Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-07-14
HISTORIC SACRIFICES.
Charlotte corday.

Many of US can understand how 3
woman IN the throes of some mad
passion might sacrifice herself fol
the sake of the man she loved; it is
also not hard to believe that a mother
migAtu give herself up to m%artyrdom
II such a sacrifice was demanded OF
her in the name of her much loved
children. But for q girl, young,
beautiful, gently bred, to throw away
her life. not Tor a mar. but for mea,
not for love but for patriotism. is a
sacrifice so stupendous that it ia
hard for the majority of US to grasp
its significance.
Yet this is what Charlotte Corday
did for her country. and in SO doing
enrolled her name on the list Of noble
women whoe sacrifices have made
them famous for all time.
This French girl, frail as to body,
heroic as to courage. appears in hi
tory only for the short length of four
days. But in that time she perform
ed . deed Of which tens Of thousands
of men in France had dreamed with.
out the courage to execute it. She
slew Marat. called the Friend of the
People," in reality their worst enemy
in those bloody times of the French
revolution. on July 13, 1893, and on
July II. four days later. her head
fell into the basket to pay for her
courageous deed. Though she ap-
peared for 80 short q time IN the at.
fiars Of France. her name is written
imdelibly into the history of that
country.
The story Of her life is short and
simple. Born at St. SATURN in 1869.
left motherless at an early age, she
was brought up by an aunt and CIV
en- . convent education. As the child
grew into girlhood she developed a
studious, thoughtful character, given
much to the study at that great
dramatist 81 heroism. Corneille, to
whom she was remotely related.
Even in the quiet country town
where Charlotte Corday lived in the
runahlass of the revolution were heard
and the girl, as she grew older, poa.
dered deeply upon the wrongs that
were being perpetrated in the name
OF liberty and Justice. She determin.
ed upon an action which brave men
sought but were afraid to do.
It was necessary for her to journey
to Paris in order to carry out her
scheme AID she left her home. no
one s~uspecting the plot the girl had
laid. Once in the French capital she
sought out Marat, the head and ogre
OF the French revolution. How to see
him without suspicion being aroused
was the question that confronted her.
She determined to bring him news
OF more victims for the guillotine. in.
formation which she knew would
gain her admittance to the presence
Of this bloodthirsty leader.
When Charlotte Corday was usher.
ed Into Marat's room. a beautiful,
gentle, gray eyed girl of tweaty.four,
her courage almost forsook her at the
sight that greeted her eyes. Stew.
Ing In q great copper bath tub. hon.
Ing to thus alleviate the dread skin
disease from which he suffered sat
Marat. q misshapen. loathsome crea.
ture. The girl stated her news: Mar
at heard It with interest, and then AZ
he wa sabout to order more deaths
by the guillotiae the girl plunged q
dagger into his breast. Death wa,
almost instantaneous.
The girl was seized and condemn
cd to death without delay. She stood
o the guillotine proud and unafraid
a1d went to her death with these
words On her lips, "'Tis better thai
one should die than that thousand,
should suffer"
II begins to look a. though the de
partment Of state needs q ''pulckinf