The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-18

great war had been fought out TO the
bitter end. Traces of the conflict be-
tween the two races had almost van
ished, but those of the second and inter-
necine contest were visible everywhere
The Gaul himself had destroyed what
the Teuton spared. The Tuilcries, with
sightless, empty eyes, gazed sadly to-
ward the Place de la Concorde, where
stood the statues of the fair lost prov
inces. The Vendome column lay pros
trate. The fair city was charred and
blackened by the incendiary torches Of
her own sons; but the flames had been
some time extinguished and ample re-
venge had been taken. A gay young
officer, friend of mine, took me to see
military prison. We were chatting
and smoking in the open air when a
small body Of soldiers appeared. They
were escorting three men, who walked
with fettered hands and bowed heads.
"Who are theyP" l asked.
"Blackguard Communists.
Where are they taking themp
The Frenchman shrugged his shoul-
ders. "Where they ought all to be
taken-to be shot, the brutesp
Brutes or not, three men who have
but a minute to live must be objects Of
interest if not sympathy. Hooked close
" at them as they passed us. One Of
them raised his head and stared me in
the face. 1t was Macari!
started as his eyes met mine, but l
am not ashamed to say the movement
was caused by no feeling of compassion.
Ceneri, in spite of myself, / pitied, and
would have aided had it been possible,
but this rufIian, liar and traitor should
have gone to his doom even if | could
have saved him by lifting finger. He
had passed long ago out of my life, but
my blood still boiled when / thought of
him and his crimes. / knew not how
he had lived since last saw him-knew
not whom or how many he had be-
trayed but if Justice had been slow in
claiming him, her sword had at last
reached him and his end was close at
hand.
He knew me-perhaps he thought ]
had come there to gloat over his pun
ishment. A look OF bitter hate crossed
his face. He stopped and cursed me.
The guard forced him on. He turned
his head and cursed me until one Of the
soldiers smote him in the mouth. The
action may have been cruel, but there
was little mercy shown to Communists
in those days. The guard and theil
prisoners turned round an angle OF the
building.
"Shall we see the endP" said my
friend, Tipping the ash off his cigar.
"No, thank YOU"
But we heard it. In ten minutes the
rattle Of rifles sounded, and | knew
that the last and guiltiest Of Anthony
March's murderers had found his do
serts.
remembered my promise TO Ceneri
With great trouble / managed to get Q
message sent which / believed woult
reach him. Six months afterward
letter stamped with hieroglyphical post
marks, was delivered to me. 1t tolt
me that the prisoner to whom / hat
written had died two years after his ar
rival at the mines. So the lesser Grim
inal had not the satisfaction of knowing
the fate of the man who had betrayed
him.
My tale is told. My life. and Pauline
began when we turned from that GENE
terry and resolved to forget the past
Since then our joys and griefs hav
been the same as those of thousands
As write this in my happy countr.
house, blessed with wife and children
wonder if l could ever have been tha
blind man who heard those fearfu
sounds and who saw afterward that ter
rible sight. Could it have been VIII
rushed from one end OF Europe 3
the other TO set at rest doubt which
blush at even harboring? Could
have been Pauline, whose eyes nov
shine with love aud intelligence, VIII
Law for months even years, with tn
sweet bells of her intellect tangled an
out of tune?
Yes, it must be so; for she has rea
every line have written, and as W
peruse and revise this last page he
arm steals round me, and she says, il
sisting that shall record her ute
ance:
TOO much, too much Of me, m
husband, not enough Of what you di
and have always done for mel"
With this, the only difference
opinion that exists between us, my tai
may end.
THE END.]