New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1908-05-13
AN INCIDENT OF THE
FRENCH REVOl UTION.
Ioriginal.l

at the time of the French revolution,
hearing that the Marquis of Mirachieu
and his daughter Heloise. to whom Lee
vesque was engaged, had been arrest
ed by the revolutionists and were in
danger of the guillotine. asked and OBJ
tanned leave to go to them, having
faint hope of saving one or both.
One day he appeared. disguised. In
the village near which stood the Mira
chieu chateau. The marquis and his
daughter were prisoners in their own
home, waiting guard and transportation
to Paris. Among the tenantry Of the
marquis was the Brouneau family, to
whom the Miraculous had been espe-
cially kind during the period of their
prosperity. Levesque, who had lived
in the neighborhood, knew of this obli-
cation and. making himself known to
Marie Brouneau, asked her assistance
in his design. Marie had been permit
ted to visit Heloise, and of this Eugene
resolved to take advantage. Dressed
and made up as Marie, be gained ac-
cess to the prisoners and succeeded in
making transfer Of clothing with the
marquis, who went out in his stead.
At the Brouneaus' the ex-prisoner found
Levesques disguise, III which he made
his way across the border.
Eugene, whose identity was not dis
covered, now turned his thoughts to
some means OF escape for Heloise. The
father and daughter had been permit
ted to occupy adjoining apartments on
the upper story. The door leading from
Heloise's room to hallway had been
locked and the key removed. Eugene
had brought a small file with him, with
which he began to file the lock, but
the guard, hearing the sound. looked
into the rooms. and Eugene had turned
escape detection. In the morning.
when breakfast was brought up to the
prisoners, he secreted case knife, and
1t the knife was missed it could only
have been missed by the servants, who
were not likely to inform the guard
of the fact. While Heloise listened at
the door where the sentinel was post
ed for his slightest movement Eugene
lay on bed covered with the bed
clothing and pillows to deaden sound
and with his file made a saw Of the
case knife
During the night, again covered to
conceal sound, he cut in the door
hole large enough to enable him to
insert the saw and. working very SLOW
" and cautiously. sawed circle
around the lock, leaving a connection
just adequate to hold the lock in its
place till he ;yas ready to remove it.
Heloise found in a closet different
costume from the one she was wear
ing and after the customary inspection
for the night slipped it on. Eugene
could find nothing for change. His
object was the release of his betrothed
and he would not risk going out with
her. She must go out at night, but no.
one was permitted to leave the chateau
except in daylight.
The prisoners devised the following
plan: Heloise would leave her room at
night alone, find her way to the sery-
ants quarters and remain with them
till morning. One of the servants was
to return to the apartment to person
ate her mistress. who, disguised. was
to leave the chateau by day. There
were other arrangements and alterna-
tives made in case of failure of any
part of the plan and with a view to
Eugene's escape, though Of this there
was little hope.
At 10 O'clock at night Eugene re-
moved the lock. Heloise slipping out
and down back staircase. went to the
room Of her maid and got into her bed.
The maid went to Heloise's room. was
admitted by Eugene, got into her bed.
and the lock, was put back in it's place
The next morning the cook who pre-
pared the guards meals asked for a
permit to go out for milk. The permit
was granted. The cook. before going
on her errand, returned to the kitchen
for pitcher, and when she emerged
the guard noticed that either she had
grown shorter and slighter or he was
mistaken as to her real identity. He
concluded he was mistaken, and He
lolse made her way to the home of the
Brouneaus, where she found conceal
ment.
The next morning the supposed He
loise feigned illness and asked the
guard to send for her friend, Marie
Brouneau. This had been arranged
partly that Eugene might know of the
success of their enterprise Marie ap-
peared in due time and made Eugene
happy by the announcement that He
loise was waiting for him to start with
him for the border. Marie had brought
with her cosmetics and other articles
for making up, and it was decided that
Eugene should attempt to pass out by
personating her.
His heart beat wildly while he was
donning her costume and she was max
ing him up, and it beat still more wild
" when he emerged from the room,
handkerchief held to his face with
both hands and pretending to weep.
In this way he passed the guard and
was soon after with his betrothed.
Within half an hour after his arrival
AID