The morning call., 1893-04-09

boots. but general shall never be. What
did Marie say about General Loulspierre
DumOurier?
You remeiG Der the general, monsieur?
IL was at the beginning OF tina revolution,
when Danton, Robespierre and Marat were
at tho head of the convention. General
Dumourief was thought to be working
place the dethrOned Louis XVI in power
again. and with what evidence they had
they thrust him into prison. Marie says
her father spoke of him often. for it was he
who took General Dumourier's meals To
him each day in this cell where he was
confined. You know, monsieur. that after
| awhile he was brought before the tribunal
| and defended himself so we'll that he was
acquitted"
Eyes, Cabotier. l remember well. and
after that he Joined the Prussian forces.
Would that had been with him aud could
have followed where be led!
The prisoner was pacing back ana f9rth
in his narrow cell, and his excited manner
and flashing dark eyes made the attendant
shrink back. He feared that the thirst for
revenge born within tie soldiers breast
would incite him to make victim OF the
first man within his reach, but Jacques
Desmoullns, noticing the frightened man.
ner of the man, ceased his warlke gestures.
For nearly half an hour they talked to-
gether of the life of General IIouisDterEo
Dumourier and then the attendant left
When Jacques Desmoulns had put on
with certain feeling Of pride. This was
the first instance since lie had been brought
to La ConciegeTie which served to divert
his mind from the m9nOtOnous lie he led.
lie examined the footwear carefully,
Strengthened out the wrinkled leggins, and
with The moisture from his hands soitened
the leather by long rubbing process.
Several days passed. The prisoner had
not become tired of drawing imaginative
pictures of General LOGispierTe Dumourier,
a looking
at the long cavalry boots and almost he
lieving that their owner was present. lie
would ask question after question, ana then
answer them himself as his mind produced
the scenes. the feelings and utter loneliness
of this former occupant of his cell.
One noon when Jean Gabotier entered
cell No. 10, he gave the prisoner some news
which afforded him new subject for
thought during the lonesome hours.
Yes, monsieur, said the attendant,
-four new prisoners we're brought here this
morning, and one is charged with con-
spiracy against the Emperor. Marie says
they are men who hold great influence, for
the warden has ordered the night guard to
be doubled"
And do you know the names of any of
these prisoners?" asked Jacques Desmou-
Inns.
mo, monsieur. / have not as yet heard
They are all very surly and will not talk.
When l do find out shall tell you"
That night as the prisoner in cell 10 lay
awake he heard the measured tread of the
sentry beneath his window. By standing
on the little stool he was able 10 look out
between the bars, and for some time
watched the soldier as he paced back and
forth on his beat. BE was tempted to call
out TO him or drop some article on his head
as he stood for moment under the window
at the end of each trip. He thought the
fellow looked as though he might easily
become frightened, but finally abandoned
these ideas.
Night after night he watched the sentry.
There was something in this pastime which
served TO divert his mind from gloomy
Thoughts and to a certain extent interested
him. Often his Imagination drew fer him
the picture of the life of the sentry. He
wondered how a man could cOuntenance
such thing as acting as guard over u few
poor fellows confined in damp cells when
they had done nothing to bring them there
but invoke the wrath of an unjust and
tyrannical power.
AS Jacques Desmoulins stood at his win
dow one night he was surprised to see tho
sentry lean his musKet against the wall OF
the prison and sit down directly under him.
Ere long the fellow fell asleep. Plan after
plan flushed through the mind of Jacques
DesmOulins as he observed the fellow,
wholly unmindful that a pair of ewes were
watching him, but none of them offered any
effective means for his escape. He would,
II possible, gain possession of that musket,
and with that in his power he would pa
uenlly Dlu6 his time, Wle0 IL COutU Dc
utilized effectually TO gain bis release.
Without waiting to allow the time to slip
by unimpToyed. he took off one of the cav
airy boots, and with au old knife COM
menced to cut the leg into n long string.
His plan for proceeding was TO drop q slip
moose over the muZzle Of the gun and then
draw L up to his window, where it could
be easily taken between the iron bars. Eke
would much rather have dropped the moose
about the neck of the sleeping sentry, but
Ina o,1xr ri
placed In stricter confinement with less or
portunity there for effecting an escape.
As the leather was cut inch by inch the
prisoner all at once came upon piece that
was split, and a moment later the opening
revealed piece OF brown paper The look
OF surprise on the face of Jacques Des-
m0ulns would have made fortune for a
photographer could he have produced IT,
All thoughts of the sleeping sentinel had
faded from his mind, and unfolding tho
piece OF papAr he anXiously looked at the
drawing on il.
By the faint light of the moon which
made its way into his cell he was able to
see quite distinctly. Below the little chart
indicating the points of the compass were
deciphered the following words:
LA CoNCIERGERIE, CELL No. IS.
Having discovered an opening to UNDER
ground passage leading from this cell leave u
diagram seereied in my bootleg showing where
the opening may be found. Being summoned
before tie tribunal TO answer charges brought
dEdlhSI me us tEallOr L prefer TO appear there
rather lnan effect an escape. as my own words
viii prove my innocence. This l bequeath TO
La ConclefgeTie, trusting IL may fall into the
hands OF some unfortunate prisoner and be the
means OF effectIng his ESCAPE.
GENERAL LOUISPIERRE DUMOURIER.
It was not long before jacques Desmou-
Inns had solved the little diagram. With
the blade OF his knife he lOosened the earth
In the crevices between two large stones
which formed part of the wall to the cell
Placing his weight against one of them. the
beads OF respiration pouring out upon his
forehead and his hands trembling with eX-
element, the stone turned and disclosed q
cavity beyond. He lost little time in enter
ing it. and, grODing his way through the
passage. at length came out on the slope
below the prison walls.
As he looked back he saw the sleeping
form of the sentry. A moment he stopped
to consider the bold idea which had come TO
him, then softly crept to where the soldier
lay. He took the musket lying against the
wall o. the prison ana brought the butt
down upon the head of his victim stunning
him with the first blow. moment later
and he had donned the clothes OF the sentry
ana was making his way as rapidly as
possible from La COnciergeris.
The stone walls of the prison never saw
Jacques Desmoulins again, for gaining the
coast in safety he shipped on board an out
ward vessel for America. 1t was years
afterward. when he had become q citiZeu
of the United States. that he related to tile
father Of the writer the events recorded in
this story. STANHoPE Huston.
This TS the State ne Mon