Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-02-13
STAR.
A THRILLING TALE OF PARIS,

A THRILLIAG TALE OF PARIS.
1t was in the summer of 1916. as I
was travelling in the upper part of the
state OF Vermont on horse back, I was
suddenly overtaken by thunder storm.
l put my horse At full speed; and, as he
WAS pretty smart traveller, reached the
village OF Vergennes as the rain poured
down In torrents. stopped at a neat
little cottage sheltered by honev.sncLjs
and woodbine, and was greeted bv A cor.
dial welcome from the occupants, espe.
cially mine host, who was the pattern Of
Yankee hospitality.
lie was short, thick-set old gentle.
man, polite and courteous. His hair was
whltened with the frosts of MANY wears.
and his pale, white countenance. was
turrowed with care; yet, at times, his
face would brighten up as the merry
throng around him jumped on his knee
and kissed his ashley lips. On the whole.
1t appeared to me that he had seen better
days; and, after had been with them
some time. in the course of conversation
about the wealthy men in the great cities.
he informed me that he could once count
his thousands, and that in his Younger
days he had travelled over many parts of
Europe, but that, being bondsman for
mercantile friend whose credit was con.
sidered reliable, by the change in the
market in some uncertain business, he
failed and made bankrupt of him. and
after paying his honest debts, he had but
enough left to buy the small farm be now
occupied, where he and his family lived
in happy retirement.
As the rain continued, they invited me
to stop to tea, assuring me that nv horse
should be we'll provided for, and that it
would put them to no serious inconve.
nience. Supper came and we sat down
to nice dish of pretty speckled brook
trout. After supper l was invited to
stay all night; and he told me that, as I
was a traveller, he would tell me of a
little adventure he had when he was in
Paris. He said lie liked to warn Young
people not to be alluIed into places where
they would be likely to get caught by
the police.
1t was about the middle of an after.
noon, in the month of September, that I
arrived at Paris, and entered nv name
at well-known hotel. After supper. 7
took a stroll around some of the princi.
pal streets of the capital, and concluded
to go to the theater in the evening. Eve.
ming came; it was warm and pleasant,
just suited to my pleasure. Off started
to relieve my eRnui. 1t was Just eleven
o'clock when it was done, and wander
ed around to enjoy my silent reveries of
home, and take moonlight view of the
noted metropolis. How far | had wan.
dered | could not tell, when raising nv
eyes suddenly | saw a female form, ar.
rayed in white, leaning against a lamp.
post. She stood there, more like an an.
gel of beauty than missive of crime. As
L neared she stepped forward, bowed,
and told me that by some mistake her
partner had lost her. She was afraid to
go home alone, and wished that would
accompany her home. She was sorry to
put me to such inconvenience, but she
was really afraid to go. I, who was
then young man, politely took her arm
and proceeded as she directed. She led
me through numerous streets, until we
came to a very pleasant looking brick
house of two stories. She stopped, en-
tered, and invited me up one flight ofI
stairs into small bedroom, neatly fur.
nished, and left me, without light, to
call her mother, who would be glad to
see gentleman who had been so kind as
to wait upon her home. Suddenly, I
thought 1 had better go-I had done
them but slight service at best. went
to the door to 60 out. was fastened.
| was prisoner! My mind conceived
of all sorts of ideas regarding my welfare;
but l felt now that [ was in an abode ofI
wickedness. The artful woman had en-.
trapped me. A feeling of fear began to |
start over me. look around for place
of egress, but could see none. At last l /
came in contact with something-it was
bed. Perhaps it might be placed near
window. As | was cropping around,
my feet hit against something under the
bed. 1t seemed like human body. II
stopped down and felt it. 1t was . hu.
man body, warm, in its last sleep-the |
sleep of death. The shrill cry of murder |
now rang on the air.
My hair stood on its ends, and my
teeth chartered with inward horror. II
could hear q police posse gathering on
the pavements. They were on the stairs.
The gallows would drink the blood ofI
the innocent; there was no hope for me;
L was stranger in strange land no |
counsel could save me from my doom.
Luckily the moon just then peeped into
the window, and l jumped on q shed near
by, from thence some fifteen feet to the |
ground. My hotel was soon reached,
and l sought my bed. In the morning,
on looking over the newspaper, I read
the following:
MURDER.-Last night about IL clock,
the cry of murder rose from the second
story Of house of ill-fame in the street
-. On entering the building, the
murderer, as is supposed, escaped through
the window, leaving his victim under the
bed, with his throat cut from ear to ear.
The police are on his track, and will
arrest him by noon If he is in the city.