Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-06-14
THE REID FLAG.
M. E. BRADDON.
author OF "Lady Audley's seer
ctr mfr afN

eyes % one VINO helu the saDctlty OF the
priesthood somewhat lightly. The spotless
reputation aud noble character Of the chief
victim made the deed sacrilege. CASTOR
did not measure the words In which he de-
nounced this arrest. He had expressed
himself strongly also upon the imprison-
ment OF Citoyen Bonjean, the good Presi-
dent. From that hour the Red FLAG was a
suspected paper. The man who was not
with the Commune, heart and hand; In its
wors; follies, Its bloodiest crimes. was a
marked man.
The denunciation Of Gustave Chaudey.
Che Journalist, by Vermesch. the editor Of
1he infamous Pere Duchene, followed with
IN tweHty-fodr hours by his arrest and i'm
~prisonment, was the next rude blow. Again
Gaston denounced the tyrants of the Hotel
do Vile: and this time retaliation was i'm
mediate. The Red Flag was suppressed,
and proprietor and cor ributors were threat
ensd with arrest Gaston's occupation was
gone. His economies Of the past had been
Exhausted by the evil days of the siege, and
he found himself pcnniless.
He was not altogether dlshenrtened. he
sat himself down to write ~satirlcal ballads.
which were printed, secretly, at the old
YAhtvy aiAh roAu ny Tic nhWktTS III Tile
Stysets; and In these days of fever-heat and
perpetual agitation, The public pence flowed
Freely for the purchase Of s9uibs, which hit
fsht or left Versailles or Paris, Republic
OF Commune. The little household In the
Hue Git lie CGur, a fragile bark to be tossed
On such q tempestuous sea, managed thus to
PreAss the waves calamity for a little while
longer, and Daraad's kindly offer Of help
was refused, as not yet needed.
Boon after hearing Of the arrest Of the
Archbishop and the other priests, CASTOR
made d pilgrimage a little way out Of Paris.
He went to visit his old friends the Domini-
can monks, at the school Of Albert the
Great, and 10 ascertain for himself whether
any storm-cloud was ~darkening over those
defenceless heads. Who could tell where
those In power might look for theTf next
victims? Priests and seryents de vile were
ths hetes notres Of the C~ommunards.
All was tranquil at the Dominican School.
The house had been turned into an ambu.
lance by the fathers during the siege; ard
IT was still used for the same purpose under
ne Commune, The DoininicIns could have
10 affection Tor a government which turned
churches into clubs, forbade public worship,
md Imprisoned priests; but they were
ready to give shelter 10 the wound I'd FEEDER
ais, and 10 attend them with that div.ne
CHARITY which asks no questions as TO the
creed of the sufferer. They had a right 10
suppose that the Geneva Cross would pro.
tect their homes.
Out Of doors they did not pass without In
suits. The house had the reputation Of be-
ing rich, and the Commnnards began to talk
OF hidden treasures, and of r~eactionary
spirit among the fathers. The DominIcans
let them say their say, turned a deaf ear to
vpprobrlous epitbets, appeared in public as
Ntlc as possible, and confded themselves
10 tho mercy Of God. CASTOR cav Father
Csptier, the good prior, offered 10 seryehim
In any way within his power, which, III,
happily, was OF the smallest, thanked him
Tor all his goodness in the past, and talked
with him OF the future, which was not full
rf promise. And SO they parted, each try.
Ing to cheer the other with hopeful speech,
each oppressed by the dread Of impending
troubles.
Serizier, the colonel of the 18th legion,
had established his headquarters In ancble-
mans chateau adjoining the Dominican
school, and looked with no friendly eye up
On The fathers, whose garden lay within
Eight OF his dr~awing-room windows, The
seizure OF the fort at ISsy aggravated the
already dangerous position OF the monks.
The Federals, forced to cvacuate their posi-.
ton, fell back upon Arcueil and Cachaf,
and the 18th legion encampcd IN The en-
yirons OF the Dominican School. The faith.
ers began to fear that the Geneva C.oss
would not protect them forever.
On Nav 18th a fro hrnLn n,f ia thu ronf ~
the chateau occupied by Serizier. The
Dominicans hurried to the rescue, tucked
up their robes, and succeeded In %extinguish-
ing the flames. Serizier sent for them, and
they appeared before him, expecting TO be
thanked and praised.
To their surprise, they were treat as
spies, sergents dc ollie in disguise; hey
were accused OF having themselves sci hrc
10 tho roof, which was to serve as a signal
10 the Versaillais. They protested. but In
vain.
I'VE shall make a quick finish Of the
shaven-polls," said Serizier.
On the E,h of May. Leo Meillet, com-
mander Of the fort at Blcetre, was ordered
TO arrest the Dominicans, with all their
subordinates. To accomplish this pertioRs
expedition he required no less tlan two
battalions OF Federals, one Of which was the
notorious l0lst, commanded by Serizier.
CASTOR Mortemar heard of the intended
arrest on the evening Of the 18Th. He spent
The greater part of the nlght going from
place 10 place, interviewing those delegates
or whom he knew something, and from
whose influence he might hope something.
lie urged each OF these 70 str Ike q bow in
defence of those g~uiltless monks, to inter-
Sere to prevent an arrest which might end
in murder. But In vain. The chiefs OF the
Commune had grander schemes in hand
than the rescue Of a handful of harmless
monks.
CASTOR was at the school carly on the 10Th.
II he could do nothing to help his old
friends, he could at least be near them In
their day OF peril. He was with them when
the lOlst battalion invested their house, and
he shared their peril. Serizier recognised
him as the orator Of the Folies Bergeres,
the editor Of the suppressed Red Flag-a
paper which had published some hard things
about the colonel Of the i0fst. He ordered
Mortemar to DO arrested with the monks.
$50 you are . pupil of the Dominicans,n
he exclaimed-'a worthy pupil Of such
masters. We know now where you learnt
TO spit venom at honest patriots. You shall
stow together In the same saucer'
The capture was made, after but little
resistance. Father Captier, feeling the
responsibility Of his Office as prior, entreat-
cd to be allowed to put his seal on the outer
doors OF the house. This grace was accord
cd without difficulty. Those who granted
the boon we'll knew the futility Of such q
precaution.
At seven o'clock In the evening the pris-
oners arrived at the fort of Bicetre, after
having endured every kind Of outrage on
the way there. They were flung into q yard,
huddied together like frightened sheep,
standing bareheaded under frequent show
srs, stared at like wild beasts BY the Nation
81 Guard. At one o'clock In the morning
they were thrown into q casemate, where
they could lie on the ground and rest their
heads against the stone wall. In vain the
Dominicans asserted their innocence, and
demanded to be set at liberty. Tho only
Answers to their prayers were the obscene
songs Of their ~custodians.
CHAPTER VIII.
GIRT WITH
On the 2lst Father Captier was taken be-
fore q magistrate In . room In the fort and
submitted TO an Informal examination. Then
followed two weary days, the sand and xrd,
during which the prisoners were left with
out food; and while the monks languished
ana huureved In tina cloom of their prison