The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-19
"a Christmas Gift
/ <sand 4 Return Il Led to Later On.
By T. c. BURROWS
l4ss6pyright, 1910, by American Press
Association

lA4er days Of the eighteenth century,
when the woes Of the people Of France
had become so unbearable that NUT
tefings were heard all over the land
Std ,1oudest among the poor. For cen
taises the kings and nobility had
e8rqpgh nordinate taxes sucked the
Tary nfeblood from the nation The
saart, who was humane man, was
nfeditatlng upon the storm that he
saw brewing when the downtrodden
Should arise, turn and rend their op-
AGessols He was thinking especially
dfihe Christmas season and that thou
Studs Of families would go as hungry
"a that day as on the other days of
theyear
Suddenly he heard a shot.
sAh,T he said, there is poaching
going on"
HE sat moodily regretting that the
stQFving people about his estates need
ed. his game, how they would persist in
Shooting it without leave and how he
Iaist punish them as lawbreakers, for
Ae was a magistrate as well as land
ca proprietor Presently a servant an
npdnced that he was wanted below
HR went down aud saw n young man
held by the gamekeeper and groom
The counts little daughter Elise was
standing looking ON. The gamekeeper
had in his hand pheasant the culprit
had just Killed
why do you shoot my birds with
out my leave?' asked the count
Because my wife and children are
Est5rvlng. / was thinking as | passed
I your estates that tomorrow will be
Christmas. and have nothing but a
little black bread to give them for a
4 Chistmas dipner. whereas your woods
ave full Of game The temptation was
: too much for me-
u am heartily sorry for you" re-
piled the count but 1t is my duty to
+ send you to prison Besides If did
not punish you within few days l
should not have bird left on my
estate"
Papa" cried Elise "will you give
me q Christmas giftY
Il have a number for you my
daughter replied the count
"Not those One | wish for now
Give me this mans forgiveness"
The count glad Of an excuse for
4 clcmency, forgave the poacher and
told the gamekeeper to let him take
Raway the pheasant he had shot. As
the culprit turned away he looked very
hard at Elise
why do you stare thus at my
Z daughter?" asked the count
THAT l may fix her face on my
mind / The day may come when a
poor peacher nhly aid her
Something in the words and the tone
with which they were spoken made
4tte. count tremble
Seyeral years passed. The Count
GERMAN was prisoner In one Of
those old piles that had been used for
centuries to hold persons whom the
kings and nobility Of France chose to
put out, Of their way His daughter
Elise, who was new just stepping
from childhood to womanhood went
to one Of the members Of the revolu
tionary committee who was at work
smGh others on the nations business to
asl, for a permit to visit her father
TINT evening to bid him adieu since he
was to die on the guillotine in the
morning.
what is your name2" asked the rev
olutionist
elise de German"
The man started. He sat looking at
her for a time, then said harshly:
you mean Citizeness Elise Ger
afhain Then. turning to one near
Ehim, he said
q @Ihis is the daughter Of the Count
@Gefmain. am going to take her to
1eee her father on condition that she
ereveals the hiding place of some arts
Ntocrats whose heads we want"
eGood, citizen; l trust you win get
slot Of them"
4 The man took the girl with him to
E4he prison, where he was well known,
pnd into her fathers cell. Once with
Tin he closed the door and said
"Mademoiselle, you once. gave me a
present-my liberty and pheasant for
any starving family for a Christmas
slinner. l am going to try to give you
ta return-your father. Wait here"
Z The man went away and called for
Sthe governor Of the prison, to whom
he said
Il have discovered a plot to rescue
tonight a prisoner here, the Count
kGermain. He must be removed at
EOnce Can a facre."
A keeper was sent out for iacre
6whne the revolutonist returned to the
counts cell.
Come" he said.
The count and Elise went with the
man, who held the counts arm, and
fpfter few minutes wait within the
aprison door were hurried into a vehi
srle,
Y The revolutionist gave his order
ln whisper TO the cabman, who
3drove off at gallop. He stopped be.
fore the house Of the revolutionist,
where the count was concealed for a
&dsy, aud the next nleht in suit Of
ais prcserver's clothes he passed out,
HFtbhfinc Down with aristocratsw
#4Fathin a week he was safe in Brus-
sfela
There his daughter Joined him. and