The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-02-05
.oh, God, monsieur, my wife. Celeste

taking my hand in both of his, "W,
tried to go; tried to a England
America, anywhere but France; the,
brought us back, put us in prison; sh'
died-died, monsieur, of cruelty and ex
posure, then they cast her out lik'
some unclean thing; she, SO pure, 81
good. Only look, lying there. Holy
mother of Christ, look down upon her.
He turned his gaze to where his wife
lay and sprang up.
She shall not-shall not" and cas-
himself again towards the guard. A
dozen men seized him.
Deeply panied by his misery and tbs
horror of the thing, I made my way tC
the front, near where the body lay.
"Nhat is his foul law OF which you
spoke? Tell me?"
My tone had somewhat of authority
and anger in it. SO the fellow gave me
civil answer.
1.-THE law buries a Huguenot as you
see-such unholy flesh could never
sleep in holy earth. The beasts and
birds will provide her proper sepul-
cher"
May, but compose her %fittingly; here
is my cloak"
1T is not the order of the king" he
sullenly replied. The brutal throng
again gave assent.
Ills not the law, tits not the law,
and bowed their heads at the very
name of law.
| remembered the governors errand,
and could waste no time in quarrel
which was not mine, yet willingly
would / have cast my cloak about her.
/ inquired of the man:
And what is the penalty should the
hand of charity take this woman from
the highway"
ION pain of death"
Then death let it be-" screamed her
husband, and breaking through the
line of guard, he threw himself upon
his wife, protecting her with his pity
ing garments.
Whilst | had been talking to the Off
GER, no one observed the man come
stealthily to the front, coat In hand,
until, seeing his chance, he broke
through their line. But these staunch
upholders OF the Law would not have it
so. They tore him viciously away, and
/, sickened, turned from a revolving
struggle l could do nothing to prevent.
All these long ear have not dimmed
the memory of that barbarous scene.
CHAPTER v.
THE DECADENCE OF VERSAILLES
1t was nearly noon on the fourth day
when l aligllted at the Place d'Armes,
the grand court yard of Versailles, and
1 fear l cut but a sorry figure for a
governors messenger. 1t appeared that
my dress at best was unlike that worn
at the court; my fringed leather leg
gins, hunting knife and long sword diff
fered much from the wigs and frizzes
worn by the officers of the guard. How
ever, l made bold to seem at ease and
accustomed to court as l addressed the
officer of the watch.
Can you direct me, sir, to M. de
Sorigny? l have business with him
Il ma smiled, / knew not at what,
and regarded me curiouSly. / felt my
face flush, but repeated the question.
M. de Serigny," he replied, lis with
the court. Seek him at his apartments.
Pass through yonder great gate, turn
tonne EFT and inquire of the guard at
the DOOR
| walked on hastily, glad to be quit
OF his inspection. Such a throng of fine
gentlemen in silks, satins and ribbons
| never canned of; even the soldiers
seemed dressed more for bridals than
for battles. l held my peace though,
walking steadily onward as directed,
Yet itching TO stick my sword into some
oil their dainty t%rappings. AT the door
i came upon a great throng of loungers
playing at dice, some throwing and
others laying their wagers upon those
who threw.
Standing somewhat aloof was a
SSSii liS ~ WV lllG
slashed silver II blue of the kings
guard knew the colors we'll
from some of our older officers in the
provincial army. They had told me
of men. soldiers and hard fighters, too,
wearing great frizzled wigs outside
their natural hair, with rufIles on their
sleeves and perfumed laces at their
throats-but l had generally discred-
tied such tales Here was a man
dressed more gaily than l had ever
seen a woman in my childhood-and
he seemed a fine, likely young fellow,
too. | fear / examined him rafferty,
critically and without the proper def
erence to his uniform, for he turned
upon me angrily, catching my glance.
We'll, my good fellow, didst never
see the kings colors before? Where
hast thou lived then all these years?
He seemed quite as much amused at
my plain forest garb, leggings and SER
vice cap, as l had been at his silken
%trunlpery. | replied to him as quietly
as might be:
In parts beyond the seas we
hear often of the kings guard, but
never have my eyes rested on their
uniform before"
Observing my shoulder straps he UNI
bent somewhat and inquired:
Thou dearest the rank of %captain?"
Aye, comrade, in the service of the
king in his province of Louisiana. I
pray you direct me to the apartments
of M. de Serigny, 1 would have speech
with him.
He was a manly young lad Of
soldierly bearing, too, despite his effem-
mate dress; he turned and himself
guided me through the many intri-
cate halls and passages until we
reached a o which he poined out as
Serigny's. where. with polite speeches,
he left me alone.
Monsieur was out, at what business
the servant did not know, but would
return at two of the clock. In the
meantime I sought to amuse myself
strolling about the place. knew 7
could find my "a along the bayou
paths of Louisiana the darkest night
God ever sent, for-there at least l
would have through the trees the
glimmer of a friendly star to guide
me. But here in the kings palace of
Versailles. with the winding passages
running Ehither and yonder, each as
like the other as twin gauntlets, / lost
myself hopelessly.
Clanking about alone over the tiles
in great deserted corridors i grew al
most frightened at my own noise UNI
TIL I passed out into an immense gall
Iery, gaily decorated, n thronged
with the ladies and gentlemen Of the
court. 7 could not make much sense
of it all except it seemed greatly paint
Oh r1, aupooio1lv oxyorhoad oyo1 rnarly