The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1894-12-10
still going on.

the crowd. end nearer and nearer She
came to the scaifold
She even forced laugh AT several r.
marks she heard around her, but these
laughs sounded strangely.
She now stood within "A few feet Of
the platform and swept it with her
eyes, bat her brother was not there,
The cry was now raised:
"Here comes another batchh'
Her heart fiuttcred violently, and she
felt faintncss come over her a. sho
heard the tramp of the doomed men ap.
proaching
Her brother walked proudly and fear
lessly forward and assembled the very
steps which led to the block
Up to this moment the strength Of
poor Marie had failed her, and She was
unable to put her resolve into execution.
But now IA sisters love swelled up in
her breast, and she recovered her
strength.
She sprang forward, bursting through
the line Of guards, and ran up the steps.
Grasping her brother by the hand, sho
cried.
"What does this mean? 1t is only the
aristocrats that are to die!'
Away, womanr' exclaimed one Of
the executioners.
No; | will not away until you tell
me why my brother is here and thus
bound ="
Your brother" was the echo.
yes this is my brother. -
"Well, who are YOU
AZ am Marie; don't you know me-"
"The boggar girl?''
AYE.
"But this is not your brother?'
at Is. Ask him-ask him. y
Young Antonio de Nantes had turned
scornful gaze upon the maiden but n
light passed across his face, and he muir
INJURED:
"Oh, my sister,"
us this your brothcr?' asked Robes
pierre of the supposed beggar, adyanc
ing near her.
ut is. "
but his name is down differently. -"
''Then you are mistaken. He is my
brother ASK him. "
docs Marie speak the truth? asked
Robespierro
"She Does was the brothers reply
And you are not De Nantes?"
~ tell you | am her brother y
why did you not tell us this be
FORE
81 attempted to speak but was 81
fenced "
but You might have declared your
self =
''You would not have believed me. "
'But your dress?'
ut belonged to an aristocrat, per
haps to him for whom | was taken.
Robespierre advanced close to young
Nantes and gazed earnestly into his
face. Then he approached Marie and
looked steadily in her eyes for short
time.
1t was a moment of trial for the poor
girl She trembled i'll spite of all her
efforts to be calm. She almost felt that
she was lost, when the human fiend
whose word was law, turned and said
"Release the man.
The chains were instantly removed
and Antonio de Nantes walked down
from the scaffold, followed by his sis
ter, while the shouts of those around
rent the air, for they supposed it was a
commoner who had thus been saved
The young man worked his way
through the crowd as rapidly as posi-
BILE, leading Marie.
They had scarcely escaped it before
the poor girl tainted from the intensity
of her feelings.
The brother scarcely knew what to do
but hand was laid upon his arm, and
voice said
Bring her to my room again. She
will be safe there -
The brother conveyed her to the
apartment of the pauper and asked Of
her:
"Have you seen the woman before?"
Eyes, | know all about it, " returned
the pauper. "She borrowed my clothes
to save her lover She has done it, and
| am glad. "
Before the noble sister returned tc
consciousness the brother had learned
all.
When she did so, they both sought
secure quarters after rewarding the
beggar girl, as had been promised
'Do you think Robespierre was really
deceived?' asked Marie de Nantes.
II think not, " returned the brother.
''Then why did he order your re.
lease
He saw your plan; he admired yout
courage. Could fiend have done less
Perhaps this was the case Eut il
so it was deed of mercy and the only
one that man ever did.
Antonio de Na'.!es was not again ar
rested and lived happily with that sis,
ter who had so nobly imperiled her own
life to save him by representing tn
beggar girl of Paris Pleasant Hours
Hungry Pike.
One of my sons, aged Is, went with
three other boys to bathe i'll 1nglemere