The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-29

there I turned aside from first inten-
ltion and proceeded thither. ~
shocked by the universal desOfAtion OF
the country through whichAI4pessee.
Was this the reverse side to all the
Grand Monarque's glory! I had pic
tured la belle France as a country OF
wine, of roses and of happy people.
These ravaged fields. these s4ualid
dens OF misery, the sullen, despatring
faces Of the ~peasnntry. all bore silent
protest to the e-xtravagances OF YER
sailles. For the wars. the ambition and
the mattresses OF Louis had la OF
this fair land a desert. Through the
devastated country roamed thousands
of starving people, gaunt n 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.
Young as / a and a soldier. the
sight OF this widespread suffering APP
palled me, though being no philoso-
pher. I reasoned not to h cause. Yet
this was the real France, h founda-
ton upon which the king had reared
the splendid structure of his pride.
1t was some time during h second
day. I think. when we passed q few
6CAllSIlk8 n AOtCIS WHICH lu6IASN SAl0
approach to a village. where we were to
stop for dinner. At the foot Of . little
incline 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. Hooked out to
see what the matter was, and observ-
quite a %cOncourse OF Villagers, ] spr0nG
to h ground.
Down the hill they marched. somA
ten or fifteen fellows in a dirty half
uniform. I knew not what 1t was, while
struggling out behind them seemed to
follow the entire population of the
hamlet. The old and gray-hairsd
children and toddling babies, all came
to stand and cape. In the lead there
strobe a burly rufian, proud OF his
low authority. who shouted at inter-
walls:
"So-with-the-H- u-g-u-e-n-o-t-s!!"
Behind him skulked four stout var
lets. bearing between them a rude
plank. on which was stretched q naked
body, the limbs being not yet stiffened
i in death. I hardly credited my sight.
/, Before they came abreast of us ! in-
quired of the driver what 1t all meant.
He only shrugged his shoulders, VA
deadHuguenot,I suppose" and gave his
care to the horses. Verify this was
past belief.
I 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 cars
lessly:.
None; she is a Huguenot."
E- ~. 10 rL4&eA--I 49, Gr &~-~~ a. tho
bearers who laid. their CHASTITY burden
down., having little relish in the task.
Yes. 1t was in very truth a woman
For the sake of decency, comrade,
why do you not W. her and give her
Christian burial?"
1T is the law he replied stolidly.
Yes, yes, 1t is the law" eagerly as
the corpse, not as friends, not AZ
mourners, but as spectators Of the hor-
4 rid scene. Among them, unrebuked,
were many white-faced children. half
afraid and wholly curious. I looked at
them all in disgust. They vent their
way and came to the outskirts OF the
village, where they contemptuously
tossed the oma from the plank
across a ditch into the open field. In
lupite OF my loathing I had followed.
I perceived now q feeble old woman
hobble up toward the body n try
with loud wailings to make her way
through the guard which surrounded
lii. They Q her back with their
pixies. and finally n Of them struck
her for her persistence.
Pierre, look at her old mother; all.
holy virgin, what a stubborn lot are
these heretics."
Her motherl Great powers of
heaven. could It be possible? Ny in
isdignatton 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 one sturdy young fell
low, OF the better, peasant-farmer
and would have thrown himself un-
armed against the mail-clad guard.
Many strong arms kept him back. He
struggled furiously for awhile, then
sank In 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. / 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 litter hopeless
ness al never married q mortal counte-
nance. It haunts me to this day.
was touched by the mans sullen
apathy, succeeding 30 quickly to the
desperate energy I had seen him dis
play, and asked concerning his itroubla.
Continued Next Weekly
Might Blindness.
youths Companion: Night blindness 4
. condition in which vision is perfect, or
Il 80 A.. --rA- "a H..A y -at - ~ - -