The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-02-19
The 31st of
October,l7o3
BY F. A. Mitchell

Rue Rivoli crossed the bridge leading
as he reached the fountain midway
between the two obelisks clock ip
deep tone struck the hour of /.
Something like a shudder came over
the young man. Perhaps it was the
loneliness, for the Place was deserted
that is, at the moment, since this
central location can never be said to
be deserted for any length of time
even in the small hours of morning.
Perhaps it was the contrast between
his surroundings and the gay scenes
he had just left, contrast heightened
by his knowledge Of the history of the
location where stood the fountain he
was passing. He stopped and unused.
During the reign of terror where the
fountain is now stood the guillotine.
Every day a succession of carts
brought victims to this MOlOch of the
revolution. At first the nobility Of
France were in process of removal;
then when factions became jealous of
each other the party in power removed
those who were it's rivals. For awhile
Robespierre was virtual dictator and
decided who should be executed, The
leaders of the Conservatives. the
Girondists, he sent after those Of royal
and noble blood. Then a new faction
gained the supreme power and sent
RObespierre after the Girondists.
sound but a distant cab rafting over
the stones or a shout of laughter from
a cafe on the Champs Elysees. And
even then came at intervals the thought
that he was alone. But suddenly
he caught sight through the spray of
the fountain of woman's figure on
the other side of the basin. Impelled
by curiosity he moved around to where
she stood. What was his astOnishment
to see one whose features indicated
that she was a lady Her dress also
bespoke her rank. The costume was
in the directoire style which was in
vogue some time ago. She was very
pale.
It has never been permitted to Pari
sian ladies to be on the street alone
even at midday. AS for lady being out
unattended at 1 o'clock in the morn
ing. such a thing was unthinkable, and
yet the American was positive that
the person he saw on the other side
of the fountain was lady. Her fea-
lures were French. AS to her costume.
though it was in a style in vogue a
hundred years before-a style that had
been revived-the collar and cap were
those worn at the close of the eight
eenth century.
"Madame." exclaimed Goodwin
''surely you have been. through some
error on the part Of your escort or
your coachman, caught out alone. Will
you permit me to call a carriage?"
What day is this?'' asked the lady
DAY of the week or the month p
THE month";
This is the 31st of October"
DO you hear them singing"
Surely this woman had lost her rea
son and, having eluded her keeper.
had wandered forth in the night
Goodwin was at a loss to know what
to dO-whether to call the police or y
cab.
There are only three voices now.
continued the woman. Mine was one
of the first 10 be stifed
Wont YOU take my arm. madame?'
said Goodwin. extending it. THE
night is chill. and you do not seem to
be sufficiently clad
Nov there are two was the only
reply
Il beg OF you come with me-for a
little way-to the Rue RivOli, We will
find Il cab there
'Now there is one"
Goodwin was badly upset. Alone in
Paris with q crazy woman between
and . in the morning, he would have
left her, but this would be desertion.
He could not bring himself to do it.
Fortunately a cab came across the
bridge When it arrived opposite the
fountain he ran out to call the driver.
AS he started the lady he was leaving
said:
Now. there is none
The cabman stopped, and his cab
was empty. Goodwin returned for the
lady.
| She was gone.
/ All in SILVER. Goodwin got into the
| cab and was driven to his hotel.
! The next afternoon he walked out
! through the Place de la ConcOrde. The
| day was bright and the space was fill
ed with carriages and pedestrians. He
| stood by the fountain on the exact spot
| where be had stood the night before.
! Had he been dreaming?
/ Three years later he was reading 4
history of the Girondists. The last
| pages of the book gave an account of
| how they died on the guilotine singing
! the "Marseillaise. the volume of sound
| growing less till the last one sang
| alone. That single voice stiIled. all
/ had persisted Turning to the date of
! +Io I,.o,