Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-22


I have never felt such burning pity and
| Indignation as on the morning / am
describing, that long-past summer
| morning when I first saw the sun shin
ing on the streets of Paris. Croisette
chung to me. sick and white, shutting
his eyes and ears. and letting me guide
him as I would. Marie strobe along on
the other side OF him, his lips closed.
his eyes sinister. Once soldier of the
guard whose blood-stained hands be-
trayed the work he had done, came
reeling-he was drunk, as were many
of the butchers-across our path, and
] gave way n little. Marie did not but
| walked stoiidly on as if he did not
! see him, as if the way were clear, and
there We're no ugly thing in Gods image
blocking it.
Only his hand went as if by accident
to the haft of his dagger. The archer
fortunately for himself and for US too
-reeled clear Of us. We escaped that
danger. But to see women killed and
pass by-it was horriblei So horrible
that if in those moments 1 had had the
| wishing-cap, / would have asked but
for 5000 riders, and leave to charge with
them through the streets of Paris!
would have had the days of the JAG
| qnerie back again. and my men-at-arms
behind me!
For ourselves, though the orgy was
at its height when we passed, we were
not molested. We were stopped indeed
three times-once in each Of the streets
we traversed-by different bands of
murderers. But as we wore the same
badges as themselves. and cried g Vive
la Messed" and gave our names, we were
| allowed to proceed. I can give no idea
of the confusion and uproar. and I
scarcely believe myself now that We
saw some of the things we witnessed.
| Once man gayly dressed, and splendid
| ly mounted, dashed past us, waving his
| naked sword and crying in a frenzied
| way: "Bleed them! Bleed them!
Bleed in May, as good to-day!" and
| never ceased crying out the same words
until he passed beyond our hearing.
Once we came upon the bodies of
| father and two sons, which lay piled to-
gether in the kennel; partly stripped
| already. The youngest boy could not
have been moro than IS. / mention
| this group, not as surprising others in
pathos, but because it is well known
now that this boy, Jacques Nompar de
| Caumont, was not dead, but lives to-
| day, my friend, the Marshal de la Force.
| This reminds me too Of the single act
| of kindness we were able to perform.
| We found ourselves suddenly, on turn
| ing a corner. amid gang of seven or
! eight soldiers, who had stopped and
surrounded a handsome boy, apparent
| ly about IA. He wore a scholars gown,
| and had some books under his arm, to
which he chung frmly-though only
! perhaps by Observation-Disclosures
| the furious air OF the men who were
| threatening him with death. They
| were loudly demanding his name, as
we paused opposite them. He either
! could not or would not give it, but said
| several times in his fright that he was
| going to the College of Burgundy. Was
! he Catholic? they cried. He was
silent. With an oath the man who had
hold of his collar lifted up his pike. and
naturally the lad raised the books to
guard his face. A cry broke from
! Croiseete. He rushed forward to stay
the blow.
See! see!' he exclaimed loudly, his
voice arresting the mans arm in the
very act of falling. "He has a mass
book! He has q mass book! He is not
n hereto! He is a Catholic!"
7 The fellow lowered his weapon, and
sullenly snatchetl the books. He looked