Year: 1879

nobody doubted. on those who were returning. II
has been cycle OF utter misery to all. Men and
women who were in their prime when 1t opened
were now as aged and broken down as septuagenar-
ians However. there seemed place for recrim-
ination. There was no brooding over wrongs and
no display of venom. At six o'clock there must
have been five thousand persons stationed
on the avenues leading to the terminus.
Aa As the time ran on the courtyard be- be,
ratings. and on the stone benches were ranged
women-old middle aged aud young -grandmothers.
mothers, wives and daughters OF the returning
exiles. some of whom took the precaution to bring
SUITS OF clothes with hem so that the prison dresses
peared in their homes The clock struck eight and
no train was yet signailed. Toward nine placard
was stuck on door Of an inner court intimating
not arrive before five minutes to four in the morn
ins. At eleven there was fearful surge forward
which commenced so far away as the Bastille. The
last train from Biois had entered


Mere spectators now began to drop off. OF those
who remained. women were in the majority. The
correspondents was near respectable gray haired old
lady who fell into conversation with him. She said
her son had joined the federals because he was
vinced the Assembly wanted to fost king ON Paris.
He was. in good faith. thoroughly honorable and shc
could not dtsapprove OF anything he did. But
mon law offence was trumped up against him. and
he was sent out as vile feon to New Caledonia by
Bonapartist officers who had sold Metz to the
Prussians The old lady wondered whether her boy
was much changed, tor he was only eighteen when
she saw him last. She also wondered would he
know her She had come in a cap which he had
seen her IN, so that she might not be altered by
new-tashioned bonnet. The correspondent remained
with her until the end, which was sooner than we
expected for the train steamed in exactly ut half
made through them but wide as the terminus vesti-
bule is. it was too narrow to admit twentieth part
OF those making toward 1t.


MOTHER AND SON.


The thrill or emotion which went through the
crowd will never be forgotten by any one who felt
1t. Eyes brimmed over. speech was paray zed there
was not word uttered for some moments. Then
there was halt. At last the door OF the baggage
room swung back. An old weather beaten man in
canvas clothing headed long tile similarly dressed.
young woman with child in her arms and boy
clinging to her skirts pounced upon him and cried.
moment and then locked her in his arms


The old lady with whom the correspondent stood
without perceving the face she looked for. II can't
see my poor boy. she said. 'he must have fallen i'll
and remained behind" Here man OF apparently
forty stopped before her and accosted her with,
Dear mother is it possible that you do not
recognize me? She looked at him hxedly, An
expression Of bitter disappointment passed over a
faded face, which had boen radiant with hope.
No, she did not recognize him; he could not be her
son. Eighteen and eight made twenty-six. and she
took off his cap she then saw that she had not to
deal with an impostor, but the anguish OF mind
ron wmlca sne nad Just suffered after the hours OF
OF will or Of speech "Have 1 killed you, darling
motherg" said the poor fellow. Come cheer up;
you know me. don't your" and he led her, or
rather half bore her. into the court.


FREE!


Then. for the first time. there those who said
that the amnestied Communists appeared to be fine
veterans who had nothing their consciences, aud
were kept up in their misery by the conviction of
having, as MacMahon said fought in q good cause.
The transformation scene in the court odd
feature OF their reception. which overpower-
ingly afectionate. In the terminus they were
stripped of their prison blouscs by the women
and clad in coats. The felons cap was flung
aside. and hat of sort taken from
beneath shawl mantle to replace it.
ta
about the railway. The newspaper reporters
who came to scof were borne away With the tide OF
beauty, OF hearty JOY and welcome. There was such
handshaking, kissing weeping and chatter when the
first Impressions were over that the brains Of the
wearied men must have reeled with excitement.
The gladness surpassed all that could be remem-
bered of the 4th OF September. There no cries
Of "vive Ia Communel" but deafening Of
"Vive la Republique! Unlike the Florentine exiles.
who returned to euslaved city, the pardoned
federals that morning found themselves the deni-
zens Of free country