Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-09-18
THE STRUGGLE.

iHg the city from that lofty elevation.
How long had been there / do not
know, for the time passed very quick
ly, but I was aroused, after while, by
feeling q gentle tap upon my shoulder.
At this touch, little startled as 1 was,
turned and looked behind me. Near
enough to admit of my touching him,
had / desired to do so, l saw man of
grave and somber expression of coun-
tenance, and with long, flowing, gray
beard. ,
Almost Immediately upon my observ-
ing him, he advanced to my side.
Pardon he said, "for thus inter-
rupting your meditations. You are q
stranger to Paris, Ipresume?" -sas
"Yes.r 9E EGAsE E
San Englishman, perhaps?"
'tNo. An American ~ - see
Then he gazed at me with what SEEM
ed to me to be O curious expression in
his eyes. E
"This is a favorable place from which
to view Paris, hecontinued in as grave
o manner as had marked his conduct
from the beginning. ~ sometimes
come here myself; that is, when l get
q chance to do SO. The streets are too
much crowded for comfort. But up at
this height one feels free! free!"
You, SIR II remarked, after slight
pause, "are of course, Parsian?"
''At present, yes. / have for some
time resided here, and in that sense I
am o Parsian. Rather should say
however, that am cosmopolite."
"Indeed! Then, sir, you have been a
great traveller, doubtless%'
"You have surmised correctly, sir"
replied the stranger. II have been
everywhere-in every cline, among
every people" :. .
"You have been a great traveller" l
said to him resuming the conversation;
''may 1 ask whether you have ever
been to America?" F
"Often. very oftenl OF late years,
however, / have not been on that conti-
nent."
"You have, doubtless, also visited
Asia and Africa?" continued.
Those continents, too, have l also
traversed. My fate has carried me
everywhere, everywherew
"May ask who you are, sir?' said,
curious to know the name of my strange
interlocutor.
"Pardon!" he exclaimed, lifting his
hand depreciatingly. "Let my name he
unknown to you."
And I turned and began once more
view the city spread out at my feet. A
few moments of silence passed. Then
the stranger, who knew was watch
ing me closely, although I was not
looking at him directly-spoke again:
'tDo you see that aneient-lOoking
steeple to the left of US there-about
three-quarters of a mile away? That,
sir, is the church of st. Germain PAux-
erois, and from that belfry tolled the
tocsin that sounded the fatal hour of
the st. Bartholomew massacre"
I shuddered as he spoke.
"You trembleu' said the stranger
eagerly.
For moment, sir, I trembled to
think of that hour"
"Bah!n he continued. at Is nothing
to think of 1t! You should have seen
the spectaclem
"Ah, that must have been horrible
indeedv' .-ees
'sIt was horrible! was there! I had
just arrived In Paris from Asia Minor.
The assassins who fiecked in the streets
of Paris that night, shouting Death to
the Huguenotsp slew men women and
children; but none of them slew met
was anxious to die. threw myself in
their way, crying, Live the duke of
Guiser in order to provoke them to
slay me! But they passed by. The
death which Isought and yearned for
was denied me!p
I turned, with a certain sense of hor-
ror, as I understood the fact that was
alone upon the Vendome column with
q mad-man.
"Hav' / exclaimed with involun-
tary frenzy, the result of my intense
nervous excitement, "you. then, are
the Wandering Jew?p
SAY, the Wandering Jew! Look,
now, still further to the left of US. Do
you see that column that rises above
the roofs Of the houses? That is the coli
umn Of July at the Place de la Revolu-
ton. There stood the guillotine during
the first relvolution. On chat occasion,
too, when blood ran in streams, I was
in Paris. I thought that at last my
hour has come. When heads were fall
ing into the glory basket at every min
ute Of the day, I stood, from morning
to evening, at the foot of the guillotine,
imploring them to place my head under
the glistening knife. But the execu-
tioner rebuffed me, declaring that /
was mad, and drove me from the death
that prayed for"
During this speech, having some
what recovered my composure, I had
rapidly made up my mind as to what
course should pursue. The maniac
had worked himself up TO a paraoxysm
and was staring atme with the face of
y fiend. 485
Before he had time to snrmise my
purpose, I made sudden spring for the
apertnre, with the purpose Of descend
ing the spiral stairway; but quick as l
was, the mad man was no less expedite
ious, for he stretched forth his hand and
clutched me around the waist.
Let 60 your holdv, i shouted. "Why
do you detain me2n
uYou seek to escape me, then?n he
replied In q kissing voice. "YOu shall
now either throw me over the railing,
or I win toss You from the column!
Quick. make your choice! My life or
yours! ! would have death! Give it TO
me or die!n
Step by step, as he spoke, he dragged
me to the railing-the only impediment