Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-12-18
FEAR THOU NOT
-s5ts.--
A Tale of the French
Revolution.

| redu OF the great Frencn revolution Of
the last century, when cruel men seiz
ed on the government Of France, wher
when, as If wearied with its wicked
ness, God seemed to have hid his face
from the sinful land.
No one may count up the tears thai
were shed, the means that were made
the hearts that were broken In those
dreadful times, but here and there out
Of the great mass Of human misery his
tory has preserved record of the trials
and sufferings of some hapless ones
reading which we shudder and thank
God that we live in happier days.
Some few years after the reign OF
terror-as this outburst of sin and
madness was well named-a man OF
middle age entered small inn in Ger.
many and called for refreshments. His
manners were timid and shrinking. and
he looked as IL he might just have re.
covered from some terrible illness-he
was so strangely, CHASTITY pale.
The landlord supplied his wants, and,
half curious, half in kindness, he made
some remark as to the strangers APP
pearance, coupling it with the ques-
ton, do you want aught else for your
comfort?'
NAY, nothing" said the pale man
hastily. II have food and light and
air. What could want moreY' And
he sighed deeply.
"My friend" said the landlord, seat.
ing himself, you speak as IL you had
known the want of. these things. Have
/ guessed arightY
His guest looked up.
"Would you hear my tale?" he ask
ed. "For years have kept silence, but
today 1t seems as If 1t would tighten
my heart to speak. Listen and believe
1t IL you can. Less than seven years
ago was gay, light hearted youth in
this our quiet fatherland. Having no
near relations. I was led to visit some
distant ones who had lived for many
years in small town in France.
"My uncle, as called him out of
friendliness, was kind, good fellow,
well known and respected in the place,
where he carried on the craft Of a
matchmaker, and he proposed that !
should become his apprentice and part
ner. liked the little town, liked my
uncle, liked my aunt. and soon gave
my consent. They had no children
thank God for that now-but my aunts
kindly soul could not be content with
out young people around her, so she
kept and clothed two house maidens,
children of some poor neighbors. Trim
and neat they looked. too, wearing the
costume of that part of Germany from
whence my aunt came, a pretty fancy
of her own. 1t seemed quaint enough
In a strange land.
at was happy household. No Won
der | was glad to belong to 1t. But,
alas, 1t was soon to be swept away by
terrible affliction! 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 morn
ing, however. we woke to find every
thing In confusion. Our mayor had
been ordered to resign. and his place
was to be filed by some one sent from
Paris.
"Still. we never dreamed of what
fearful misery this was the forerunner.
We had no time to dream, either, the
blow fell so suddenly. There had been
a stir going on In the market place for
the two days following the arrival Of
the new official. but my uncle and l
were busy over discovery which he
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 stroll to rest his eyes
and look about him for few moments.
My aunt and her maidens arranged. as
usual, the midday meal, and we were
all ready to sit down. only my uncle
was missing. He was usually so pune
tual that we wondered and waited, and
at last we dlned without him. At the
close of the meal stepped out to look
for him.
~ had not got dozen yards from
our house when ] met our bakers wife,
her eyes staring out of her head.
AGO back! she said. Go back! II
is too late. The monster, the wretch!
He has executed the honest man, with
ont even the farce of a trial. on the &C.
cursed guillotine yonder!
81 was petritied with horror. Gould
she be speaking Of my uncle. so re
spccted. SO quiet as he wasy 1t was
too true. The wretch In office had lost
no time. but had begun bis work Of
bloodshed at once. and my uncle wal
his first victim. his only crime being
that he was of foreign birth and hat
sheltered under his roof some months
since a poor Swiss. rctraced my steps
TO the house. My aunt's anxious fac'
met my troubled gaze. She bad begun
IL suspect evils The two Iirls waltes
fearfuIly In the background. tried 4
spenk. but turned away and burst In
TO tears. was young then. Maste
Landlord. and had tears to shed. N,