Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1896-07-23

a silk-mercer at Berne. threw my
self on this mans mercy. He dlscov-
cred that was likely, with my bust
ness habits, to be Of some use to him,
and he took me into his house. worked
for what he pleased to give me; tray
eled about for him in Switzerland; de-
served his confidence, and won it. Till
within the last few months l remained
with him, and only left my employ
ment to enter, by my masters own de-
sire, the house Of his brother, estab-
lished also as a silk-mercer. at Chalons-
sur-Marne. In the counting house OF
this merchant / am corresponding
clerk and am only able to come and
see you now, by offering to undertake
a special business mission for my en-
ployer at Paris. 1t is drudgery at my
time of life, after all have gone
throughput my hard work is limo
cent work. am not obliged to cringe
for every crown-piece l put in my
pocket-not bound to denounce, de-
ceive, and dog to death other men,
before can earn my bread and scrape
together money enough to bury me.
am ending bad, base life harmlessly
at last It is poor thing to do but
it is something done-and even that
contents a man of my age. In short, 1
am happier than l used to be, or at
least less ashamed when l look people
like you in the face"
"Hush hush" interrupted Rose,
laying her hand on his arm. 81 cannot
allow you to talk of yourself in that
way, even in jest"
81 was speaking in earnest" answer
ed Lomaque, quietly; "but 1 won't
weary you with any more words about
myself. My story is told"
"All?" asked Trudalne. He looked
searchingly, almost suspiciously, at
Lomaque, as he put the question. "All?"
he repeated. yours is short story,
my good friend! Perhaps you have
forgotten some Of it?"
Again Lomaque fidgeted and hest
tated.
as it not little hard on an old man
to be always asking questions Of him,
and never answering one Of his inquir-
les in return?" he said to Rose very
gaily as to manner, but rather uneas-
lily as to look.
"He will not speak out till we two are
alone" thought Trudaine, ut is best to
risk nothing, and to humor him."
Come, come" he said aloud, mo
grumblng. l admit that 1t is your
turn to hear our story now; and will
do my best to crafty you. But be-
fore begin" he added, turning to his
sister, ''let me suggest, Rose, that If
you have any household matters to
settle upstairs"
81 know what you mean" she in
terrupted, hurriedly taking up the work
which during the last few minutes she
had allowed to drop into her lap; "but l
am stronger than you think; can face
the worst of our recollections compos-
eddy. Go on, Louis; pray go OIL am
quite fit to stop and hear you"
"You know what we suffered in the
first days of our suspense, after the sue
cess of your stratagem," said Tru-
dame, turning to Lomaque. 81 think
1t was on the evening after we had
seen you for the last time at St. La
care, that strange confused rumors of an
impending convulsion In Paris first
penetrated within our prison walls.
During the next few days the faces Of
our gaolers we're enough to show us
that those rumors were true, and that
the Reign of Terror was actually
threatened with overthrow at the
hands of the Moderate Party. We had
hardly time to hope everything from
this blessed change, before the ire
mendous news Of Robespierre's at
tempted suicide, then of his condem-
nation and execution, reached us. The
confusion produced In the prison was
beyond all description. The accused
who had been tried and the accused who
had not been tried got mingled to-
gether From the day of Robespierre's
arrest, no orders came to the authori-
ties, no death lists reached the prison.
The gaolers, terrified by rumors that
the lowest accomplices of the tyrant
would be held responsible and be con-
demned with him, made no attempt to
maintain order. Some Of them-that
humpbacked man among the rest
deserted their duties altogether The
Reorganization was so complete, that
when the commissioners from the new
government came to st. Lazare, some OF
us were actually half starving from
want Of the bare necessaries of life. To
inquire separately into our cases was
eo,,~5 20 10 I,,,Dosathta Com atiy,ar thc