Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-02-22
HIDING A Warehouses.
A Tale of La Vendee in the French
Revolution.

udu h'Ntl NNh oh' INV ii' 49, -
closed in a case of walnut in which a
Cyclops might couch himself. Polyphe-
mus had an eye in the middle of his
forehead; the clock Of Pere F~rancheteau
had one in the middle of his stomach
an immense eye, round as the eye of an
OK, in the depths of which could be seen
passing and repassing, like a gloomy
eyeball, the greenish-gray disk of the
copper pendulum. The dial-plate was
and enwreathed with flaming
roses such as n sees upon old Stras-
burg pottery. The twelve Arabic fig
ures stood forth in blue upon white
enamel, and the monumental hands ter
minated in pierced t~refoils resembling
the arrows of the weather-cocks.
Weather-cocks they clearly were, also,
for they moved according to heir humor,
sometimes slowly, sometimes at a gal
lop. Often they made a quarter of an
hour in five minutes, and then they
halted ten minutes to take breath.
When they had reached the top Of the
dial there was an Internal shaking, a
noise of unlocking chains followed by a
ding-dong enough to deafen ones ears.
$50 it," said Pere F%rancheteau, "the
clock has again run off the track. 1t is
still the balls which it received into its
system during the war which turned its
head"
GLOW is that?' ask some g%ossipping
friends: sis your clock so old? Tell us
then the story here, Pere Francheteau,"
The good man, who was as talkative
as a magpie of the Rue de Cordeliers, re-
uuired no urging. And drawing from
his pocket an old blackened pipe which
he slowly stuffed, he lighted it at the
fame of a bit of fagot and began thus:
! should say to you at first that Fran
coise (this was the name which he gave
to his clock and | are of the same age.
My father made a present Of it to my
mother the day of my baptism.
Then we were in '93. | was eleven years
old, and | recollect it as if were yester-
day. People spoke only of Chouans and
sans-culottes; the Chouans, above all,
were feared as the devil, with their
cries, their savage figures and their odd
accouterments. Almost all Ancenis had
removed to Nantes to avoid the Ven
lear acquisitions. They had no more
bread nor meat; the mobiles monopolized
the grains and hid them in the forest of
Maumesson; in short, the people would
die of hunger. My mother wished me to
quit the city, but my father, who was a
patriot, would not.
One morning in December the arrival
of the Chouans was announced. ! has
tened to the door to see them come, and !
saw them climbing the Pontereau. howl
ing like devils, men and women, pell-
nell, all in rags, barefooted, with black.
ened faces and hair floating upon the
shoulders. True brigands! In my feal
/ re-entered the house and bolted the
door. My mother very much wished tc
open to them, for she took their part
but my father would not hear to it, an(
when he had said: keep quiet abou'
thy Chouans!' he had said all. NJ,
mother lowered her head and said not
word. In the meantime the Chouan.
might be heard defiling under our win
dows, crying in the patois of the Bocage
''To the Loire" Some carried planks
ioists and casks, and others rolled boat
upon cannon carriages, This was t
pass over into Nendee.
All at nee a young oma with tn
head of a Marchioness knocked at on
door. Mamma, proiiting by the distrac
zion ~ W, u fa thnr nnnpnl To hnr
Save my life, my good woman" sal
she to my mother; 1.-THE blues are in tn
city m|assacring the Vendeans!'
BY my faith it was true. The street
were full of soldiers afoot and on horst
back, sabering and shooting all who fe
within reach.
None of the brigands for me" sal
my father to the lady; II have no wis
to have my jaw broken for you. Lea,
here, quickly"
NY mother interfered, supplicate'
wept, and ended by disarming my fathc
''Where shall We hide this unhapI
me? We have only one chamber belo
and an empty attic"
While my father sought, the Marchio
ess-for she was that-said to him ass
extended a bundle of papers:
at is not my life which it is so II
portant to save; it is these papers"
1t appears that she held them for q
Rochejacquelein, who had confided the
TO her while passing the Loire.
My mother took them from her han
without saying any thing and hid the
under the bolster of the bed. There W
only time for this. Atthe same nome
was heard the dull thud Of a gun b.
upon the slate-stone at the door.
'0pen, citizens!" they cried.
1t was the blues, who searched I
houses TO make sure that no brigar
were hidden in them. My father, fe
ing the danger to the lady, as to us
well, on her account, opened the case
the clock and closed itquickly upon h
saying: "Do not stir" Then he ran
the door, but as 1t was not opened at
first summons, the soldiers burst it
at the same time discharging tn
guns. 1t seems strange TO me still t
no one was struck, probably the bl
nreu In tne ait, Dub ~ was tnc clOck Z
received all the discharge in the d
plate. Look; you may yet see the no
Think you what were the emotions
by the Marchioness! The clock stop
short and has never gone properly sil
However, my father did not lose
presence Of mind. At the sight Of
soldiers who ran about the house
took down his hat, ornamented wi,
tricolored cockadc. and swinging it a
he cried. .'vive la republique!"
TOO late, citizen" said an off
''why did you not open to us? Wit
doubt thou hidest some brigand."
Aek Ny father looked him in the eyes
Seeudly crossing his arms replied: ~
tntset ns lnr anotherir
~ ~swsssesins bearing produce