Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-11-07
FEAR THOU NOT
A Tale of the French
Revolution.

There are few who have not heard or
read of the great French revolution OF
the last century, when cruel men seiZ-
I'd on the government of France, when
human life was Of no account and
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 that
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 a record of the trials
and sufferngs 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 a small inn in Ger
many and called for refreshments. His
manners were timid and shrinking. and
he looked as If he might just have re-
covered from some terrible illness-he
was so strangely. ghastly pale.
The landlord supplied his wants, and,
half curious, half in kindness. he made
some remark as to the strangers ap-
pearance, coupling it with the ques-
ton, do you want aught else for your
comfort|'
NAY, nothing" said the pale man
hastily. 81 have food and light and
air. What could want moreT 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 arightT
His guest looked up
"Would you hear my taler' he ask
ed. "For years have kept silence, but
today 1t seems as II 1t would tighten
my heart to speak. Listen and believe
1t II you can. Less than seven years
ago | was gay, light hearted youth in
this our quiet fatherland. Having no
near relations, | was led to visit some
distant ones who had lived for many
years In a small town In France.
"My uncle, as | called him out OF
friendlIness, was n kind, good fellow,
we'll known and respected In the place,
where he carried on the craft OF
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-l
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 maldens,
children of some poor neighbors. Trim
and neat they looked, too, wearing the
costume of that part of Germany from
whence my aunt came, pretty fancy
of her own. 1t seemed quaint enough
In n strange land.
at was n happy household. No won
der was glad to belong to 1t. But
alas, 1t was soon to be swept away by
terrible afIlictloni 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 W Dt Dlitu NY bOllC OhS oNhs saN''
Paris.
"Still, we never dreamed OF what
fearful misery this was the forerunner
We bad no time to dream, either the
blow fell so suddenly. There bad been
n stir going on In the market place for
the two days following the arrival OF
the new official, but my uncle and !
n HtCnoVoru xy1irh no
had made I'm 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 bis eyes
and look about him for few moments.
My aunt and her maldeDs arranged, as
usual the midday meal, and we were
all ready to sit down, only my uncle
was missing. lie was usually so pune
tual that we wondered and waited. and
Mt last we dlned without him. At the
close of the meal stepped out to look
for him.
81 had not got n dozen yards from
our house when met our bakers wife.
her eyes staring out of her head.
"'Go backp she said. Go backl 1t
is too late. The monster, the wretch!
He has executed the honest man. with
out even the farce of trial, on the ac-
cursed guillotine yonderp
81 was petri6ed with horror. Could
she be speaking of my uncle. so re-
spected, so quiet as he was2 1t wns
too true The wretch In office had lost
no time, but had begun bis work OF
bloodshcd 0t once. and my uncle was
his first victim, his only crime being
that he wns of foreign birth and had
sheltered under his roof some months
since poor Swiss. | retrnced my steps
TO the house. My aunts anxious face
met my troubled gaze. She bad begun
to suspect evil The two girls waited
fearfully In the background | tried to
speak. but turned away and burst in
TO tears. was young then. Master
Landlord. and had tears to shed. My
aunt passed me by and rushed into the
street straight ~ the market place. |
could not follow. What happened thero
was told me later.
"Wlld with agony Mt her husbands
fate my gentle, loving nunt had burst
Into flood of reprOach Of his murder.
In those days this was crime enough
for the heaviest punishment. and be-
fore evening she had Jared the snme
fate as my uncle
"The reign Of terror had indeed be-
gun with MS. The girls had fed, terri
fled at the fate which had bcfallen
their protectors. and ! was mCditating
in balf stupcicd way the same meas
ure when KNOCK came at the door,
and two mcn, who had often eaten and
drunk Mt my unclc's table. came In and
made me prisoner. c0niiscating all
the possessions of the family to the
state.
"ln those days n mans foes were Of
ten they of his own S1ueehod. | Of
fered no resistance Ihe shock of the
day had completely unnamed me.
made certain that |. too. should die
that night But my time was not yet
come
,f ia. Int.p,.s ~