Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-03-26
REIGN OF TERROR.

"
The horrors OF the revolution were
tally increasing. The CORY stream
T. um the guillotine seemed scarcely 10
cease moment in the crimson course
Nearly every one who possibly could
had quilted the French capital, which
hal become the abode of lawlessnesS
AM crime. Every day hundreds, III
various DISCUSSES, and at infinite peril,
ueking almost everything, escaped
from the scenes of barbarlty and blood
shed, which had begun to form the
laily life of Paris.
Death seemed to surge like a Sea
through the streets, and the higher the
heed the less safe II was, for the leyellng
iTGcesS began at the highest and de-
SCci.ded to the lowest. The weak and
def, useless either fell victims OF escaped
from the city. Some few, from princi-
pc. rema ned TO sustain their party.
At all hours of the day and night the
hurTld tocsin sounded in the half-de-
SItcd streets. The low booming sound
of he bells, the shrieks of victims, and
the oaths and yeils of the rabble, made
h.ieous music everywhere.
The old Countess la Vile sat by her
window, half dead with terror, and
lee ring through the curtains out into
l.e street. Every now and then as a
horrible procession on the way TO the
ELi lotine passed. she would draw back,
,sembl ng from head TO foot, as though
ssh. half expected herself to be the next
victim.
\ fire burned III her steel-gray eye
Which was dangerous 10 look at, and a
tTemOr Of er thin, blanched lips was
but a faint sign of WorGs that died away
unutteTeI. She had Ieen staunch
SUI pO. ter of the unfortunate king; she
had done all That woman could; she
had never for moment fiinched in her
loyalty through those most trying times.
She had been left almost alone.
Friends, family and servants, all had
be'Iken themselves off, prudently re-
gIrding their own safety, and leaving
lie State to shift for itself. The count
ess vowed she never could do this. She
would sit in her draWIng-room, in her
reception-ch II, with Ler brocade silks
and feathers, and there they might
come, the mi. era le rabbe, the wretch
ei, filthy republican scum, and theS
should see W noble woman could
meet her fate.
OF course that was all very fine talk,
AID It sounded wonderfully grand, as
the eyes oI the OLD lady flashed, as her
lips curled i'll scorn, and her very voice
ed away TO an inaTticulate hiss of
contempt; but eyes which had been just
as bright as hers were now glaze Ia
death, and liz as scoTnful had been
silenced foTever-eyes and lips " hich
few hours before had sparkled and de-
fed the pow, Is that were. And one
made very different spectacle. dragged
out as prisoner, from Calmly sitting IN
ones drawing-room.
Tie old lady's views became some
what modified as the Revolution pro-
gIeSSei, and, although she lost none of
her acerbIuy for the vile scum of re-
publIcauism, as she still regardei the
lawless r;ibble, which treated the head,
OF the nObleSt houses with every iudig-
nifty, and poured out the purest and
noblrst blood Of France like water, yet
she soon changed her views materially
a1a:It sitting in her dTawing-room III
her feathers and bI ocades and teaching
tie uuimpress ble mob how a noble
heart could d C.
Ever since she saw her old friend, the
MaTquse de ID GIeIiere, led through
q c streets, Il wonderful change had
come over the cou les.
She had been one day attracted 10
,he front win .Ow OF her apartment by
Elise. her maid. What a sight mel
her cyesl \ procession, headed by
rough, I ed-IaCrd men and fierce od
hags, was passing. In the midst, in all
obi cart, VAS her old friend, the mar
Quise.
She nearly tainted with flight. Still
she look d from tie window Yes.
there WAS Madame la Marquse, i'll ali
the pride ami glory of her nobility and
long descent. WI. tchedly attired and
dragged along in miserable Old cart.
IIer white lair fel! around ier shsul-
ders. Her Gre-s was torn and distr-
ranged. She was pushed and jo.tled
by the uneven motion of the old cart
Y els saluted her on every side. H.
digniticS too foul and shameful 10 ie-
peat were shOwered uion her.
. The countess sank on her chair and
buried her f ce III her hands.
My Godl My God, Elsie, are they
devils-these miserable wretches? Do
they know that it IS the marquise thel
are insulting! Upon my word, We are
none OF Us safe!'
Elsie laughed a strange, low laugh.
She knew well enough that tuey knew
AZ was ~ 4ft ~
enough, they would not have harmed
her.
Day by day the work of slaughter
went on. The he ds OF the friends OF
the countess fell just as though they
had nevsr worn CoIonets, and the old
blue bio d drippel down and mingled
with the mud of The ParIsian streets
Nearer and nearer swept the great
ocean of blood and destruct on. The
countess stood at her post. She shud-
dered now and then as the horrid de-
tails reached her. She thought less
and less the feathers and brocades,
and now an len muttered a curse OF
wo on the brutal mob.
She listened to the accounts wh'cl
reachsd d her of tie ignominy and tor-
tu-e iitlicted on the hated race OF
mob t " tn something between a shud-
der AMI Il malei.CtIon.
By degree e idea seemed TO develoI
eli that /, G she would not be ex
.Jnpt; that tie na nds stained with crime
.ud dyed VA lie blood of royalty itself,
- nuuld make BIT short work with tue
our old p w'ered wig and painted face
Shsrh had saelled the ranks in those
semi :. ,re very remembrance Of
4. 81! {. s;ie.i ia starving and ignorant
...asSeS 10 READINESS. Ye. she still kep,
w bold front,