The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-22
FORGOTTEN.

WHcu uulUdu llit WIS VI ~ hcNpuhDt
and when, as if wearied with its wick
edness, God seemed TO have hid his
face from the sinful land.
No one may count up the tears that
were shed, the means that were made,
the hearts that were broken in those
dreadful times but here and there out
of the great mass Of human misery
history has preserved record Of the
trials and sufferings Of some hapless
ones, reading which we shudder and
thank God that we live in happier day.
Some few years after the Reign OF
Terror-as this outburst Of sin and
madness was well named-a man Of
age entered small inn in Germany
and called for refreshments. His man
ners were timid and shrinking, and he
looked as if he might just have recoy-
cred from some terrible il!uess-he was
strangely, gha8tly pale.
The landlord supplied his wants, and,
half curious, half in kindness, he made
some remark as to the Strangers app
pearance, coupling it with the ques-
ton, . Did he want aught else i3r his
comfort r.
Nay, netlline," said tAa pale man
hastily; " have food aad ligft and
air, what could SAINT IN ne p and he
sighed deeply.
Ny friend said the la1l.nl, seat
ing himself, YOU speak rs Il you bad
known the want Of these things. Have
| guessed Alright -
His guest looked up
4" Would you would hear my tale ~
he asked. For years have kept my
silence, but to-day it seems as if it
would Tighten my heart to speak. List
en- and believe it if YOU can. Less than
seven years ago ! was gay, light
hearted youth in this our quiet father
land. Having no near relations, was
led to visit some distant ones who had
lived for many years in small town in
France.
My uncle, as ! called him out Of
friendliness, was kind, good fellow, |
well known and respectedin the place,
whore he carried on the craft of a
matchmaker, and he proposed that |
should become his apprentice and part
ner. | liked this little town, liked my
uncle, liked my aunt, and | soon gave
my consent. They had no children
4 thank God for that now-but my
aunt's kindly soul could not be content
without young people around her, so
she kept and clothed two house maid
ems, children of some poor neighbors.
Trim and neat they looked, too, wear
ing the costume of that part of Ger
many from whence my aunt came, a ,
pretty fancy of her own it seemed I
quaint enough in q strange land.
at was happy household. No won y
der l was glad to belong to it but, (
alas /! it was soon to be swept away by f
terrible affliction. For some time we n
had heard of strange trouble going on y
IN Paris and the large towns, but our
little place was still quiet. One morn q
ing, however, we woke to find every
hing in confusion. Our mayor had ,,
oeen ordered to resign, and his place a
was to be filled by some one sent from h
Paris. !,
- StdlGi, we never dreamed Of what 7
iearful misery this was the foreunner. a
We had no time to dream, either. h
-he l,l9w fell 50 suddenly. There had S
>eAer,1 a STIR going on in the market g
place for the two days following the h
arrival of the new official; but my 4
uncle and were busy over a discovery t
which he had made in our trade, and t
we were less than usual in the streets. 4
g At noon.- on the third day, how
ever. he went out for a stroll to rest
his eyes and look about him for a few
moments. My aunt and her maldens
arranged as usual the midday meal, !
and we were all readyto sit down, only
my uncle was missing. He was usual
Nv so punctual that we wondered and
waited, and at last we dined without
him. AT the close Of the meal stepped
out to look for him.
q had not got q dozen yards from
our house when | met our bakers wife,
her eyes staring out of her head.
$50 back, she said. 90 back it
is too late. The monster-the wretch
He has executed the honest man, with
out even the farce of trial, on the
accused guillotine yondern
Il was petrifed with horror. Could |
she be speaking of my uncle, SO re-
spected, so quiet as he was? 1t was
too true. The wretch in office had lost
no time, but had begun his work of
bloodshed at once, and my uncle was
his first victim, his only crime being
that he was of foreign birth, and bad
sheltered under his roof, some months
since, poor Swiss. | retraced my
steps to the house. My aunt's anxious
face met my troubled gaze. She had
begun to suspect evil. The two girls
waited fearfully iii the background.
tried to speak, but turned away and
burst into tears. ! was young then,
Master Landlord, and had tears to
shed. My aunt passed me by and |
rushed into the street, straight to the
market place. l could not follow.
What happened there was told me
later.