Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-08-24
THURSDAY, AUGUST "a, 1865.

their excitement. Then theywere silent. She
knew what he meant. Forgive him, reader
he was French, and Frenchman's tirst idea III
trouble, is charcoal. That was it-charcoal
and an alright room. She had no wish to die;
but her husband was her world, and she could
not exist without him. After while, sitting
together, sorrowful and hungry, in the gloomy
room, she was quite of his way OF thlnking.-
She only said, 'Wait until tonight" and he
answered, CAS- you will, chere annie"
So they waited, and at dusk began their
preparations They made their windows and
their chimney air tight, and sat furnace IN the
middle of the room Then Paul said.
Il will bring the charcoal. My friend, the
shopkeeper, will wait some time for his money;
but no matter, he will not begrudge it,
He took basket and went out through the
darkness to the little shop. To the inquiries OF
its owner, he replied that 'he was better-would
soon be well" As he said this his eye rested on
the charcoal, and he smiled The grocer was
unconcious He bent over the black fuel, meas
uring it. "Your basket has a hole in it, he
said. 1.-The coal will escape, and soil madames 5
neat floor. Wait, will repair it." Searching
among the rubbish, he found pcice of cruln-
pied parchment, and laid it in the basket. 1T
is a portion of the garret of Monsieur Nolr, de-
ceased, he said Il purchased it with chaos
of books and papers, to wrap up my merchan-
disc in. See, it sulfices "Bon soir, monsieur,
And Paul Dupont departed.
He went home intent on what seemed to him
a very praiSeworthy undertaking. He en-
braced Estelle, fastened the door and lit cam
die. ''that wemay look upon each other, 'chcrc.
annie" he sighed and then left her to tho task
Of kindling those fatal Goals. To this end a
stretcher had been broken TO pieces, matches
lay ready, only paper was wanting.
"There is some in the basket, said Paul and
Estelle drew forth-not exactly paper, but
parchment; an old deed, something III French.
As Estelles eyes rested upon it she saw hername
thrice repeated. lnamomcnt she cried to Paus
''Where did this come from ?' and Paul instead
of doing as one of our own countrymen would
have done, bid her not to chatter ON unimpor-
tant matters at crisis, said as politely as though
there were no charcoal ON the tapis, Il have
been told from the garret of Mons. Noir, de-
ceased"
'Paul-Paul-Mo Monsieur Noir wasmy grand
father. DO you forget that is my name? Read
this dear Paul"
And 50 he read it. 1t was will, bequeath-
ing certain property, well worth the having, To
Monsieur Jean NOir, or if deceased, to his
daughter Miss Ruth NORA native of America
and the granddaughter of the testator, etc.
This was the property that brought Mrs. NOR
to Paris-the will which it had been supposed
was in existence, but which had been yainly
searched for, for the very good reason that sun
dry graSping servants had unwittingly sold it
with the other papers, and books, and holls,
hold refuse, to dealers in snch articles for a fss
Sous. The grasping servants could not read
Neither could the polite shop-keeper of the
Rue De, and but for that charcoal it is pro-
babe the document would have remained lost
forever.
Monsieur Dupont and wife didnot light the
furnace until they had unstopped the windows.
Then it was to make chocolate. Mrs Ruth had
proofs of her identity, and insisted on her un-
pronOunceable name until they were establish
ed. After this she accepted the name of Estellc
again with joy
They were rich now, and, despite the sur
geon's predictions, doubt if Paul lost his arm,
for some time since Partisan periodicals were
lauding a picture he had painted. Was it
portrait of Eugene, or of her little Napoleong
And weread list of wmdrous titled personages
whohad visited the atelierof Monsieur Paul Du-
pOnt.