Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-01-12
ASTORYOF BIZ GOD.
by II. E. DRADDoS.
CHATTER vIL-CONTINUEp.

SnOuluereu, eyes Snl1ty ana restless, Tore
head low. lips thick and heavy, receding
chin, the head of G bulldog. His voice was
harsh and hoarse, his breath eXhaled co mac.
When he was angry that rough voice broke
out in cursings and fury, more like the
bowling Of savage dog than the accents Of
humanity.
Serizier had his own particular prison as
well as hiss own particular battalion. A
house in the Avenue d ltalie had been trans
formed into gaOl; and here this man kept
those victims who were known as his pris-
Oners. AT the final day he cleared his prison
by massacre.
Serizier had not forgotten the Domnicans
and their companions. At his bidding a
detachment of soldiers came in search Of
them, and they wcre marched into Paris by
the Barrierc Fon,aincbleau,a amidst hootings
and insults and curses from the crowd,
little company of twenty hostages, five OF
whom wore tho flowing black and white
robes of the order.
No hep from the French army. All yes
terday they had been held at bay by the
Federal artillery at Monuouge, and were
only able 10 cross the TavincS OF La Blevre
on the morning Of the 25th.
The prisoners were hurried along, almost
ut a run, TO the gaol in the Avenue dItalie.
Embarrassed by the voluminou5 folds OF
their robes they did not always walk fast
enough, whereupon the soldiers struck them
with the butt-end of their guns, calling out
''QuicS, magpiew in mockery Of their black
and white Taiment; and SO to the prison,
which was already full TO the brim, con-
tanning nnety-seven prisoners arrested in
tina. district, and detained at Citoyen Seri-
al, LII Dnhpnnn
fatigued by having to write such list of
names, had gone Quito refresh himself with
a drink. While he was away the Commun-
ards came TO the prison TO ask the Domini-
cans TO helD in making the barrcades; but
the dcputy-gaOler having some respect for
the religious character sent fourteen Ma
tional Guards, imprisoned for some military
irreguarity, instead of the priests. Bobeche,
returning Immediately after, was furious
with his subordinate and accused him of
shedding the blood of patriots in order TO
spare the monks. He had a detachment of
the l01st battalion at his heels an / he order
ed those tonsured scoundrc!s to be brought
out
Bertrand, the subordinate, yielded after
some opposition, and opened the docrot tae
gaol.
Come, ma-pcs," cried Bobeche, "off
with you tc the balricade"
The Dominicans came out into the avenue,
where they saw the detachment of the lOlst,
with Serizier at their head. This time they
believed that all was over; but they were
deceived, for their agony was to last little
longer.
Father Cotrault, the purveyor, stopped on
the threshold of the prison.
I'VE will go no further" he said; 1--WE are
men Of peace. Our religion forbids us TO
ahed blood; we cannot fight, and we will
not 90 to the barrcade; bat even under fire
we will search for your wounded, and sue
cor Them"
This compromise would not have been ac-
cepted by Soiiz er, but the Communist SOL
ders were waverng, they were crying out
that it would soon be impossible TO hold the
barricade against the hail of bullets from
the Versallais.
Enough" said Serizier to Father Cot
rault; promise to look after our wounded"
Yes, we PROMISE" answered the monk ;
"and you know it is what we have always
done"
Serizier made a sign to Bobeche, and the
prisoners were bundled back into the gaOl.
But they no longer deceived themselves
with false hopes. They knew the respite -vas
but brief. They prayed together, and made
confession to each other They might have
been spared, perhaps; but the news brought
to SeriZier was eXasperating and alarming.
Some men flying from the Quarter Latin
to fight again in the Avenue d'Italie told
how the Pantheon, the great citadel of the
instruction, had been taken by the Yer
saillais before there had been time to fire
the mine which would have shattered dome
and walls, arches and columns, in one vast
heap of ruin. They told how Milliere, the
chief of the insurgents in this quarter, had
been shot, and that the French troops oc
cuped the prison of La Sante. The circle
which was soon to enclose the CommunardS
Of the 18th reimbursement was growing mar
rover and narrower.
What should they do? Fly or stand theil
ground to the death?
A great many of the National Guard made
off.
Serizier gathered himself together for &
final effort.
''Burnp he gasped; 1--WE must burn every
thingp
He rushed into wine-shop and dranH
glass after glass of brandy. His wolfsf
soul, eXri'cd by alcohol, by fighting, by de
feat, by tie sight of the blood which redden
GU Jne IOdu ana INC pdNenenlS dppedEtu III
all its hideousness.
''Ah, has the end come so soonp he cried
striking his clenched fist upon the pewter
counter. 80 be it'll Everybody must die 7
He ran back to the avenue.
"Come, come" he roared, linen OF the
right metal, to smash the skulls OF those
magpiesw
A little crowd of Communards answered
to his call, and, in advance of the band, two
women presented themselves.
They were both furies-both had stream
Ing locks Of tangled hair, which were hide
ously suggestive of Medusa's snaky tresses
but one of the furies was young, and would
have been handsome If her face had not
been smeared and spattered with blood, and
blackened by gunpowder. She wore the
costume Of Utpdndiere, and had once been
smart; but the gold-lace on her jacket hung
in shreds, the blue cloth was stained with
blood and mire. She carried gun, which,
In her exhaustion, she handed to Serizier
signing to him to reload it for her. She had
hardly breath enough left for speech.
1.-THE priests" she murmured hoarsely, a:
Ser!zier gave her back the loaded gun; "art
they to be fnished-at once?"