The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-09
AN EPISODE or THE
FRENCH REVOLUTION.


wedding party assembled in a chateau
near town on the banks OF the Loire
The young Marquis Jean de LefevrC
was about to marry Artinse Binolnette
the daughter OF neighborlng noble
The two had grown up together and
their passage from a childish compan
ionship TO youthful love had been SC
gradual that they did not recognize
the latter when 1t came TIL they were
nbout to be separated. Jean was only
nineteen and Artinse only sixteen, and
no thought OF marriage had come 70
either till 1t became evident that the
young man must cross the border II
he would escape the general massacre
of mobiles then setting In. Then he
discovered that he could not bear TO
leave Artinse behind him, and Artinse
discovered that she could not bear to
be left behind. The countess, Jeans
mother. pleaded with him to iy at once.
but he resolutely refused to go unless
he might take Artlnse with him, And
so hasty wedding was arranged be-
tween these two young people, both OF
whom were still In their teens.
The ceremony had been performed
and the pair pronounced man and wife
when a dozen or more citizens ap-
peared at the door. and, pushing their
way In. one Of them laid his hand on
the groom's shoulder, saying;
"Citizen Lefevre, you are wanted by
the committee Of safety"
Alas, the departure had been delay
ed too longl The groom was torn from
his bride and carried away to the jail
in which common malefactors had
been imprisoned. but which was now
turned into a political jail.
For time Artinse gave way TO hys-
terical shrieks, then quieted down, and
at last began TO concentrate her facul-
ties upon some method of freeing her
husband. The prospect of the guilotine.
instead of paralyzlng her. sharpened
her wits, serving as goad to an in
ventive faculty which had hitherto lain
dormant, but which now showed itself
to be remarkable. She planned an es-
cape for her lover, and planned 1t her
self without suggestions from others.
But, having once conceived II, she Sc
lected few confederates to assist her
in carrying 1t out.
Once every day she was admitted to
the prison where her husband was con-
fined. She was not allowed to see him
alone, but to talk to him through the
steel bars that separated his cell from
the corridor. On the third day she went
on her daily visit ready to communi-
cate to him her plan, the PRINCIPAL part
OF which fell to him. But how was she
to do this, guard standing watching
her slightest motion and listening TO
every word? She had provided a way,
and on its success depended the whole
matter Of his escape.
Having been taken TO his cell, the two
stood on each side of the bars talking.
Artinse gave her lover look to warn
him that he was to expect something. |
When the time allotted for the visit
had passed she put up her mouth for a
kiss. The kiss was long one, and dur
ing the period their lips were together
Artinse contrived to push with her
tongue little pellet into her husbands
mouth Then when she saw that she
had. succeeded she withdrew.
This beginning, without which the
escape was impossible, thrilled Artinse
with hope, and she went home In q |
tremor of excitement. Still. there was
much to be done, many ways by which !
even the attempt might be frustrated,
then the guillotine.
AS soon as the marquis was alone he
took the pellet from his mouth and
found the outside to be of wax. Pull
ing off the wax, he came to ball OF
tissue paper. Carefully unrolling 1t so
that he should not tear 1T. he spread 1t
out and saw that it was covered with |
written words:
Re on the watch at ~ midnight. A
rope will be thrown over the roof so as
to hang in front of your window. Seize 1t
and pull Ii up. You will secure a bundle |
Of keepers clothes. a file and rope. I
Cut out window bars. put on suit, let I
yourself down by the rope, the rest as
best you can. We will have team ready |
on the bridge half mile down river from
u till 2 q. ri. each night till you are
ready.
jeans cell was on the third, or top,
story OF the jail Below and some
twenty feet from the building was the
wall. Soon after IL that night, while
listening at his window. he heard some
thing strike the roof, The effort was
doubtless failure. He waited for an
other effort. but heard nothing Thrust
ing his arm out between the bars, he
grasped string. This he drew up and
took In the articles mentioned with
which to effect his escape.
The suit he concealed under his mat
tress. He worked all the time he was
unobserved, filling up the gaps filed
with the black bread given him to eat,
and on the second night was ready for
escape. Putting on the suit and attach
ing the rope to the window bars he had
not filed, he let himself down and
walked to the gateway. There stood
sleepy guard. whom he ordered to open
the gate, saying prisoner was III and
he must go for doctor. The guard
obeyed. and the marquis walked away.
At the place appointed he found a
carriage waiting. Opening the door.
he stepped in and was clasped in the
arms of his wife.
The young couple were driven rapid
~ for the rest of the night and as soon
as It came light left their carriage and
proceeded on foot. contriving to ex-
change fine clothes for peasants cos.