The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-19

Trend.
The poor blind wretch did not agree
with me, and, to my surprise, began vim
dicatiug the character of Janin.
"You see, M'sieu," he said eff I am
blind, Janin has good eyesight, and why
should he not enjoy ii ? he may as well be
blind as I, if he is to see nothing. One
should not be selfish although one is un-
fortunate"
While he was speaking, and I was IN
WardIy admiring his simple naagnanimity,
Janin came up at quick pace, and chant
ing lively ditty-
"What, my old philosopher: SO you
have company" he said; 81 am afraid /
must disturb your conference"
"Make no apology for that, I pray"
said "but If you can direct me to a.
lodging, shall feel obliged =
'.You are English" said Janin Hthere
is an English house In the Rue dePOdeon,
which is always open till two if you make
for the Pont Neuf at once, and step out,
you will be there in good time"
"Good night, then, my lads"-and away
| trudged at round pace for the Pont
| Neuf-cr crossed it in a pelting shower, and
made the best of mg way to the Rue de
| POdeon. / accounted myself fortunate In
reaching the house a few minutes before
| the hour for closing the door, but found
1 that | had not so much cause for congrat-
ulation as | had imagined, as the place
was full, and the only accommodation the
landlady could offer me was small trun-
dle-bed in two-bedded room, already be-
spoken for the night by previous conner.
Being wet through by the rain, and
! feeling that [ should not mend matters by
faring further, l was fain to make viT-
tue of necessity, and accept the trundle-
| be6. Moreover, wishing TO set out of nv
| damp garments as quickly as possible, [
| asked for my candle, and was forth with
shown to the dormitory, which / found
was up four flights Of stairs. I lost no
| time in getting between the sheets, but
| had no intention OF going to sleep until /
| knew at least what sort Of a subject was
TO be the companion of my slumbers. So
/ took book from nv pocket, and plac-
1 ing my candle on chair by the bedside,
began to read, resolved to keep my light
burning and myself awake until the sound
of footsteps on the stairs should apprise
me Of the approach of the strange At
ter the lapse Of about half an hour, the
sounds | was listening for approached, and
then extinguishing The light, | laid
back, half-ciosed my eyes, and affected to
sleep.
The figure that now entered the room
was not at all a fascinating one, to my
view at least. He was man OF about
FIVE and thirty, jauntilY garbed in one of
the pea-green, high collared surtouts cur
rent among the fast men who affected the
Luxembourg quarter Of the Paris of that
day, but which surtout, like the rest of his
garments, seemed to have run all too sud
denly to seed. There was something
boozy and vicious in the expression of his
face, which, spite Of a fierce looking mus
tache, gave one the idea of meanuess aud
servility, coupled with reckless kind ot
bravado, which smacked rather of swae-
ger than Of daring, and in every feature
there was the impress of debauchery and
intempe-ance. He uttered brief, COM
mon-place greeting as he entered the room,
but finding that | took no notice of 1t.
probably concluded that l was asleep, and
so said no more.
Ia less than FIVE minutes he had bun
died himself into bed and had Put out the
hight; and after few minutes more, be-
gan to give audible tokens of the sound
ness of his slumbers Though | had
formed the worst opinion of nv compan-
ion, did not feel the slightest alarm.
He evidently had no hostile purpose he
had no weapon of any kind, not even a
stick, and L felt assured that in person
al encounter l could easily master him.
Still. there was something in his wander
ing eye, which never rested for a moment
on single spot, that did not like, and l
felt little annoyed with myself that I
had not placed my garments nearer my
hand, instead OF spreading them on chairs
in the middle Of the room, in order to get
them dry. These thoughts, however,
were but momentary, and in a very brief
space l had forgotten everything IL a
J quiet slumber.
/ | suppose l may have slept about two
hours, and the dawn was just breaking,
when | awoke by slight noise like some
thing falling on the tiled floor Of the
apartment. Luckily, l did not start OF
make the least movement, but, half-open-
ing my eyes, In the full consciousness of
the situation, l saw that my companion
was IA the act of getting out of bed. His
movements were so slow and cautious, and
noiselessly made, that they reused my sus-
picion, and I watched him narrowly thro'
my seemingly closed lids. With the
stealthiness of prowling cat, he got upon
his feet, and, with his eyes fixed upon me,
advanced slowly to the foot OF the bed
His object plainly was TO be sure that /
slept; and | took care to betray no signs
of wakefulness that might undeceive him.
After a statue-hke watch of few mo-
1 y