The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-01
An Incident of the
French Revolution
By MARTHA v. MONROE

Antoine lie Beouf was a leader oil
one of the ACCOMPLISHMENTS into which
Paris is divided, and when the great
revolution came on so far as his sway
extended it was absolute. Jean Millet
was leader, loo, but Il Conservative,
The revolution was like roaring
stream, that gathered power as 1t sped
pn. Time came when those who had
been instrumental in starting it lost
their heads by trying to control 1t,
Millet went into it hoping to reorgan-
lie the existing government. Before
1t finished its mad course its object
was to get rid of the existing govern
ment and the class that supported it
by means of the guillotine.
When order was restored under the
directory, lie Beouf. who had made
bitter enemies durir aa period of
blood running from having sent so
many persons to the guillotine. found
himself exposed to plots hatched
against him for purposes of revenge.
One who had lost near and dear
relative spent long time in manufac-
turing case of murder against him,
had him arrested and tried. Millet
presided as judge. and it was in his
power so to instruct the jury that they
must bring in verdict of guilty or
not guilty, as he chose When 1t be-
came his duty to do this. instead of at
once addressing the jury he addressed
the prisoner.
"Citizen Antoine lie Beouf. stand up"
LIE Beouf, who was much broken by
his troubles, could only stand by lean
ing on his daughter. young woman
perhaps twenty-three or twenty
years old.
Citizen lie Beouf. do you remember
during the reign of terror one who at
the time the Girondists were executed
protested against their execution"
There was no reply
do you remember that you sent out
an order for the arrest of that person.
that he was brought before you and
ad1udged an enemy Of the revolution?
He was confined in room in your
house-the prisons were too full to ad-
NIT him-till he could be sent to the
gullotine. He escaped and strove as
before to keep the French people from
committing political suicide by their
murderous course. Tell me. LIE Beouf,
do you remember that man.?
Eyes" moaned the prisoner, II re-
member him"
All who heard the judge speak be-
lieved his words to be preliminary to a
vengeance upon the accused They |
supposed that he would in the end ask
lie Beouf If he thought that one who /
had sent so many to the guillotine
should be spared from the guillotine.
then instruct the jury that it was their
duty under the law to bring in a YER
dict of guilty. The girl who sustained
her father kept her eyes on the judge in
a frightened. reproachful look, like the
rest dreading his final words.
This man Millet, who was trying to
stem the butchery of yourself and eth
ars. kept himself out of your way. You
tried to get your hands on him by open
means. but. falling. tried treachery.
You sent for him on the ground that
you wished to form union between
he Conservatives and the Radicals and
desired him as representative man of
he Conservatives to join with you to
make the revolution Jess bloody. Sus
1ecting your design. he sent man to
meet you in a dark court. where you
would not recognize him. He was
eized and hurried away. But when the
light shone on him you saw that it was
'ou instead of who had been tricked."
The prisoner trembled. but said moth
ng.
"And now. Antoine lie Beouf, you who
N the bench-not the judicial bench,
he bench of the revolution-sent so
many innocent persons to the guillo-
Inc. what do you think that I, judge
egularly appointed by the state, should
10 In your caseT'
The prisoner bowed his head withou
eply, but his daughter in a trembling {
dice said, You should be merciful, NJ. '
, Judge"
"No, mademoiselle. not merciful.
our father does not deserve mercy.
Tut first / should be just 1t has not l