The Press., 1902-01-16
FEAR I. THOU IL |. Not D
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-
ed on the government of France, when
human life was of no account and
when, as if wearied with it's 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 We're 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 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 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, CHASTITY 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. Il have food and light and
air What could l want more?" And
he sighed deeply.
my friend" said the landlord, seat
ing himself. you speak as if you had
known the want of these things. Have
guessed arightY'
His guest looked up.
''Would you hear my taley' he ask
ed. "For years 1 have kept silence. but
today it seems as If it would Tighten
my heart to speak. Listen and believe
it If you can. Less than seven years
ago was gay. light hearted youth in
this our quiet fatheriand. Having no
near relations, l 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 a kind. good fellow,
well known and respected in the place,
where he carried on the craft of a
watchmaker. and he proposed that |
should become his apprentice and part
ner l liked the little town. l liked my
uncle, liked my aunt. and soon gave
my consent. They had no children
thank God for that now-but my aunt
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. ERIN
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 a strange land.
1T was happy household. No won
der l was glad to belong to it. But,
alas, it was soon to be swept away by
terrible affection! 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 filled by some one sent from
Paris.
fearful misery this was the forerunner.
We had no time to dream. either, the
blow fell so suddenly. There had been
stir going on in the market place for
the two days following the arrival of
the new official, but my uncle aud
were busy over discovery which he
had made in our trade. and we were
less than usual in the streets.
Sat noon on the third day. however,
he went out for stroll to rest his eyes
and look about him for a 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 thai we wondered and waited. and
at last we dined without him. At the
close of the meal l stepped out to look
for him. +
Il had not got a dozen yards from
our house when met our bakers wife,
her eyes staring out of her head
$50 back" she said. Go back. It
Is too late. The monster. the wretch!
out even the farce Of trial. on the ac-
cursed gulllOtIne yOnueF.
II was petritied with horror. Could
she be speaking of my uncle, SO re-
spected. SO quiet as he was? 1t was
too true. The wretch in office had lost
no time. but had begun his work Of
bloodshed at once. and my uncle was
his first victim. his only crime being
that he was of foreign birth and had
sheltered under his roof some months
since poor Swiss. l retraced my steps
to the house. My aunt's anxious face
met my troubled gaze. She had begun
to suspect evil. The two girls waited
fearfully 10 the background tried to
speak, but l turned away and burst in
to tears. I was young then. Master
Landlord, and had tears to shed. NV
aunt passed me by and rushed into this
street straight to the market 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 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 same
fate as mr. uncle. y
'The reign of terror had indeed be-
gun with MS. The girls had fed, terri
fed Mt the fate which had ebefallen
their protectors, and / was meditating
in half stupefied way the same meas
ure when a knock came at the door,
and two men, who had often eaten and
drunk at my uncle's table, came I'm and
made me prisoner. confiscating all
the possessions Of the family to the
state. a. s9,t sst9. 90
I'm those days q mans, foes were Of
ten they of his own household. Of
fered no resistance. The shock Of the
day had completely unnamed me. I
made certain that /, too, should die
that night. But my time was not yet
come. s+a5 xssbsf,r8se Nv IS lssfs s.gs
.In consequence Of the lafeness az