The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-19

her judges,
"Details are needless, she said calmly;
sit was / who killed Marat!'
"What did you think to effect by it,"
"Restore peace to my country. | took
his life to save France"
"Why did you hate him?"
"For his crimes
''Do you, then, think that you have
assassinated all the Marats?"
'sSince he is dead others will tremble. .
Adam Lux was seated near the pris-
oner. His eyes never left her face.
When the president of the tribunal
passed sentence of death the Mayence
deputy leaped from his chair and ex-
tended his arms in passionate protest.
'No, nor he cried wildly; ''for the
love of heaven, nor
1t was the only voice raised against
her fate and she recognized the man who
had conceived for her such a strange and
mystic passion; he was faithful IN this
terrible hour-he dared to speak in the
face of her judges. She turned and
thanked him with an eloquent look. AS
though a sword had pierced his heart,
Adam Lux reeled and went down in a
swoon to the floor of the tribunal.
The gendarmes conducted Charlotte
Corday back to the prison. With per-
feet composure she made ready for the
scaffold. AS Samson, the executioner,
entered to prepare her for death she took
from his hand the scissors. cut long
curl of her chestnut hair and gave it to
Nine. Richard, the wife of the jailer.
'Send this with my fervent thanks, !"
she said, "to the deputy from Mayence. T"
Samson arrayed her in the red robe of
a murderess, cut her magnificent hair
and then bound her slender wrists.
"This," she said, sis the toilet of death,
arranged by rude hands, but it leads to
Immortality"
AS the death cart left the prison ter
rife storm burst over Paris, but the
countless swarms of people in the
squares and streets remained undimin-
ished. The furious fshwives shrieked
around the tumbril. Charlotte Corday
did not seem to hear them, much less to
resent their insults. Her face wore an
unearthly beauty and serenity. There
was no shadow of fear upon it.
At the entrance of the Rue st. Honore
a man awaited the death cart. He car
ried his hat in his hand-the rain pelted
on his fair hair. 1t was Adam Lux,
haggard, pale as ashes. He bowed
deeply to the prisoner. She started
slightly, and smile of pensive sweet
ness appeared for an instant on her lips.
He stepped behind the tumbril, and with
uncovered head followed it to the foot of
the scaffold.
Attended by this mysterious love,
Charlotte Corday went to the guillotine.
AS she mounted the scaffold her eyes
fell upon Adam Lux, who stood at it's
foot. She smiled and looked quickly up
to the summer sky, where the clouds
were now breaking. 1t was farewell
and also promise of future meeting.
The next moment she had placed herself
under the knife.
The next day man entered the con-
vention, SO haggard, SO changed that he
was hardly recognized as the handsome
young deputy from Mayence. With the
recklessness of one who had no more to
hope or to fear he assembled the tribune:
and began to impeach and attack Marat's
associates.
In vain his friends warned him to de-
sist. Holly, fercely he indicated the
young Norman lady who had sacrificed
her own life to rid France of whole
sale assassin. He published the "Apol
ogy of Charlotte Corday," and was i'm
mediately arrested and sent to the Alb
baye prison. AS he entered its sinister
door he flung up his hat and cried joy
fully, 81 shall die, then, for her"
He was brought before the revolu-
tionary tribunal. When the accusation
was read to him he said, with a scorn-
full, curling lip:
81 am stranger to your laws as well
as to your crimes. If have deserved
punishment it is not among Frenchmen
that should suffer-"
From his prison he wrote a farewell
letter to little Marguerite, far away in
the secluded house at Mayence.
81 die for the woman love-" he said.
son the scaffold her spirit awaits mine.
Death will unite us. go with glad
heart, for no longer desire life"
He dressed himself for the scaffold
like bridegroom for the. presence of his
bride. His lilac coat was embroidered
with gold thread. His powdered hair,
his knee breeches and waistcoat of white
satin, and frills of finest lace gave him
the air of a courtier.
cat last | shall see her again." he
said, pressing to his lips the chestnut
curl the jailer's wife had given to him.
He mounted the guillotine with a
smile on his lips, and a rapt, uplifted
look in his eyes.
cat last!' he repeated, and the knife
fell.
So ended one of the strangest attach
ments the world ever knew-or was this
only it's beginning?-Short Stories.