The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-08-13
Selected Stories.
|. VERY THRILLING ADVENTURE.

A VERY THRILLING ADVENTURE.
l was a medical student at Paris at the
time the strange aud startling adve4sure
happened which I am ubout to record
Tired with long lectures ANA h4rd study, !
was ont one evening Er a. walk IN the
fresh air. Il wa.s t. pleasant day in mid
winter. ana the cold. bmcing air, rs IL
touched my feyerish brow, caused II crate
mi sensation.
2assing through a rather lonely street,
near the river, / WAS surprised at meeting
% Young and pretty girl lat least so she APP
peared in the dim light of rather distant
street lamp who carried in her hand some
three or tou bouquets, which she offered
or sale.
.'Wil Monsieur have a bouquet" she
asked i'm 70 sweet musical tone, holding
out 70 me a w~ell-prmuged collection oitlov-
ers.
They are very pretty" said T. taking
them IN my hand, and then. somehow /
could mo-, L-.p adding. AS / hXedmy eyes
ON hers, and 80. l think, is their fair own
Monsieur will buy md us-ist me-: she
said.
DO you really need assistance.
why else should be here this hour Of
he night, Monsieur.
And why here at ali, quickly returned
I. This street is very little frequented,
and it is about the last place in the world
/ should have selected for disposiug Of
~ luxury most suited to wealth and fash
-uu.
She sighed. aud reached ont her hand for
the bouquet, which / still retained.
What Is your pncet
Five francs,
"A large sum.
Monsieur will remember that it is win
ter and flowers are not plenty.
TO aid You / viii purchase, returned
/. handing her the requisite silver coin,
for though Hove flowers, | would hardly
indulge IN the luxury tonight at such AN
expense
She thanked me. and seemed about TO
pass on, but hs-itpted. looked up 20 me, aud
said:
Gould Monsieur direct me 10 the house
Of % good physician who will turn ont to-
NIGHT 10 see u patient at small recon-
peuse,
ANY friend of yours ill:'
My mother with a deep sigh aud
dowucast look.
Where does she reside
only q short distance from here.
What j. the matter with her
'She has a HIGH fever for one thing
When was she taEsn|'
'Sh5 came down last night, and has not
left her bed since.
why did you not send for n doctor ut
once;'
I'VE hoped she would get better soon,
and it Is so expensive Tor poor people to
employ a physician
Il am myself a medical student with con-
siderable experience among the sick Of the
hospitals, and If You are disposed 10 trust
the case to me. | am at your service with
ont charge, / reiOined, already feeling
deeply interested in the fair girl.
'Oh, how shall thank YOU. Monsieur
she exclaimed with clasped hands and au
upward, grateful look. Pray, follow me,
Monsieur L. DOcteur.
She turned ut once, and moved of at n
rapid pace down the street, toward the
river Seine, inthe direction | was walking
when We met.
In less than five minutes We had entered
q wretched quarter, among narrow streets.
old lettering buildings, and squalid look
ing inhabitants, some Of whom seemed "a
glare at us as We passed along.
us it much further inquired /, begin
ming 70 feel uneasy,
"Only a step, Monsieur; it is Just here. d
Almost Immediately she turned into a
covered passage, which led back amongin-
habitants that I should never have volun-
tarily visited in the broad light Of day. A
distant lamp served TO make the gloom
visible till she stopped and opened a door
IN total darkness
Your hand, Monsieur le Docteur, - the
said, at the same time taking it and lead.
ing me FORWARD
l was tempted to draw back, and refus,
10 go any further, though | mechanically
followedher
We now went through a long passage il
total darkness, and after two or three shor
turns, began TO descend a flight OF creakins
rotten stairs.
us it possible that you live in Il place
like this2' said !, secretly wishing mysel
out Of il,
I'm Paris beggars cannot be choosers,
replied the girl.
But even in Paris il is not necessary TO
the living to take up their abodes III sepul
chresT' | rejoined, with some asperity
being vexed at myself for suffering ny
good nature to lead me into a den from
which | might never come II alive.
To this my fair guide deigned no reply
On reaching the foot of the stairs shepush
ed upon a door into a small, dimly Lighted
room, and / followed her INTO it with SOM
secret misgivings, There was a bed in on.
corner, and on it appeared 20 be q human
form lying very still.
II have brought a doctor, mother, salt
the girl, as she closed the door behind me
As there was no reply to this, she turned
to me, saying:
viii Monsieur le Docteur please b,
seated a minute? l think my mother j
asleep"
81 beg that madomeiselle will bear il
mlnd that | can only spare a few moments
IN this case tonight, as | have another cal
l wish to make Immediately" feeling anx
lous TO depart from that subterranean quar-
ter as quick as possible.
Monsieur shall not be detained long b.
me, %rejoined the girl, passing out of tn
room by another,
/ did not sit down, but walked over (
the bed, where the patient was laying sti
SO still, indeed, that / could not deteC
ny breathing. A woman's cap was o n th
head, and the end of the sheet conoeale
the face. | YentuTed 20 turn this dow
carefully, and behsld the eyeless socke
and grinning teeth OF a human skull:
l started back in horror, and at the san