The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-22

were arranged so as to announce the ! approach of the soldiers of Canclaux.
 From the 17th of October to the 17tt of December, during the sixty days l which separated the two retreats of the Vendeen army on the Loire, the mill oi Bernardeau continued it's signals of in. telligence with those of la Vendee. But l the 17th of December was it's last day. Harassed by the Mayencais, thai crushed them at the battle of Mans, the Vendeens reached Ancenis and endeav.
 ored to cross the Loire; but for want of
 sufficient rafts a considerable number
 of them were obliged to abandon the ef-
 fort 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 twenty men took refuge in it just at the moment when Westermann came to the heights of Bel Air.
 Suddenly puff of blue smoke rolled from one of the upper windows of the mill. The meuniere herself commenced
 the fight.
 Good shot!" she said; "there is one less now"
 Westermann ordered a company of hussars to surround the old mill. He was in too great hurry to finish with La Rochejacquelin to bother himself with windmills. The hussars had hard ly arrived at the mill before his flying artillery began to cannonade the few rafts of the Chouans, who were endeav- bring to cross the Loire The officer VXrbn i1o nP 1,a " summoned the occupants of the mill to surrender.
 The meuniere opened a little window, fastened her lace cap on the point of one of the blades, and shouted out: Come and get it, you ill-shaped pup pyw
 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'H all be deadP' shout ed the officer
 You are the scoundrelsr yelled the woman of the mill. "Let me see if you are able to get my cap."
 The hussars entered the lower story, but the ladder was removed by the Vendeens who now fired upon them from the story above, and made terrible ravages In their ranks.
 The woman of the mill busied herself with the work of loading the guns, a task which she performed with aston ishing rapidity. The Chouans, shel- tered behind the flour sacks, cared lit- tie for the fire of the Blues.
 Take good aimw cried la menuiere; 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. It 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 un- der the balls or the bayonet thrusts of the Vendeens. One brigadier managed to get up to the roof by making a ram part of the bodies of his comrades, who held on to the arms like drowning men to blanks,
 we are all right, my frlendsp' cried he; guard well the entrance of the mill! After planting the colors of the on the weather vane he bored ] hole in the roof to admit the barrel of his gun. Three times he fired and mor- tally wounded three men. This threw the besieged into a panic; resistance was becoming impossible, and the Ven 1eens were already raising the butts of heir guns in the air, when la meuniere pushed down the ladder and cut off heir retreat. "Now die like men!" she shouted. Then there commenced a per ect massacre. Attacked above and be- ow, the Vendeens fought like impris- )ned lions. When the ammunition was they threw down the sacks )f corn and flour, and, clubbing their nuskets, jumped down among the Blues, who received them on the points )f their bayonets. It was a horrible spectacle.
 "Where is la meuniere?" shouted the lussarsl
 Here she is, citizens,' said she, as she let herself slip along the shaft of he mill. .''I have given to you no quar- CT, and I don't want any mercy from elbows like you"
 "All right" said the officer, wen ettle your account in short order. Place yourself against that wall"
 There was something singularly graceful and proud in her bearing and glance of whitening contempt in her l we as she advanced toward the wall. | Ter splendid black hair was now float l ng in disorder upon her shoulders. l 'he gathered it modestly around her | ,reast, so as to hide her torn corsets. | 7hen she stood against the wall.
 ''Now fire and be damned" said she. |
 This piece of feminine boldness made he officer hesitate. How old are .ou?" he asked.
 Twenty
 "Your name?"
 'I am Ia meuniere du Bernardeau."
 "Do you want to live2"
 ''No, I'd rather die than receive mer- y from you"
 Come now simply shout Long live he republic, and I'll let you go free"
 Long live the king!' she cried in a voice.
 A moment afterwards there was the bling sound of a volley. That was the