Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-11-08

was in too great hurry to finish with
La Rocheiacquelin to bother himself
with windmills The hussars had hard
ly arrived at the mill before his flying
artillery began to cannonade the few
RATS of the Chouans, who were endeav-
pring to cross the Loire. The officer who
was in command of the company sum-
moned the occupants of the mill to sur
tender.
The meuniere opened little window,
fastened her lace cap on the point Of
one of the blades and shouted out.
Come and get it, you i'll shaped pup
pyl"
A volley from the hussars was the
only answer to those insolent words.
The window panes were broken to frag-
ments. The Vendeens inside returned
the fire and dropped five of the horse.
men. The company then dismounted
and rushed against the door of the mill,
which they broke with the butts of
their guns
Surrender, you scoundrels, or in a
few moments you'll all be deadn
shouted the officer.
lyon are the scoundrelsP' yelled the
are abIe to get my cap wv ' ''e = 'o'
The hussars entered the lower story,
but the ladder was removed by the Ven
deems, who now fired upon them from
the story above and made terrible raw
ages in their ranks
The woman of the mill busted herself
with the work of loading the guns, a
task which she performed with aston
ishing rapidity. The Chouans, sheltered
behind the -four sacks, cared little for
the fire of the Blues
''Take good aimP cried la meuniere
Don't let single one escape. "
The officer, seeing his men fall all
around him, ordered them to come out
and take the place by storm, scaling the
arms of the mill. 1t was a magnificent
assault. Twenty hussars clambered up
the blades With their carbines thrown
across their backs they clambered up
like sailors to the story above, and
from there fell either killed or wounded
under the balls or the bayonet thrusts
of the Vendeans. One brigadier man
aged to get up to the roof by making a
rampant of the bodies of his comrades,
who held on to the arms like drowning
men to planks.
"We are all right, my friendsl" cried
be- "Guard we'll the entrance of the
MILL" After planting the color Of the
| ha 1ah
hole in the roof to admit the barrel of
his gun. Three times he fired and NOR
tally wounded three men. This threw
the besieged into panic. Resistance
was becoming impossible, and the Ven-
deans were already raising the butts Of
their guns in the air. when la meuniere
pushed down the ladder and cut off
their retreat. "Now die like menl" she
shouted. Then there commenced per-
! feet massacre. Attacked above and be-
low, the Vendeans fought like impris-
oned lions. When the ammunition was
exhausted, they threw down che sacks
Of corn and -four, and, clubbing their
muskets, jumped down among the
Blues, who received them on the points
of their bayonets 1t was a horrible
spectacle
"Where is la meuniere?" shouted the
hussars.
Here she is, citizens" said she as
she let herself slip along the shaft Of the
mill. II have given to you no quarter,
and don't want any mercy from fel-
lows like you"
"All right, said the officer. "We'll
settle your account in short order.
Place yourself against that wall "
There was something singularly
graceful and proud in her bearing and
glance of withering contempt in her
eye as she advanced toward the wall
Her splendid black hair was now float
ing in disorder upon her shoulders She
gathered it modestly around her breast,
80 as to hide her torn corsets. Then she
stood against the wall
"Now fire and be d--dl" said she.
This piece of feminine boldness made
the officer hesitate. "How old are you"
he asked.
Twenty five"
"Your name?'
81 am la meuniere du Bernardeau. {"
"Do you want to liver"
"No, I'd rather die than receive mer-
cy from you"
"Come now, simply shout Long live
the republicP and I'll let you go Free I"
"Long live the kingp' she cried in a
vibrating voice
A moment afterward there was the
rolling sound Of volley. That was the
last of the meuniere of Bernardeau.
"She was plucky piece of flesh, all
the same, )" said the soldiers
Westermann 8 hussars lost in that at
tack 20 men and wounded.
Since then the mill has remained
abandoned as if it were cursed Open to
all the winds Of heaven, without roof,
without arms, it stands. Occasionally a
tramp passing through the country
takes shelter there and sleeps with the
swallows and the bats Following it's
well known habit, the ivy, which seems
to be in love with ruins, gradually in
4 twined itself around it, and from dis