Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-24

| an auction store near the bourse.
The V.scount Robert N. de P
was rs years Of age, he bad an income
Of $4,000 livres. wit, good looks, An
illustrions name, and could have made
a very brilliant marriage. He ought
to have been the happpiest man in the
world.-He only had one regret. He
had nothing to do. He was unhappy
at his happiest. The constant tran
guilty of life fatigued him. He needed
. little bitter in his cup to perpetua
sweets. But heaven refused to grant
it to HIM. He resolved to fly to other
lands, there to seek the f:tigues, the
sufferipg., the novelties he lacked.
So, five years ago lie entered by
chance an auction room, just as they
were putting up a capital portable
writing desk.
He was about to travel, and it was
Just what he needed so he bought it
for 800 frances.
1t probably cost more than ten times
that sum In the interior there we're
compartments for every thing, and
plate that bore the name Of Lord n,
one of the richest peers Of England.
He was enchanted with his purcha Sc,
and carried it home in triumph. Some
days after he set out for SP\ 10; Is
he went from Madrid to Caiiz he was
stopped by thieves, who completely
despoiled him. The only thing be
missed was his desk. He prayed them
to return it. They refused, but their
chief, Don Jose Maria, promised to
send it after him to Cadiz, on receipt
Of ransom. Robert promised 200
reals, and gave the address Of the no
tel where he meant to stop at Cadiz.-
He sent the money and got his desk.
In America, in the wilds of Mexico,
his desk was carried off by the Mexi-
cans. He thought it lost. Four
months afterwards he found it in shop
in Vera Cruz, and paid 500 francs for
it.
In 1852, having returned to France,
he thought of going to Baden. He
passed the summer there, and went to
Paris, visiting Cologne and Aix-la-
Chapelle on his way.
Arrived on the frontier which sepa-
rates France from Belgium, he tell into
the hands of the custom house officers.
Some days before some skillfnl fellows
had defrauded the customs to a consid-
cradle amount, consequently the Off
GERS were on their guard.
The search was long, and the Wis
count became furious.
"What do you fear!'' he asked an
grily.
"Oh, sir, objects of great value can
be concealed in small space"
"Have l the air of smuggler!"
mo, but there are ambassadors who
smuggle without scruple."
The search continued, and the Wis
count was astonished to see the Off
GERS open drawers in his desk Of the
existence Of which he was ignorant.
AT last, full Of Impotence, he wished
to reclaim it.
"Now that you have seen ALL" said
he, "let us not prolong this unpleas-
ant investigation"
"What do you say sir?"
81 say that you have seen all, and
know that have nothing contraband."
"Your GOODNESS, sir, makes me pity
you. Have you nothing to bring
forth? If you do, you will be freed by
paying the dues; if not, and l find
anything, there will be confiscation
and fine"
"But you have seen ALL"
"Perhaps.'
"What do you mean by perhaps!"
at is we'll made. Any one but my
self might have been deceived"
"But swear to you that you have
seen ALL"
"Why deceive me' I am going to
prove the contrary"
"If you find any thing else, I'll
swear know nothing of it"
"a poor excuse. warn you that l
do not believe you"
"Let US finish this bad joke"
1--WE will, and so much the worse
for you."
And with nail the officer pressed
against what was apparently little
ornament, which flew back, disclosing
a drawer, in which was paper parcel.
The officer took it out, looked at it,
and put it back.
"That IS not contraband," said he,
with bow, land with so much money
| | was wrong to accuse you"
But the Viscount was stupefied.
"Bank notes." cried he. "But l
did not put them there"
"You are very fortunate, sir, if you
can forget million SO readily"
In fact there was million Of pounds
sterling.
The Viscount took the notes, count
ed them, replaced them, and deter
mined to find the owner. Arrived at
London, he sought out Lord NJ, whose
name was engraved inside. The noble
man affirmed that the money was not
his. He had given this desk to for
mer valet Of his, whose address he
gave the Visceunt.
The valet was now q wealthy shop
keeper in Pail Mall. He told the Wis
count that he knew nought Of the
money, but while 10 Italy had sold the
desk to Count Luigi Settimanni, who
Was immensely rich, and in whose SER
vice he then was.
The Viscount set out for Italy, and
went to Ravenna, where Count SETH
manni lived. He recognized the desk,