The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-06-13
THE RED FLAG.
NJ. E. BRADDoN.
Author OF "Lady Audley's Seer
etc nfc etc

-BY-
M. e.
Author OF "Lady Audley's sccs
etc. etc. etc.
Inc arrest OF the Archbishop and MS Ia.
low-sufferers, on the 9Th of April, was the
first shock which disturbed CASTOR Mortc-
mars faith In the men who ruled Par,s.
That act appeared unjustifiable even in the
eyes Of one who held the s~anctity of the
priesthood somewhat lightly. The spotless
reputation and 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 Yldg was a
suspected paper. The man who was not
with the Commune, heart and hand; IN its
worst follies, its bloodiest crimes, was a
marked man.
The denunciation of Gustave Chaudey,
the Journalist, by Vermesch, the editor OF
the infamous Pere Duchene, followed with
IN twenty-four hours by his arrest and i'm
prisonment, was the next rude blow. Again
CASTOR denounced the tyrants of the Hotel
do Vile: and this time retaliation was i'm
mediate. The Red Flag was suppressed,
and proprietor and corr ributors were threat
ened 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 penniless.
He was not altogether disheartcned. Ho
sat himself down to write s~atirical ballads,
which were printed, secretly, at the old
office, and sold by the hawkers in the
streets; and in these days of fevcr-heat and
perpetual agitation, the public pence flowed
freely for the purchase of squibS, which hit
fight or left, Versailles or Paris, Republic
or Commune. The little household in the
Rue Git lie CGur, a fragile bark to be tossed
on such a tempestuous sea, managed thus to
breastthe waves CALAMITY for a little while
longer, and Durand's kindly offer of help
was refused, rs not yet needed.
Soon after hearing of the arrest Of the
Archbishop and the other priests, Castor
He went to visit his old friends the Domini-
can monks, at the school of Albert the
Great and to ascertain for himself whether
any s~tornl-cloud was darkening over those
d%efenceless heads. Who could tell where
those in power might look for their next
victims? Priests and scrgcnts dc uttle were
WiAS ~ Va IA
All was tranquil at the Dominican School.
The house had been turned into an ambu,
lance by the fathers during the siege; AID
1t was still used for the same purpose under
the Commune. The Dominicans could have
no affection for n government which turned
churches into clubs, forbade public worship,
and imprisoned priests; but they We're
ready to give shelter to the wounded FEEDER
ais, and to attend them with that divine
charity which asks no questions as to the
creed of the sufferer. They had q right to
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 Communards began to talk
of hidden treasures, and of q reactionary
spirit among the fathers. The Dominicans
let them say their say, turned a deaf ear to
cpprobrious epithets, appeared in public as
little us possible, and confided themselves
to the mercy of God. CASTOR saw Father
Captier, the good prior, offered to serve hun
In my way within his power, which, ut.
happily, was Of the smallest, thanked him
for all his goodness in the past, and talked
With him of the future, which was not full
OF 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 anoble-
mans chateau adjoining the Dominican
School, and looked with no friendly eye up
on the fathers, whose garden lay within
sight OF his ~drawing-room windows. The
seizure of the fort at Issy aggravated the
already dangerous position of the monks.
The Federals, forced to eyacuate their posi-
ton, fell back upon Arcueil and Cachan,
and the 18th legion encamped in the ell
yirons of the Dominican School. The faith
ers began to fear that the Geneva Cross
would not protect them forever.
On May 18th a fire broke out in the roof of
the chateau occupied by Serizier. The
Dominicans hurried to the rescue, tucked
up their robes, and succeeded in e%xtinguish-
ing the flames. Serizier sent for them, and
they appeared before him, expecting to be
thanked and praised.
To their surprise, they We're treated as
Bpies, serge1lts de UiNe in disguise; they
were accused of having themselves set fire
to the roof, which was to serve as a signal
TO the Versaillais. They protested. but in
vain.
w shall make a quick finish of the
Bhaven-polls," said Serizier.
On the 18th of May. Leo Meillet, com
mander of the fort at Bicetre, was ordered
to arrest the Dominicans, with ali their
subordinates. To accomplish this perilous
expedition he required no less than two
battalions of Federals, one of which was the
notorious 101st, commanded by Serizier.
Castor Mortemar heard of the intended
arrest on the evening of the 18th. He spent
the greater part of the night going from
place to place, interviewing those delegates
OF whom he knew something, and from
whose influence he might hope something.
lie urged each of these to strike q blow in
defence of those g~uiltless monks, to inter-
fere 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 Mt the school early on the 10Th,
1.-The 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 10lst battalion invested their house, and
he shared their peril. Serizier recognised
him as the orator of the Folies Bcrgeres,
the editor of the suppressed Red FIda-a
paper which had published some hard things
about the colonel of the 101st. He ordered
Mortemar to be arrested with the monks.
$50 you are a pupil of the Dominicans.'
he exclalmed-''a worthy pupil of such
masters. We know now where you learnt
to spit venom at honest patriots. You shall
stew together IN the same sauce!'
The capture was made, after but little
resistance. Father Captier, feeling the
responsibility Of his Office as prior, entreat
ed to be allowed to put his seal on the cute,
doors of the house. This grace was accord.
ed without difficulty. Those who granted
the boon we'll knew the futility of such 8
p%recaution.
At seven o'clock in the evening he ris
oners arrived at the fort of Bicetre, afte,
having endured every kind of outrage o,
the way there. They were flung into a yard
huddled together like frightened sheen
standing bareheaded under frequent show
ers, stared ut like wild beasts by the Nation
al Guard. At one O'Clock In the mornin.
they were thrown into a casemate, where
they could lie on the ground and rest theil
heads against the stone wall. In vain thu
Dominicans asserted their innocence, ant
demanded to be set at liberty. The onl,
answers to their prayers were the obscen,
songs of their %custodians.