When His Nerve Failed

The cruelties of the French revolutioii lose nothirig by the marnier in which Baron Ferdinand Eothschild has described them in his book: "By f ar the most wantonly snvage of the Republiean oornmissioners was Lebon, who exercised the powers of a procónsul at Arras. The Marquis de Vielfort was lying bound under the knife of the guillotine when Lebon, who was lookiug ou frorn the balcony of a neighboriufi house, mado a sign to snspend the oxecution. Tlie rnob, fanoying he meant to pardon the condemned man, ■were greatly snrprised at such unwonted clemency on his part. Lebon, however, took a newspaper trom his pocket, read out a long account of a vietory the Republican anny had just gaiiied and ended by shouting to the marquis, 'Villain, go and inform your friends of the news cf our victories. ' ' 'Michelet relates that a man known for his colossal strength and iron nerve betted that ho would stand by r.nd see the exeoutions from first to last without faltering. For some time he unflinchingly bore the sight, but when a young girl named Níchole, a mere child, íítepped forward, lay down on tho plauk and gently asked the executioner, 'Am I right this way?' his braiu reeled and he dropped iu a dead faint. "