The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-09
"A TOUCHING TALE.
An Incident OF the Terrible Ending
of the Paris Commune.
Tho Pathetic Story OF tho Awful Doath
or u Soldiers Littlo Girl Who Was
on Mission of Lovo to
Iycr Father.

In the year of our Lord 1871 one of
the largest and finest cities of the old
world was in the throes of q violent
connection without and within. tt is of
the commotion within we have to do,
says the Chicago News. On one side
were scarecrows in rags and tatters.
These were the people. On the other,
gaunt faces attached to bodies wearing
blue uniforms. These comprised the
army, and upheld the government.
Tho city was Paris; the people French
men, and the time during the reign of
terror succeeding the fall of the French
capital.
Across one of the main streets there
was high, massive heap of stones,
boards, barrels, pieces Of furniture and
debris of every description. This was
barricade. On the other side of this
barricade were tho human skeletons in
their threadbare garments. Their
eyes were sunl1cn, their checks wan
and their forchcads scanned with many
deep burrows. But they grasped their
muslsets mono the less tightly for all
this; their movements were none the
less rapid, their aim none the less dead
ly. There were the men who had set
the government, with all it's trained
grenadicrs, its artillery and its
authority, at defiance. -Four blocks dis
tant were the soldicrs-thc government.
Both sides were resting, preparatory
for the morrow's death struggle, for it
was night. But they were on the
alert; behind the barricade every man
was sentry. None of them expected
f, icr1,f fnl1 Il ,off 4
not if they were cheated out of n few
hours sleep now; the welcome rifle
balls of tic morrow would satisfactory
ly decide the question of hunger and
sleep.
The night was intensely dark, and
with the exception of an old lantern
hung against the flagstaff, on the top
of the barrier, everything was ms
somber as the shades of death. But
these barbados were watching-oh,
SO kcenly! And their guns were double
shotted for the government.
Two blocks distant from this ugly
fortress n little girl turned the corner
and gazed tremblingly at the flicker
ing light on the fagpole. In her hand
sho carried small basket, over which
was red napkin. This was tied tight
ly to prevent the rude gusts of wind
from blowing it off. She crept close to
the walls of the buildings and walked
softly toward the light. Nearer
nearer-shc drew, the pulsations of her
heart increasing the closer she ap-
preached But she kept vnliantly on
She had approached within half
block of the barricade, when her foot
trod on small piece Of wood and it
cracked noisily. Instantly half a score
of guns Clicked" and q harsh, pcne-
trating voice rung out: "Who's there?"
She tried to answer with all her might,
but she could not. Every energy was
paralyzed. Her mouth was dry; her
t5ngue motionless. She staggered and
attempted to support herself against
the wall near which she was standing
She felt her strength leaving her; her
head began to swim and She knew she
was falling. She dropped hor basket,
tried to raise her hands, when
"Who's thcrc?" was repeated, loudly,
and n moment aftcrward the same voice
gave the command: "Firc!" The vi
brations and flashes of twenty heavily
charged muslzcts followed the order.
The walls of the houses echoed and re-
echoed. The awful stiffness was broken.
The little messenger shricked-a long,
pitiful, pleading cry-and all was still
again. The silence continued moment
or two. Then two Of the men reloaded
their guns, descended the outside of the
breastworlss, and went in the direction
in which the shots had been fired One
of them struck something with his
foot. He stopped down. "AIy God,
Franz!" he cried, "it's little grill"
He picked the slight form UP in his
arms and started at n run toward the
barricadc. His companion found the
basket and brought it with him. The
first man, after crossing the barrier,
took his burden into q tavern near by.
He laid it on q table in the main room.
A light was held over the little wait.
The man gazcd at it lsecnly moment,
then uttered terrible cry: "NIcrciful
heavens! It's my little Janctr and
dropped on the floor as lifcless as the
little girl he had killed. 1t was his only
daughter, and her errand had been to
bring her father something to eat.
The troops, hearing the firing and
supposing an attack, advanced, took
the barricadc, and, as it's defenders
would not ask for quarter, they were
shot down to the last man. But the
saddest occurrence there was the death
of little Janet while on her GRAND Of
love.
Now RuleS OF PolItcness.
In certain private schools of Brooklyn