Saved: A Tale Of The French Revolution.

SAVED : A TALE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION .

BY THEOr-HILUS TOMLINSON . PARIS was at tbe heig ht of the Reign of Terror . The joyous city hacl become sombre and pensivesad and sorrowing . Horrors had succeeded

, upon horrors , atrocities on atrocities ! That wicked and infamous revolutionary tribunal , Avhere neither innocence , nor genius , nor grace , nor virtue , nor patriotism had . any hope , was running its career of blood ! Before its shameless decrees hacl perished the best intentioned of kings , the most heroic of queens , the most angelic of princesses , Cazotte and Lavoisier , Madame Roland ! ancl Charlotte Corday , ancl the countless noble sufferers of the

" terreur rouge . " Men and women of all ranks aud classes , equally innocent , equally helpless , hacl all gone to the guillotine in turn , ancl in its delirium low whispers Avere heard which neither spared Danton , nor Robespierre , nor Pouquier Tinville himself . But still clay by clay the victims came ancl went , and disappeared , ancl died bravely , and Paris in a whirl of excitement , was seeking new horrors , a IIBAV sensation , and new sacrifices !

In a narrow street running out of the " Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau " ( as it is now called ) , in a second " etage , " a family party were sitting plunged in grief . The group Avas composed of an elderly gentleman , a middle-aged matron , and a charming girl of fifteen , a gay and pleasant looking young man of twenty-three or twenty-four or thereabouts , and a slim , elegant lad of sixteen . There was something about the assembled little party which alike attracted ancl affected a beholder . The intense anxiety ancl grief depicted on

all the countenances , the tender looks ancl the affectionate interest so vividl y ancl touchingly displayed by " all to each " evidently pointed to a present grief or a coming danger ! There was something soldierly ancl aristocratic combined which made you think tbe head of the family gathering ( for it was a family gathering ) had seen military service , ancl was not ignorant of the fashions of Courts , while no one could look on the " mother " of that wnited but agitated little assembly Avithout esteeming her alike charming in

appearance and gifted with much intellectual energy , as well as the " don cle plaire . " The two hacl clearl y seen better days , had been accustomed to all that was noble and stately and distinguished in society . The daughter Avas as charming a girl as you could see any where , ancl if anxiet y for her parents ( for they were " vrais aristocrats " ) had dimmed her joyousness , ancl given a tender melanchol y to her countenanceshe was one of nature ' s fairest flowersancl his must

, , be a bad heart and a hard heart who could look upon her unmoved or with any feelings but those of admiration and respect . The young man was an officer , the son of an old neighbour of a good family in Normandy , who was now in Paris and about rejoin his regiment in " La Vendee . " blot being an " aristocrat " by birth he hacl , so far , weathered the storm , but bis connection with this very familhad brought on himhe bad bearda " denunciation . " Stillhere he

y , , , ivas , like a preux chevalier , to prove that he was still faithful to old friendshi p ancl bis first love . Por be ancl the young girl were deeply attached to each other . The pleasant lad was tbe only son of the family , a fine and promising youth .

The elderly gentleman and lady were named the Vicomte and Vicomtesse cle Castaignac . The young lady Avas Melanie cle Castaignac . The young soldier was Lieutenant De la Roche , ancl the boy was Ernest de Castaignac ,