The roundup record., 1911-04-21
Self Condemned
By MARGARET c, DEVEAU<
Copyright by American Press Asso-
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

pensing was between classes, not indi.
viduals. The mobiles had tyrannized
over the common people for centuries.
Now the common people were endeav.
oring to extirpate the mobiles from the
face of the earth. Judge Curier was
sending batch Of them to the guillo-
tine.
"Who is this" he asked. seeing
girl. a mere child. brought before him.
''Citizeness Elise BeIlair." replied the
officer Of the guard.
''Who ordered her brought here? She
is not old enough toto understand the
difference between patriotism and tyr
rany."
"She was included in a list furnished
by NJ. Marat.''
Indeed" said the judge. frowning.
IN. Marat is accustomed to make in.
quiries if all those on his lists have
been-taken care Of
But this one-did he know that she
is a child:"
The officer shook his head NJ Ma.
rats brain was not open to him ~
look into.
The judge pondered a few moments
There was something wrong in this
case Possibly list had been made
out and presented to some one in an
thority who had signed the warrants:
accompanying ii while thinking Of
something else. Nevertheless the judge
did not dare disobey the order he had
received to sentence every one sent be
fore him.
"Take her away With the Oilers
he said reluctantly.
He was looking down into the child's
face pityingly. She saw the expression
on the judges face. Children are quick
to recognize their friends. ana the mar
quise. not understanding that the
judge had sent her to the guiliotine.
smiled at him. Then il soldier took her
little hand in his and led her away
with the others.
The judge asked one standing by
something about her and was told that
she was the Marquise de Bellair. and
since she alone represented the Bel
lairs and since the revolutionary com
mittee was anxious that no member Of
the family should be left alive the
child had been marked for execution
When the deed had been done it would
be put down to an error.
The judge went home that evening.
and his own little daughter, about the
age of the child he had condemned.
sat upon his lap, put her arms about
his neck and kissed him.
How hot your face is. papa" she
said
He unwound her arms. gently put
her away, and called for 4 glass OF
Wine He had stood up under the
grim duties required Of him till the
matter Of the little mar1uise had re-
quired his attention. He did not eat
his dinner and Went to bed feverish.
The smile he had received from the
little marluise had unnerved him All
night he lay in bed, two sights coming
up alternately before his mental vision
the one the narquises smile the 9th
cr her little figure lying Oh the gull
lotine. the drop of the knife and her
little curly head dropping into the
basket.
In the morning Judge Curier looked
as il he had passed through tit of
sickness. He ate nothing. spoke not
word. When he went out after
breakfast his little daughter put up
her arms, as was her custom. for her
morning hug and kiss. Her father put
her away and left her standing with
tears in her eyes III the hallway.
hn ;,t
and after following it for awhile en-
tered Il street that led him to the
Place de Ii Revolution, now the Place
de Ia Concorde. 1t is one Of the most
spacious plazas in the world, lying as
it does between the Champs d'Elysees
and the gardens Of the Tuileries Car
riages drive through it. but few who
ride or walk past its fountains and its
ohclisk think Of the work that was
going on there more than a hundred
years ago.
\ crowd WAS collecting about the
.uillotine. and Il tumbrel was driven
up loaded with condemned persons.
As is passed the judge he caught sight
of a little figure about half the height
Of the others and saw little hand
wavin. to him. He walked on and
joined the party at the guillotine. At
the moment an officer began to call
names from list he had in his hand.
"CitiZeness Elise Bellair"'
The judge approached, took the
child by the hand and said:
Il condemned this child by mis-
take
He was recognized by the officials
and permitted to lead the little mar
quise away.
She was never seen again in Paris
till long after the revolution. She re-
turned Il middle aged woman.
When the Judge went home that
evening he seemed to have the seal Of
death upon his brow. He took his
little daughter in his arms. while tears
rolled down his cheeks
In the middle of the night there
of Iii