Iron County register., 1899-11-09
C~e&e~e@ewe~@wexeve
) The Rag=Picker's Bundle
By Frederick r. Burton. 4
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IT WAS in the memorable days of 1871,
when mobocracy, otherwise the
commune, ruled Paris. The excitement
attending the downfall of the empire
had so far subsidized that riots and blood
shed had nearly ceased. AT the worst
they were not the invariable occur
rences of the day. The adherents of the
old regime, however, were still appre-
hensive for their personal safety, and
rarely showed themselves in public
without manifesting in some way their
submission to the new order of things.
And the Citizens on the other hand,
still watched jealously many of the i'm
perial party lest some plot should be
developed that should prove subversiyR
of the republic.
Among those whose persons and
homes were under constant surveillance
was Col. Pierre ST. Jean, an officer who
had served his country in many wars,
including the disastrous encounter
with Prussia the year before. St. Jean
was a man of courage and invincible
will. He was grievously east down by
the failure of the empire, and had no
sympathy with the democratic ten
dency of the times. He was sometimes
called ''The Irreconcilable." Nothing
had persuaded him to join the fight of
the imperialists, and he remained in
Paris to face his fate to the end. There
was no one among the citizens who did
not respect him, but he was none the
less closely watched. When he walked
into the street he was always joined at
once by some fellow-countryman in a
blue frock, who attended him at every
step of his progress.
1t may readily be- believed that the
colonel little relished this proceeding,
but one thing was constantly in his
mind to prevent him from manifesting
too openly his discomfort. He was de-
votedly attached to a 15-year-old daugh-
ter, the only member of his family be-
side himself, and it was for her that he
exercised restraint upon his patriotic
passions. For her sake he had even
meditated flight, thing most repug-
nant to his soldierly nature. But it had
never come to this as yet, although his
friends had often warned him of the
danger of staying too long.
One day he set out from his house to
call on his banker near the bourse. He
was hardly out of doors before he found
the inevitable citizen at his heels.
Good morning to you, Citizen St.
Jean," said the detective, in suave
tone
st. Jean was more than usually net
tied.
sam never to be allowed to walk
alone about my private business?" he
exclaimed, sharply.
gsD, - IL ,fo,. TO how
a companion, citizen" responded the |
other, affably. And there is no private
business now; everything is of the peo-
ple But Citizen ST. Jean knows all |
this, and it is useless for me to tell him |
So"
Il know nothing of the kind" said |
the colonel, irritated; you citizens
are excessively impertinent."
1.-The citizen might not find it so if he |
were to respond to fellow-citizen's sa-
lutte politely instead of taking offense |
at it,
ST. Jean was thoroughly enraged.
.sYou would attempt to teach me
manners, would you, vagabond? Get |
out of my sighti Col" And he raised /
his cane threateningly.
..Have a care, Citizen exclaimed the |
other, retreating to the street and |
changing his tone; sit is not too late to
bring such as you and yours to the |
pGillotine. Remember that"
St. Jean turned and went on his way |
without a word. The threat had re-
minded him of his danger, but, more
than that, of his daughters danger.
The undesired bodyguard followed 81
1ently.
Late that night a pebble was tossed
into the open window where ST. Jean
sat reading. A party of half a dozen
men were passing at the time, and the
missile evidently was thrown by one of
them. They were talking earsestly,
and apparently paying no attention to
ST. Jean or his house, and what was the
object of the movement the colonel
could not for moment understand.
He looked about the room for the peb-
BILE. and when he found it he saw at
once what was meant. A scrap of paper
was attached to the missile. He tore it
off and found these words upon it:
"A citizen has denounced Col. Pierre
st. Jean as an enemy of the republic,
declaring that the colonel said, this
morning, many offensive and violent
things against the people. A sincere
friend advises him to escape at the
earliest possible moment, for the peo-
pie will not act slowly. But he must
be cautious, for all ordinary means OF
escape are watched and cut of"
ssThe ruffiansi" exclaimed st. Jean
under his breath, as he read and reread
the note. at first he thought that this
was simply threat by his enemies to l