Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-14

XVII, the son Of Louis XVI and Mari,
Antoinette, survives in this wreck How
he escaped from prison we do not know
Why ho is here unrecosnized in Eng.
land. where his claim to the throne was
duly acknowledged on the death OF his
father, we do not know But we who
have often seen the royal child cannot
fail to identify him: brutallzed as he is
by the past horrible year Of his life"
The boy stood unwinlsing before his
three expatrlated subjects. Two of them
noted the traits Of his house. even to his
ears, which were full at top, and with.
out any inden4ation at the bottom where
| they met the sweep OF the Jaw.
The dauphinlof France had been the
most tortured victim Of his country's
Revolution. BY TALLER who cut hia eye
brows open with blow. and knocked
him down on the slightest pretext the
! child had been forced to drown memory
In flery liquor, month after month. Dur
ing six worse months, which might have
been bettered by even such JaiIer, hid
from the light in an airless dungeon,
covered with rags which were never
changed, and with fllth and vermin which
daily accumulated, having his food
passed to him through slit in the door,
hearing no human voice, seeing no hu-
man face, his Joints swelling with poIs-
oned blood. he had died In everything
except physical vitality, and was taken
out at last merely a breathing corpse
Then It was proclaimed that this CORPSE
had ceased to breathe. The heir of n.
long line of kings was,cofTined and buried
While the elder De Ferrier shed nerv-
GUS tears, the younger looked on with
eyes which had seen the drollery of the
French Revolution.
81 wish 1 knew the man who has
played this clever trick. and whether
! honest men or the rabble are behind It."
Let us find him and embrace hint"
Il would rather embrace his prospects
when the house Of Bourbon comes again
to the throne Of France. Who is that fell
low at the gate? He looks as II he had
some business here"
The man came on among the tomb
stones. showing a full presence and pros
porous air, suggesting good vintage,
such as were never set out in the Smith
field alehouse. Instead of being smooth
| shaven. he wore a very long mustache
which dropped its ends below his chin.
A court painter, attached to his patrons,
ought to have fallen into straits during
the Revolution. Philippe exclaimed with
astonishment-
at him -
Bellenger took off his cap and made a
deep reverence.
my uncle is weeping over the dead
English. Belenger" said Philippe 1T
always moves him to tears to see how
few of them die"
1--WE can make no such complaint
against Frenchmen in these days, mon
sieur." the court painter answered II
see you have my young charge here, en-
joying the gravestones with you--a pleas
ing change after the unmarked trenches
of France, With your permission 1 will
take him away"
Have | the honor, Monsieur Bellenger,
of saluting the man who brought the
king out of prlson?" the old man in
quired.
Again Bellenger made the marquis
deep reverence. which modestly dis
cluimedI any exploit.
when was this done? Who were your
helpers? Where are you taking him?"
Bellenger lifted his eyebrows at the
fanatical royalst.
''I wish had had hand in it!" spoke
Philippe de Ferrier.
81 am taking this boy to America,
monsieur the marquis" the painter
quietly answered.
But why not to one of his royal un-
cles?"
His royal uncles," repeated Bellenger
Pardon, monsieur the marquis, but did
say he had any royal uncles?"
"Comew spoke Philippe de Ferrier. mo
Jokes with us Bellenger. Honest men of
every degree should stand together in
these times"
Eagle cat down on a nat gravestone,
and looked at the boy who seemed to be
an object of dispute between the men of
her family and the other man. He neither
saw nor heard what passed. She said
to herself
'It would make no difference to mel
1t is the same, whether he is the king
or not"
Rellenger's eyes half closed their lids
as II for protection from the sun
Monsieur de Ferrier may rest assured
that / am not at present occupied with
Jokes. l will again ask permission to
take my charge away"
'You may not go until you have an
sWered some questions"
That l will do as far as I am per-
mitted."
do monsieur and his brother know