Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-01-10
MIRAsEAv.s LAST HOURS.


Pathetic Incidents In tho Life Of Frances
Great Orator.
The order OF the French Government
70 institute o search in On old cemetery
TO recover the bones and dust OF Mira
beau, reincarnates to the mental vision
one Of the most remarkable men OF per.
haps the most far-reaching political
epoch in the worlds history. Gabriel
Mirabeau was born March 0. 1749, and
died in Paris, April q 179L The beau
tiful, almost heavenly sounding name,
is not suggestive Of his personality or OF
his mission In life. Like the cruel
Richard. of England, he was born with
teeth. was huge-headed, had one loot
twisted, was tongue-tied, and being
still further disfigured at the age OF
three years by continent smallpox" ne
grew up, according to the tradition, as
ugly as the nephew Of Satan" HIS lie
was full OF poverty, distress and perse-
cution from his father and his own in
discreet ons but be ng possessed OF the
most impassioned eloquence and ire
sistible logic in oratory, he became the
idol OF the people and the mouthpiece
of the revolution. He espoused the
cause of the third estate" and at the
end OF the royal sitting, June %. 17s9
sent the grand master OF ceremonies
back to the King with this bold answer:
go tell your master we sit here by the
will Of the people. and that we are only
to be driven out by the bayonet" He
was not hostile to royal power. and
when he found that the fearful mad
ness was sweeping away all law and or
der. he declared himself ready to make
any effort to restore the Kings legiti-
mate authority to save Franco Inter
rihed, he passed through all the
storms Of that terrible time, main
tanning that the man who fought
for common sense and his country
could not be easily conquered. He
died in service, occupied his seat in the
assembly, March 81. 1901, and spoke Eve
times that day. He had already done
herculean work. and this was the nish-
ing blow to his already undermined
constitution. On the eve Of his death
he heard the sound of distant guns
"Have we already" he sad, ''ths
funeral Of Achilles?" At dawn he ad-
dressed his physician. my friend, I
shall die to-day. When one has come
to such juncture there remains only
one thing to be done; that 10 to be per-
fumed, crowned with flowers and sur.
rounded with music in order to enter
sweetly into that slumber from which
there 10 no awakening" He ordered
his bed to be drawn near the window,
and looked with rapture at the bright
ness Of the sun and the freshness OF his
garden. 81 carry with me-" he said,
the mourning for the monarchy; its
shreds will now be the spotls Of the
factions" His body was carried in
great pomp by the people to the Church
Ste. Gcnevieve; which was henceforth to
be called the Pantheon Of France,
with this inscription: faux grands
hommes Ia patrie reconnaisante !"
Three years later his remains were
taken, by order OF the convention, to
the churchyard Of St Catherine, the
burial place for criminals, while those
OF Marat were placed in the Pantheon.
"How calm how beautiful comes on the
Silly hour when storms are gone" As
the spirit Of justice steals into the old
cemetery in this quiet time to lift up
and restore the stone that was dashed
to the ground in violence and passion,
history embodles q picture full OF the
thought and hope that as reason grows
clearer and sympathy more tender, force
will be tempered by the princip OF CO.
operation, and In all the time to come
human wrongs be righted by love and
not by blood.-The Chaperon.