The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-11

breath after q short walk. and exhausted
by the slightest exertioD.
From my earliest childhood, remember
her seated by a window always closed and
cushioned 10 keep ont the least breath or
air, her feet resting on q foot-stove lighted
year in and year out Dressed in black.
such q delicate little figure that there
seemed to be hardly any thing of her in the
depths of the high. oid-fashioEsd armchair
IN which she kept herself ensconced. Her
small pale hands seemed hardly fit to con-
tend with the air-those dreadful draughts!
It was marvel that this incredibly at
tenuated, fraiI creature. apparently des-
stined 10 an early death. could have lived
TO the age Of eighty. miracle only to be
accounted for by her unremitting care OF
hefself.
Born ct time when modern hygiene was
IN its infancy. instead of invigorating her
self by fresh air and exercise. on the pre-
text of the slightest IndisDositlon she i'm
mersed herself In her Theoretically sealed
apartment, where. covered up to the chin
with knit shawls and wsdded pelisses. she
drenohed her stomach with syrups and herD
toa. She never would trust herself To rail-
road travel and wondered how any body
dared 10. In the last years of her life she
did not 90 out at all. On a table near her
Jay q tortoise she'll box full of JUN be- paste.
IN which she INDUCED freely, and no other
Refreshments was ever offered TO visitors.
But this frail little body, representative
to external Impressions. was the abiding
place OF generous, valiant soul. capable.
upon occasion, OF sublime devotion and
heroic 5elf-sacriflce. An undying ardOr
small. quick blue eyes and gave life and
animation TO her parcnment-cOlored face.
LII was easy 10 that her inner life
might have been.iDtense, that the blade
bad worn out the sheath. Not that Aunt
Lrmlnia's mind was remarkable. Like
most OF her cOntem DorarIes. her education
had been sadly neglected and her lifelong
siruggles with spelling resulted almost
were noble. she had good judg-
nent. o keen sense of duty and
unguenchable enthusiasm for any
great cause. At critical times she ad
a30wn astonishin cooln ess. and she seemed
TO be one of those exceptional beings. weak
In body but strong IN soul, who, all their
life long on the brink of the grave, become
accustomed TO the idea of death. and meet
II, when i5 comes, courageously and calm
~, as though il were q neighbor. known by
sight, whose visit has long been expected.
Poor little Aunt NinT came very near
receiving this visit and rendering up her
valian; soul during the "Reign o.. Terror,
when she was about twenty years old; but
her courage and energy not only savsd her
own life on that occasion. but that of ten
tnen besides-ten men saved by this frail
little creature
Already orphaned, she was living near
COrbeil on cOnfiscated national domain.
she Abbey of MauvoIsin. under the care of
Two old ladies, Mime. Marechal and Nine.
Badouillet the former tall and thin. and
the latter One-eYed, short and stOut
One evening-but aunt Erminia had bet
ter tell the story herself. / can hear her
now. with her low. half-smothered voice.
often at loss for word, and sometimes
hopelessly confused about names and
dates. now and then interruptlng herself TO
renew her supply of jujube, thrustIug the
morsel into her cheek. 10 be replaced Dy an
other as soon as 1t had melted.
That story-you want to hear that story
again. my ohild7 Well, it was In those
days. You know. We were all seated round
the ire that evening. Mime. Marechal was
S talking to .ha me- had AS Tor Nine ss
IN her chair. 1t was about
10 O'Clock. Outside the wind was blowing
very hard, and it was bright moonlight.
remember it all so WE'LL Suddenly there
came loud knock at the outer door /
forgot TO say that in the afternoon COM
pany of soldiers had come along about q
hundred of them. Their captain, tall.
xed-hairad man. took cut OF his pocket q
paper that he showed US. 1t was a
billetlng order. and we were Obliged
60 take them IN. They had been
making an Internal racket singing and
drinking and playing cards. but now they
had quieted down and had gone to sleep.
all lying close together on the floor OF the
chapel. You may think. my child. that il
was not very pleasant for three lone W omen
10 have all these rough mon close by, and
we were quite unprotected; Nine. Mare
chaPs husband had gone away. Mime. Ba-
douiilet was @ widow and was an orphan.
We were all locked and bolted in the little
parlor on the ground floor adjoining the
chapel, with one other door on the road.
That Is whore we were when there came that
knocking at the door. Nine. Badouillet
started up and we all looked at each other
very pale and frightened Presently the
knock was repeated. louder this time. We
were very much tempted not TO open the
door at all; but on reflection we saw that
this would never 90. liz you refused shell
ter 10 patriots at that time you became
suspected" and then. prestol the guilio-
tine It did not take long. Nine Marechal
began 10 say her prayers. and Mime. Badouil-
let trembled in every hmb. Since /
was the youngest, l went TO the door.
There stood q number of men. with their
hats pulled down over their eyes-a dark
group on the moOD-lighted road. They
seemed weary anu their shoes were white
with dust. My first impulse WAS to shut
the door In their faces. but one came for
ward with a deprecstory gesture and said.
IN "a low. trenulous voice, Shelter. citoy-
enue; give US shelter for night. We are
almost dead with fatigue. Take pity on
Us" And q murmur arose from the group
take pity on u.s." who are your
asked. "Fugitives. deputies of the Gironde.
We are pursued. Save u.s. GirondInsli
One of these days. my child. you Will
know what this word meant. Now, i can
only tell you that they were poor men flee
ing from Paris. masked. and pursued by
their merclless enemies, the " on Ia IA ards y
Wretched men" / exclaimed. Ego away
rs fast AS You Gan. The chapel. close by. Is
full of soldiers. IL YOU come In you are
lost" They hesitated u moment. but one
young man. dcsthly pale. leaning on the
arms OF two OF his comrades. murmured
feebly: Il cannot go on. Save yourselves
my friends, and leave me to my fate; had
rather die here" These Girondins were
brave men. my child; they would not for a
moment think of abandoning their friend
ls there no other place beside the chapel
where we could rest for two hours. only
two hoursf" said the man who fad first
spoken. There Is no place but this one
room." answered. stepping aside TO let HIM
look in. But the chapel has no entrance
nor outlet bur tsas one door and show
are obliged To pass through. Ii they should
See you you are lost"
The poor man looked thoroughly dis,
heartened. told you that 1t was bright
moonIight, as bright as iay.
oood night, citoyennes." was all he saidi
the whole country is aroused. swarmlns
with onr enemies Pray for us that we
may escape. Then turning 10 his COLI
panions he added. I'VE must CO."
You may think. my child, how badly
felt. Ny heart ached for them. | under
stood ali they had endured. and knew al
that Ihey might have 10 suffer.
a