Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-16

FORGOTTEN !
A Tragic Story of the French
Revolution.


Some few years after the reign of
terror man of middle age entered n
small inn In Germany and cullcd for
refreshments. His manners were timid
and shrinking and he looked as II he
might just have recovered from some
terrible Illness. he was so strangely,
ghastly pale.
The landlord supplied bis wants. and
half curious, half in kindness, he made
some remark as to the strangers mp
pearance, coupling 1t with the question.
"Do you want aught else for your COM
fortT
"Nay, nothing" said the pale man
hastily. II have food and light and
air; what could want morcy'' Ind he
sighed deeply.
"My friend" said the landlord seat.
Ing himself. you speak as II you had
known the want of these things Have
guessed arightf"
His guest looked up. "Would you
hear my taley' he asked. "For years
have kept silence. but today 1t seems
as II 1t would tighten my heart to
speak. Listen and believe II you can.
Less than seven years ago was gay.
light hearted youth In this our quiet
fatherland. liavlng no near relatives,
was led 10 visit some distant ones
who had lived for many years in n
small town in France.
MY uncle. ns l called him out OF
friendlncss. was n kind, good fellow.
vol known and respected In the place,
where h. carried on the craft of n
matchmaker. and he proposed that
should become his apprentice and part.
ner ! liked the little town, liked my
uncle. lllcd my aunt, and ! soon gave
my consoIt. They had no childrcn-l
thank God for that now--but my aunt's
kindly soul could not be content with.
out young people around her, 80 she
kept and clothed two neighbors. Trim
and neat they looked. too, wearing the
costume of that part of Germany
whence my aunt came--a pretty fancy
of her own: 1t seemed quaint enough in
a strange land.
ut was happy little household No
wonder | was glad to belong to IT,
away by terrible afiiction. For some
time we had heard of strange troubles
going on In Paris and the large towns,
but our little place was still quiet.
One morning, however, we woke to
find everything in confusion. Our may
or had been ordered To resign, and his
place was to be filed by some one sent
from Paris.
"Sti.l, we never dreamed of that fear
ful misery Of which this was the fore
runner We had no time to dream. ci.
ther the blow fell SO suddenly.
"There had been II stir going on In
the market place for the two days fol
lowing the arrival OF the new Official,
but my uncle and We're busy over n
discovery which we had made In our
trade, and we were less than usual In
the streets. At noon on the third day,
however, he went out for u stroll to
rest his eyes and look about him for
few moments. My aunt and her maid.
ems arranged as usual the midday
meal. aud we We're nll ready TO sit
down, only my uncle was missing. He
was usually so punctual that we dincd
without him. AT the close OF the meal
stepped out to look for him.
II had not got u dozen yards from
the house when | met our bakers wife,
her eyes starting out Of her head. Go
bnck,' she said; go back: It IL too late!
The monster! The wretch! lie has
executed the honest man without even
the farce of n trial On his nccursed
guillotlnc yondcrN
81 stood pcirlned with horror Could
she he speaking OF my uncle, 10 re-
spected, 30 quiet MS he was? II was
too true The wretch In office had lost
no time. but had begun his work of
bloodshed AT once, and my uncle was
the first victim, his only crime being
that he was OF foreign birth aud had
sheltered under his roof some months
since poor SWISS. retraccd my
steps TO the house. My aunt's anxious
face met my troubled gaze. She had
begun 10 suspect evil The two girls
waited fearfully In tue background. |
tried to speak, but | turned away and
burst into tears. ! was young then,
Master Landlord. aud had tears TO
shed. My aunt passed me by and rush.
ed Into the street straight TO the mar
ket place. could not follow What
happened there was told me later.
"Wild with agony at her husbands
fate. my gentle, loving aunt had burst
Into n nc OF reproacb OF his murder
or. In there days this was crime
enough for .he heaviest punishment
and before evening she had shared tho
same fate as my uncle.
1.-THE reign of terror had indeed be-
gun with us. The girls had fed, terri
fed at the fate which had befallcp
their protectors, and ! was mcdltatlnS
In O half stupehed way the same meas
ure when Il knock came at the door,
and two men who had often eaten ana
drunk at my uncle's table came In and
made me prisoner, confiscating all
the possessions of the family to the
state.
"In those days a mans foes were
often members of his own household
l offered no resistance. The shock oi