The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-01-29

there / turned aside from first inten-
ton and proceeded thither. I was
the country through which I passed.
Was this the reverse side to all the
Grand M~onarque's glory? I had pic
tured la belle France as a country of
wine, OF roses and of happy people.
ravaged fields, these squaltd
of misery, the sullen, ~despatring
faces Of the peasantry, all bore silent
protest to the extravaganees of YER
satlles. For the wars, the ambition and
the mistresses of Louis had made OF
this fair land a desert. Through the
country roamed thousands
OF. starving people, gaunt and hungry
as the wild beasts of the forest; they
subsisted upon such berries as they
found, but burst not touch a stick OF
their lords wood to thaw out their fro-
zen bodies.
as I was, and q soldier, the
sight of this widespread suffering ap-
:palled me, though being no philoso-
;pher. I reasoned not to the cause. Yet
this was the real France. the founda-
ton upon which the king had reared
the splendid structure of his pride.
1t was some time. during the second
day. I think, when we passed a few
novels which marked the
approach to a village, where we were to
stop for dinner. AT the foot Of q little
the horses SHE'D violently, and
passed beyond the mans control. My
driver endeavored In vain to quiet
them, and then Jumped from his box
and ran to their heads. I looked out to
see what the matter was, and observ-
ing a squad of soldiers, followed by
quite a c]oncourse of villagers, I sprang
to the ground.
Down the hill they marched, some
ten or fifteen fellows in a dirty half
uniform. l knew not whatitwas,w while
struggling out behind them seemed to
follow the entire population Of the
hamlet. The old and g~ray-haired
fathers, the mothers, the. stalwart
children and toddling babies, all came
to stand and cape. In the lead there
strobe a burly %rufl1an, proud Of his
low authority, Who shouted at inter-
walls:
Behind him skulked four stout
lets, bearing between them a rude
plank, on which was stretched a naked
body, the limbs being not yet stiffened
In death. I hardly credited my sight.
Before they came abreast Of US l in
quired Of the driver what it all meant.
He only shrugged his shoulders, "a
deadHuguenot, I suppose" and gave his
care to the horses. Verify this was
past belief. +
1 placed myself in the road and babe
the leader of the procession pause.
He stopped, staring stupidity at my
dress.
What is here my good fellow7
what crime hath he committed?
He, like the driver, answered care
lessly:
None, she is a Huguenot."
She" I echoed, and stopped he
bearers who laid their CHASTITY burden
down, having little relish in h task.
Yes, it was in very truth q woman
For the sake Of decency, cornrade,
why do you not V her and give her
Christian burial?"
ut Is the law" he replied stolidly.
Eyes, yes, it is the law eagerly as
scented the people who gathered about
the corpse, not as friends, not es
mourners, but as spectators of the hor-
rid scene. Among them, unrebuked,
were many white-faced children, half
afraid and wholly curious. 1 looked at
them all in disgust. They went their
way and came to the outskirts of the
village, where they contemptuously
tossed the woma from the plank
across a ditch into the open field. In
spite Of my loathing had followed.
I perceived now a feeble old woman
hobble up toward the body and try
with loud wailings to make her way
through the guard which surrounded
It. They showed her back with their
pixies. and finally one Of them struck
her for her persistence.
pierre, look at her old mother; all.
holy virgin, what a stubborn lot are
these heretics."
Her mother! Great powers OF
heaven, could 1t be possible? My in
sdignation blazed out against the in
human guard.
why do We, this most un-Christian
thing?" and to the crowd:
DO you call yourselves men to
stand by and witness this?"
AT my words, n sturdy young fell
low, Of the better, peasant-farmer
class, broke from those who held him
and would have thrown himself un-
armed against the mail-clad guard.
Many strong arms kept him back. He
! sank liz the sheer desperation Of ex-
haustion Upon the road. AS soon as he
was quiet the mob, gathering about the
more attractive spectacle, left him
quite alone. l went up to him, laid my
hand upon his shoulder, and spoke to
him kindly. He looked up, surprised
that n wearing a uniform should
show him sympathy. He a a good,
honest face, blue-eyed and frank, yet
such an expression OF utter hopeless
ness as never married a mortal counte-
nance 1t haunts me to this day.
/ was touched by the IA sullen
apathy, succeeding SO quickly to the
play, and asked concerning his trouble,
Continued Next Weekly
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Night Blindness.
Youths Companion: Night blindness I.
a condition In which yiaiOp IA perfact nv