The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-08-27
Saved From the
GuillOtine
A Story of the French
Revolution.
By r. A. mitchell

During the last decade OF the nine
teenth century there lived In France
the Marquis de Hauteville, a widower
with two children, boy and a girl,
the former twelve, the latter ten years
old. Jean, the boy was OF an adyen-
turous spirit and listened with great
interest to those Of his countrymen
who had fought ia the American Rev
olutionary war under the Marquis de
la Fayette. When he became eight
cen years old despite his fathers wish
es he embarked for the new world.
Jean de Hauteville had cousin,
CASTOR Renaud, who had been the in
Innate companion OF himself and his
sister. After jeans departure the child
companionship between CASTOR and
Estelle de Hauteville ripened into love.
For a time letters came from Jean
from America, but after the receipt Of
one In which he announced his inten-
hon to visit the great falls of Niagara,
nothing was heard from him.
America was then 80 far distant
from France that the marquis, his IA
ther, could get no news OF his son.
After writing to different persons con-
corning Jean with no satisfactory re-
suit he was I'm despair. Then CASTOR
Renaud volunteered to 90 to America
and institute search for his lost
cousin. Estelle, though much relieved
IN one way by the offer, was much
troubled I'm another. Having expert
enced the disappearance of her brother
In that remote country she dreaded to
send her lover there lest he, too, should
not return. At the parting between
the two she clung to him, with difficult
ty bringing herself to let him go.
On reaching Philadelphia, the port
for which he had sailed, CASTOR wrote
that he was going to leave for Fort
Duquesne, which was beginning to be
transformed into the future city OF
Pittsburgh. From there he expected
to proceed northward to Niagara. An
other letter came, stating that he had
traced his cousin to Cincinnati, a VII.
hge on the Ohio river, and he was go
ing there to look for him.
When CASTOR left France the rum
blings Of that great convulsion, the
French revolution, were just beginning.
A great deal took place In France with
IN a few months after his departure,
but since at that time thirty TO forty
days were required for vessel to
make the trip from the French to the
American coast, and news Travelled
very slowly to the United States terri
tories In what was then the far west,
CASTOR knew nothing Of the terrible
events that were developing In his ma
tive country. On reaching Cincinnati
he learned that CASTOR had been there,
but had left for a French settlement
still farther west called st. Louis.
Thither CASTOR departed in company
with party Of emigrants, who trav-
eled much as the gold seekers half a
century later crossed the plains" to
the Rocky mountains.
All this took a great deal of time. AT
St Louis after diligent inquiry CASTOR
learned that his cousin had gone into
the buffalo country to the northwest
and had never returned. One OF the
party with whom he had started re-
ported that he had been captured by
Indians and had doubtless been put to
death after torture.
CASTOR was preparing for an expedi.
ton to go into the Indian country to
satisfy himself as to whether Jean was
alive or dead when he received news
of the opening of the reign of terror
In France. He also received n letter
from Estelle announcing the arrest of
her father by Robesplerre and his ad.
herents, and she had no hope that his
life would be spared, since the radicals
were getting rid of the mobiles as fast
as the gulllotine would do the work.
CASTOR abandoned the search for one
who was probably dead and started
eastward on his way back TO France.
1t was a sad day for him when he
arrived at Bordeaux and learned that
the marquis had been executed under
the charge OF being an enemy OF
France and Estelle was In prison, like
ly to suffer the same fate Not only
did the revolutlonists wish to stamp
out the Hauteville family, but to con.
flscate the Hauteville estate. II Jean
were dead and Estelle should be exc
euted CASTOR would be heir to the
title and properties of the Hautevilles
He therefore realized that should he
be known as one of the family he
would undoubtedly die on the guillo
tine. He therefore concealed his iden
tity until he could form some plan fol
future action.
There was n strong resemblance be
tween the cousins, Jean and CASTOR
CASTOR was two years younger thar
Jean, and, since the latter had not
been seen In France for two years, Il
was not impossible for CASTOR TO per
senate him. CASTOR proceeded north
ward to the province now called the
department OF Haute, where the Cha
oeau Hauteville was located. III
found no one there except the olt
steward, Francois Maran. and his wife
Marguerite. These he took into hi'