The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-06-17
A VENDEAN HEROINE.

"A NENDEAN I1LhOlNE.
1t was a pretty little windmill, with
Its big round tower capped by a weather
vane, its long arms or blades which rat
tied in the west wind like the sails of a
boat in stays, and its little round win
dows looking over the hills of Anjou
like the telescopes Of an astronomer
such was the windmill Of Bernardeau,
and when it was working all the wind
mills around the neighborhood looked
like white sea gulls pursued by a bird of
prey. 1t was situated on the slope of
the Guigne at the end Of a little crooked
pathway hardly wide enough for the
mill donkey, and in which one might
search in vain for traces Of human foot
prints, because it was so dark under its
vault Of shrubbery, SO muddy and rug
ged that the woman Of the mill always
took to the vines when on her way to
Ancenis on foot.
And q handsome woman, too, was
this lady of the mill. She was 25 years
old, with a we'll rounded form, a little
hand, flashing dark eyes, lips as red as
wild cherries and q well turned leg.
She was smart in her attire, and there
was little in her appearance to reveal
the fact that she was a widow. When
she came into the village mounted upon
the donkey that carried her bags of
-four, all the young fellows came out to
admire her fine figure and the beautiful
limbs which appeared below her short
skirts.
Even the donkey himself seemed
proud Of his mistress. He travelled along
at All easy gait, tossing his head and
cooking his ears, as if to say to every
body: Here she is. You have only to
look ut her. This is la Meuniere of Der.
nardeau. There isn't another woman
like her in all the country!' And that
was the truth. But she was the subject
Of a great deal of gossip. How the
tongues did wag on her account! It was
said that since the death of her hus-
band, a poor goose Of a fellow who had
taken her without a cent from q farm
and left her all his property, she fire.
quently tossed her cap over the blades
Of her windmill. Whether this was true
or not, the blades certainly never told,
but one thing is certain, and that is
that she did hang up her cap there pub
licly ON one occasion, and it cost her
her life. Here is her story:
The first thing the Vendeans did
when they rose in revolt against the re-
public was to make use Of the wind
mills. Nothing could be better suited
for signaling or more troublesome for
the enemy. Where the Blues could only.
see white wings turning round in q
melancholy fashion, the Chouans pos
sessed a perfect telegraphio system,
which told them of the movements of
the republican army.
The windmill of Bernardeau was one
Of the principal vedettes on the Loire.
Three days before the attack upon
Nantes, Cathelineau came to the mill
Of Bernardeau and asked for shelter. 1t
was the 22d of June, 1893. Bonchamp
was at Ancenis since the 18th awaiting
the main body of the army. The weather
was magnificent, and the Vendeans
camped in the open air. When Cathe-
lineau at the end of a little road found
himself face to face with the beautiful
woman Of the mill. he asked her if she
was a royalist.
Zone might easily become a royalist
to serve under SO handsome an officer as
you," said she.
GOOD enough! Then let me have
shelter here tonight"
The meuniere cheerfully welcomed
him, and Cathelineau slept that night in
the mill. The next morning when he
was leaving she sent to him from the
threshold Of the mill a perfect volley Of
kisses, after which she went up to the
highest little window in tho mill and
waved her little white handkerchief.
Eight days afterward Cathelineau,
mortally wounded, was coming from
Ancensis in a carriage, and as he passed
by the mill he cast a long and sad look
at it. According to the order, its blades
were arranged SO as to the ap-
proach Of the soldiers of Canclaux.
From the 18th of October to the 18th
Of December, during the 60 days which
separated the two retreats Of the Ven.
dean army on the Loire, the mill of Ber-
nardeau continued its signals Of intelli.
gence with those Of La Vendee. But the
18th Of December was it's last day.
Harassed by the Mayencais, that
crushed them at the battle Of Mans, the
Vandeens reached Ancenis and endeav.
ored to cross the Loire, but for want OF
sufficient RATS a considerable number
Of them were obliged to abandon the
effort and to advance through the coun.
try, in the hope of escaping the enemy.
At sight Of this old mill, which they
Immediately recognized as an ally,
about 20 men took refuge in it just a,