both Of us from this
height"-say hundred feet, exclusive
of the walled ditch. Whereupon de
Launay fell silent. Thuriot shows him
self from some pinnacle, to comfort the
multitude becoming suspicious, fremes-
cent; then descends; departs with pro-
test with warning addressed also to the
Invalides, on whom, however, it pro-
duces but mixed indistinct impression.
The old heads are none of the clearest /;
besides, it is said, de Launay has been
profuse Of beverages. They think, they
will not fire if not fired on, if they can
help it but must, on the whole, be rnl-
ed considerably bp circumstances.
Wo to thee, de Launay, in such an
hour, if thou canst not, taking some
one firm decision, rule circumstances.
Soft speeches will not serve, hard grape
shot is questionable; but lowering be-
tween the two is unquestionable. Ever
wilder swells the tide of men; their in
finite hum waxing ever louder, into i'm
precautions, perhaps into crackle Of stray
musketry, which latter, on walls nine
feet thick, cannot do execution. The
outer drawbridge has been lowered for
Thuriot; new depurations of citizens Git
is the third, and noisest Of all) pene-
trates that way into the outer court ;
soft speeches producing no clearance of
these, de Launay gives fire; pull up his
drawbridge. A slight sputter; which
has kindled the too combustible chaos ;
made it rearing lfre-chaos s.! Bursts
forth instruction, at sight of its own
blood, for there were deaths by that sput-
ter, of fire into endless rolling explosion
of musketry, destruction, execration ;
and overhead, from the fortress, let one
great gun, with its grape shot, go boom
ing, to show what we could do. The
Bastile Is besieged!
On, then, all Frenchmen, that have
hearts in your bodies. Roar, with all
your threats, of cartilage and metal, ye
sons of Liberty stir spasmodically
whatsoever of utmost faculty is in you,
SOUL body, Or spirit, for it is the shout
Smite, thou Louis Tourney, cartwright
of the Marais, old soldier of the Regi-
ment Dauphine smite at that outer
drawbridge chain, though the fiery hail
whistles round thee. Never, over have
or felloe, did thy axe strike such a
strike. Down with it, man; down with
it to Orcus; let the whole aceursed edi-
fee sink thither, and Tyranny be swal-
lowed up forever. Mounted, some say,
on the roof of the guard room, some on
bayonets stuck into joints of the wall,
Louis Tourney smites, brave Aubin
BOnnemere (also an old soldier Sec
! ondinp him: the chain Yields. breaks