St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-07-08
Charlotte COrsiay.
-EIchdnge.

The following sad and touching sto-
ry of Charlotte Corday is found among
the papers of the Ladies' Reading So
ciety, formed i'll st. JOlInsbury many
years since, and is from the pen of one
of its early members.
In Caen, one of the cities of France,
resided IL young girl of great beauty,
rare courage and exalted heroism. Al
though of noble blood, she was poor,
and brought up i'll convent, at pc
riod when mOnasterics were suppress
ed. She lived i'll obscurity with an
aunt, whose age and infirmitics had
hardly allowed her intercourse with
the people about her. She passed her
days i'll reading and musing No one
interrupted or directed her in any way,
and thus her opinions and studies were
wholly unrestrained. This young girls
name was Charlotte Corday. Possess
ed of an active, discerning mind, she
could not he ignorant of the reign of
terror that had already commenced in
Paris. The guillotine was receiving
its tribute of victims, and her lover, an
officer i'll the garrison ut Caen, was ac-
cused as conspiratOr against the re
public. Marat Danton Robcspierc rul-
ed the destinies of France. MaIat had
in IL peculiar degree excited and agon-
ized her beyond endurance. He pub
licly proclaimed that 3OO,OO0 heads
would not effect the publication of
France.
She heard and waited-she waited
in vain, observing that those around
her manifested but little desire to in
ilict vengeance on those monsters who
were called drinkers of blood She re-
solved to strike the fatal blow upon
him whom she considered the leader
On the 9th of July, early in the morn
ing, she made up little bundle which
| she put under her arm, left her aunt's
house and made the journey to Paris
in three days on foot. She went to the
Hotel de Providence and slept soundly
from ) o'clock in the afternoon till the
ltAi I0ilt dItSt ana Ill IL Sll1l-
pie but respectable dress, called twice
at Marat's house, but was not admitted
She returned to her chamber and wrote
a billet as follows:
'Citizen Il have just arrived from
Caen. Your love for your native
country no doubt makes You desirous
of being informed of the unhappy tran
sactions i'll that part of the republic.
Have the goodness to receive me.
have important discoveries to make to
yOu.n
Relying on the effect of this note she
went ut the appointed hour, but could
not obtain access. Charlotte then
wrote another note, more pressing than
the former. Without waiting Il reply
she followed the bearer of this note
and arrived at the door almost as soon
as he. AT first she was refused admit
tancc into the room. Marat having
gathered from the conversation with
his servant that it was the person who
had repeatedly written him, ordered
her to he admitted. Marat was in his
bath. He Immediately inquired of the
unknown visitor the names of the dep
uties and administrators who were ut
Caen- She gave them to him and he
wrote them down, and said in voice
sure of vengeance "Well, before they
are ii week older they shall he guillO-
tined"
At these words Charlotte drew from
her bosom knife, which she had con
cealed, and plunged it to the hilt in
Marat's heart. "Help, my dear, help y
cried Marat and then expired, literally
dying in bath of blood.
! Charlotte, mOtiOnlcss as if pctritied
by her crime, continued calm and tran
quill amidst the tumult and confusion
of the scene. She was conducted t.
the Abbey as a prisoner. Her trial wa,
short. She appeared before the revo
lutiOnary tribunal with firmness, anC
spoke of the deed as IA duty she OWED
to her country. She heard the sen
tence of death pronounced without til,
least perceptible change in her coun
tenance, and retained the same calm
ness and presence of mind To the last
rendering her at once an object of in
: tcrest, astOnishment and wonder to al
|, who beheld her.
Thus died upon the scaffold rcsolut,
Charlotte COrday, on the 18th of July
l193, Mt the age of p. History. in til,
light of murder, dares not praise her
but i'll the light of heroism, darcs no
condemn her.
st c.