The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-07-25
A TOUCHING TALE.
An Incident of the Terrible Ending
of the Paris Commune.
Tho Pathetic Story of the Awful Death
of . Soldiers Little Girl Who Wss
on q Mission of Love to
Her Father.

In the wear of our Lord 1871 one OF
the largest and finest cities of the old
| world was in the throes of a violent
commotion without and within. It is of
the commotion within we have to do,
says the Chicago News. On one side
were scarecrows in rags and tatters.
These We're the people. On the other,
gaunt faces attached to bodies wearing
| blue uniforms. These comprised the
army, and upheld the government.
The 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 a high, massive heap OF stones,
boards, barrels, pieces Of furniture and
debris Of every description. This was
| a barricade. On the other side of this
barricade were the human skeletons in
their threadbare garments. Their
eyes were sunken, their cheeks wan
! and their foreheads scanned with many
deep burrows. But they grasped their
muskets none 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
grenadiers, It's artillery and it's
! authority, at defiance. -Four blocks dis
! tant were the soldiers-the 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
to see another nightfall, and it battered
not if they were cheated out Of a few
| hours sleep now; the welcome rifle
balls Of the 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, OK the top
! of the barrier, everything was as
! somber as the shades of death, But
| these barricades were watching-ch,
SO keenly! And their guns were double
shotted for the government.
| Two blocks distant from this ugly
fortress q little girl turned the corner
and gazed tremblingly at the flicker
ing light on the hagpole. In her hand
she carried a small basket, over which
was a 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
neare1--she drew, the pulsations of her
heart increasing the closer she ap-
preached. But she kept valiantly on.
She had approached within half
block Of the barricade, when her foot
trod on small piece of wood and it
cracked noisi1y. Instantly half a score
of gums clicked" and harsh, pene-
trating voice rung out: t'Who's there?"
She tried to answer with all her might,
| but she could not. Every energy was
| paralyzed. Her mouth WAS dry; her
tongue 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 her basket,
| tried to raise her hands, when
ssWho's there?" was repeated, loudly,
| and moment afterward the same voice
| gave the command: ssFire!' The vi
brations and flashes Of twenty heavily
| charged muskets followed the order.
The walls of the houses echoed and re-
| echoed. The awful stiffness was broken.
| The little messenger shrieked--a long,
pitifrl, pleading cry-and all was still
| again. The silence continued d moment
or two. Then two Of the men reloaded
their guns, descended the outside Of the
,breastworks, and went in the direction
| in which the shots had been fired. One
of them struck something with his
foot. He stopped down. my God,
Franz!' he cried, cts a little grip
! He picked the slight form up in his
arms and started at a run toward the
barricade. His companion found the
basket and brought it with him. The
! first man, after crossing the barrier,
took his burden into a tavern near by.
He laid it on table in the main room.
| "A light was held over the little wait.
The man gazed at it keenly a moment,
then uttered a terrible cry: ''Merciful
heavens! It's my little Janet!'' and
dropped on the floor as lifeless as the
little girl he had killed. It 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 barricade, 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 errand of
! love.
| New Rules of Politeness.
In certain private schools OF Brooklyn
new rules Of politeness are enforced.
It is no longer proper for the little
pupils to say eyes, sir" No, sir, eyes
ma'aln'' and ssNo, ma am to their elders.
Now the correct thing is Eyes, Mr..
Brown :'No, Miss Smith" and SO on.
If the child happens to be addressed by