Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-01-22

his feet, but the men did not stir. Then
the count stepped forward, saying
gravely:
Respect the dead. friendsl Fall back
and let the bier pass"
He was instantly obeyed, and the
funeral moved on past the gorgeously
attired throng, who made way reverently.
AS the bier passed the bride, she was
filled with pity at sight of the young
still form under the white pail, and
taking sprig of orange blossoms out of
her bouquet, she laid it gently upon the
bier. The stern mourner saw the act
and his expression softened little, then
covering his face again, he broke into
low sobs.
"Who is that man2" asked Count
Clairville.
81 do not know, my lord," replied
the man addressed. "He is stranger.
He came TO the inn few days ago with
his sister. She was almost dead, as any
one could see. He seemed to love her
very much, and when she died he cursed
and shook his fist at heaven. This
morning told him it was too early to
have the funeral, and that he ought to
give the cure time to change his stole
after the wedding, but he would not
listen to me-"
The bridal party moved on, and soon
the merry peals of the church bells were
changed to mournful tolling, as the
bier passed under the gay floral decora-
tions of the door.
"Who is that young ladya" asked the
mourner of by-stander.
"The bride2 That is Mademoisele
Yolande de Clairville," was the reply,
and the stranger murmered softly:
"May she always be happyl"
Then he went into the church.
Twenty years passed and the Reign Of
Terror began. In La Vendee the war
was at its height when the convention
sent one of its members to Nantes with
instructions to take swift and violent
measures against the royalists.
Accordingly, this man, Carrier by
name, caused a number of suspects" to
be confined in Entrepot, building near
the cathedral of st. Pierre; men, women
and children were hustled pell-mell into
this ante-chamber of the River Loire,
and in spite of the daily drownings, the
prison was ever thronged with victims.
In large low hall the terrible pro-
consul presided at the mock trials. The
prisoners were divided into two parties,
the accused and the condemned
the former group diminished
rapidly, as the latter increased, and {.
last Carrier resolved to hurry the pro-
ceedings by dispensing with all formality
in disposing of the victims.
Then the fatal words, "Condemned to
death!' were heard repeatedly as the
royalists were hurried across the hall.
''Henri de Kergouet!" called the clerk,
and young man about eighteen years of
age left his companions and advanced to-
wards the tribunal. He bowed to the
Judges with as much ase and grace as if
he were at the court If Versailles, and
seemed to be unconscious of the fact that
a cruel death awaited him.
"You are accused of conspiring against
the republic in the person of It's repre-
sentative" said Carrier, "you took part
in a plot against my life."
The youth turned a frank, fearless pair
of eyes toward the speaker, and answered
slowly
~ owe my fathers death to you. l
alwar pay my debts"
'sHenri!" cried a woman's voice en-
treatingly. Carrier cast furious glance
round him, and then Henri de Kergouet
stood before the Judge, Who asked of
the elder one.
"Are you the mother of that young
man2"
"Your name2"
"Yolande de Clairville. Maquise de
Kergouet."
The judge looked fixedly at the
speaker for minute, then declared the
the investigation at an end and added
briefly, CONDEMNED to death, all
three"
The doomed were now led back to their
dungeons, and at nine o'clock at night
the executions began. Tied together,
two by two, the untortunates
were thrown into boats, taken out on the
river and dispatched with sword or
bayonet and their bodies cast into the
water. This method, however, soon
proved too slow to satisfy Carrier, and
he caused hundreds of his victims to be
driven to neighboring quarry aud shot.
The Marquise de Kergouet aud her two
children were awaiting their doom in
silence when the jailer entered their cell
and ordered the daughter to follow him.
"Why must we be separated9" cried
the mother.
'Citizen Carriers orders" replied the
man. "Be quick"
After long and fearful embrace the
young girl left her mother and brother,
and followed the jailer into the presence
of the dreaded pro-consul, who looked
at her earnestly and when they were left
alone asked slowly:
"What is your name2"
"Yvonne de Kergouet."