Woman of the Commune — G.A. Henty / George Alfred Henty

Cuthbert Hartington, a young Londoner, aspires to be an artist. When his father dies, leaving no inheritance, Cuthbert travels to Paris to study under a master painter. While he is there, the Germans attack and lay siege to Paris, and Cuthbert signs up to support France as a soldier. Although wounded in a skirmish, he survives to see France defeated, and forced to pay a huge indemnity to Prussia. This burden, and the humiliation of the defeat, fall heavily on Paris, increasing the discontent of the working classes. They form a socialist faction, the Paris Commune, which revolts against the French government and rules Paris for a brief period. Cuthbert is an eyewitness to the tragedy which follows. (includes footnotes defining obscure or uncommon words)