Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-25
The Argus Daily Short Story
Beside the Guillotine-By Herman Winfield
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated

Truth is so much stranger than fic-
ton that perhaps IT is better to state
that the main incident Of this story
actually happened just as it Is re-
corded.
The French revolution had reached
that stage commonly designated the
reign of terror. Every day the doors
of the conciergerie prison opened to
let out number of human beings. not
to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness" as was enunciated shortly
before by the American colonists in
their Declaration of Independence, but
to suffer death on the guillotine. At
first the victims were confined to those
who stood for tyranny. The king, the
queen, the nobility. royalty and its
supporters lost their heads. Then the
different factions that had brought
about the revolution began to fight for
power. and the Conservatives were
guillotined by the Radicals. After this
whoever desired to get rid of one he
wished to remove had but to inform
upon him as an enemy to France and
the accused would join the 'innumer-
able caravan" passing under the yoke
of the guillotine to his long home.
1t was not always an enemy that
was TO be got rid of. Sometimes it
was a friend. That friend might pos
sess something that at his death would
fall into the hands of the informer.
There lived in Paris at that time
young couple. Henri and Marie Cha
tcaubrun. who were devoted to each
other. Henri when the struggle against
oppression began took deep interest
in it. advocating the reforms that were
proposed. He and a friend of his.
Antoine Boyer. became somewhat
prominent as leaders in that quarter
of the city in which they lived. Boyer.
who was n bachelor. came often to the
Chateaubruns TO consult with his
friend upon the course to be adopted
by them in public affairs. Nine. Cha
teaubrun took a lively interest in
the early efforts of the revolutionists
to make France constitutional mon
archy and was usually present at the
conferences of her husband and his
friend.
During these meetings Boyer con
ceived a passion for Nine. Chateau.
brun. For time he struggled against
it. not even acknowledging to himself
that he loved his friends wife. But the
time came when he knew that life for
him was not worth living without her.
AS the revolution proceeded the two
friends and coworkers found them
selves on different paths. Chateau
brun continued a Conservative, while
Boyer Joined the ranks of the blood
thirsty Jacobins. The latter did not
give up his visits to the Chateaubruns.
Indeed, he was not able to keep away
from the young wife of his friend.
Since neither she nor her husband Sus-
pected his love he was always well
come.
And now, the revolution having
swept beyond the conservatives, those
who had hoped for benelcent results
10 France, who had worked for the
beginning of a better regime, found
themselves in the position Of enemies
to their country. In attempting to
stay the flow of blood they incurred
the enmity Of those who were she'd
ding 1t. Then it was that Nine.
began to fear for the
safety OF her husband. She urged him
to retire from any further partici-
patton in public affairs, to go to
small estate he owned in the country.
But. dangerous as 1t was TO continue a
contest with the leaders Of the mob,
was too much OF a man
TO cease to defend what he considered
the best interests of his country.
Fiercer and iercer grew the mob,
requiring Of their leaders more and
larger drafts of blood. Mime. Chateau
brun begged her husband to leave
Paris. He sent for his friend Boyer.
now one of the Jacobin leaders. and
asked him what he had better do.
Boyer said he would take the matter
under advisement and let him know
his conclusions.
The day after this Interview there
was a knock at ChRteaubrun's door.