The daily tribune., 1909-04-23
Madame Remier
By E. French Strother

6nOt. saw her only once, and that
was between the day when she es-
capped the first sentence through q
soldiers jest and the day when she
was led the second time to public exc
cution. heard her story from one
who knew what was before and after
NJ. Remier, her husband, lost his
mind few years after she was mar
ried, through conduct that gave his
wife no couse to pity him, and left her
with three children to raise, and the
bills for his care at the Hospital St
Anne, which was home for the
feeble-minded. Sometimes M Remier
escaped from his lax guards. and there
were more bills for returning him to
the hospital.
Then came Napoleon the Third
Nine. Remier taught school in the
daytime, and conspired against the
monarchy at night. She was intelli-
gent enough and radical enough to be
leader among the Republicans. She
was also clever enough not to be
caught for some time. But when the
first fury came against the Repub-
licans, she was one OF those arrested
and sentenced to be shot at once
There was little ceremony about the
executions. Only one formality was
observed, when the condemned were
huddled at the all-day-s -slaughters on
the sand-shelves beside the Seine.
They were told off in squads OF 30,
who were all tied along one rope to
be shot together.
When Nine. Renters turn came, her
lot fell to be tied at the end of the
rope with 29 men. Thus they stood
bareheaded In the sun, almost before
the dead bodies of the score and ten
who had preceded them were tumbled
into barge to be towed away for
burial.
1t was too late to think of herself
she was lost-but what OF Remier,
the imbecile, and of little Paul and
Victor and Jean? Dieu! Would the
soldiers shoot before she could think
how they might be cared for? Why
doesn't the sergeant leave that little
priest and command the men to fire?
"One! Two!" What's the matter?
What are they waiting for?
The sergeant stopped his count and
stepped forward.
What is this? Only one woman +?
For shame! 1t is almost night, and
one woman must not lie in the same
bed with SO many men,
They united her and put man in
her place. The rifles quickly sang
the 30 to sleep. II was too dark to
kill more that night-the others must
wait until morning. On the return to
the prison, Nine. Remier escaped into
the darkness.
1t was few weeks later when |
met her. Victor and Paul had been
put to bed in the corner and Jean was
sitting by her in the one unloyely
room she occupied. We talked brief
ly OF her countrymen In America, to
which | was about to return. asked
her II she should not try to escape
with the children to go on my vessel,
No, there was Remier; and, more,
France. The republic must be re-
stored, and she must do her part. She
wished me safe passage. and ! wished
her deliverance, and left. / never
saw her again. | have the rest from
M. Passaud, who lived to receive many
honors from the republic.
The Commune began. Nine. Remier
left the children with weaker friend.
and helped build the barricades In the
streets. She fought with the men and
slept on the cobblestones. She was In
the final struggle, heaving stones from
barricade at the gendarmes, and she
was captured while her fingers were
throttling the last breath OF soldier
of Napoleon.
Again her name was inscribed on
the death roll. The day after her
mock trial she was among the thou
sands OF condemned waiting to hear
their names caHed for them to step
out before the cathedral doors and be
shot down. From six In the morning
until noon. and from noon until four
o'clock she stood and watched the
monotonous succession of names
called, men and women taking their
positions before the guns. the ser.
geant's count. the fash and the report
and blood running into the gutter
from the steps.
Now they we're down to the RS.
Rabutin! Racinel Ragonl Ram.
baud! Rambouillet! Rameaul Ra.
NEE! Families! Rance! Ravaillac!
Ready! One! Two! Three! Fire,"
And more little riyuiets of blood.
Now they were ready for the Res.
Recamier! Recifcl Recollet! Reg.
nier! Renard Rene! Remier,-
"Ah! At last"
"Remierl Remicrl Where is Re.
mIer7"
Here" Nine. Remier heard some
one answer.
step lively Remier!"
Shambling from the press, the body
and the vacant face Of NJ. Remler ap.
peared. With u child's obedience he
stepped to the place u soldier pointed
him.
Nine. Remicr screamed. Her cry
wsa unnotlced-if waa In. rnnpv tha