The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-08

and promised the QylDS mOGuer Suo
would bring him up as her own boy.
He was then consigned to the wife of a
tenant, who happened to be in the house,
babe some weeks old. This woman
was next day sent back to her farm, with
her little treasure, to keep him, at least,
out of harms way.
A week later, NJ. de Vartelle, hearing
q man in the street below crying ripe
figs, opened the window, and calling to
the itinerant fruiterer, purchased basket
of them. To save trouble, he hoisted
up the fruit with piece Of string, and
then carried it off, rs n present, to his
father, whom he knew to be partial to
figs. The old gentleman, however,
chanced to be particularly engaged, and
N. de Vartelle accordingly returned to
his own apartment. Setting down the
figs Oh q side. table, he thought no more
about them; but an hour or SO after
wards, being tempted by their freshness
and luscious color, lie deyoured some
half-a-dozen. Almost immediately he
was seized with burning pains, accompa-
MED by intense dryness in the throat,
and much vomiting. One of the
doctor, and another went to summon
his wife from church, where she was at
tending vespers. NJ. dc Fartclle fingered
till the following morning, when death
put an end to his sufferings. On exami-
nation, it was discovered that very
finely-powdered arsenic had been intro
duced beneath the skin of the figs.
Horror and CONSERVATION now fell upon
all. The old man was nearly heart
broken. Two Of his sons-in-iaw de-
clarcd their intention of travelling about
for time, and went with their wives
and children out of the doomed house.
Madame de Vartelle, however, vowed
she would never leave the father of her
lost husband, the grandfather of her
children. Her devotedness gave courage
also to Madame d'Orgerel, sister to the
magistrate, who was previously on the
point of taking her departure, and the
eldest son, the bishop, who had been
engaged with the affairs OF his diocese
while these terrible events were passing,
now fastened up to Paris to comfort and
console his venerable parent. He pro-
posed to stay a month, but Oh the
twenty-third day exhibited some fcverish
symptoms, to dispel which lie asked his
aunt and sister-in-law to make him a
was instantly complied with, and or
his complaining that it was not sweet
enough, some powdered sugar was
brought to him. The beverage being at
last to his taste, he drank OF it freely,
and towards the evening was seized with
convulsions, which terminated fatally.
| The patient had time, however, to make
n will, bcqueathing his entire property to
the orphan child Of his deceased brother,
and, failing him, to Madame dc Varieties S
eldest boy
All Paris was now in alarm. The po-
lice were completely at fault, and were
| Indignantly ridiculcd by the panic
stricken public. The bereaved parent
was fast sinking into the grave. Sitting
one morning i'll his library, brooling
over his irreparablc losses he was sur
prised by one Of the servants hurricdly
entering tho room, and throwing himself
on his knees at his feet. It was the con
fidential valet of the second son, whose
babe was q nurse in the country.
"Kind MASTER" said he, clasping his
hands, "listen to me patiently. Do not
think me mad, entreat you. I must
tell you oil, and then you may do what
you please with me. Two nights before
NJ. de Varieties death, I felt some one
beheld the form of my dear master, NJ.
me fear nothing, but see to the safety of
his child Tell my father lie said, 'to
send him far away, and let no one but
yourself know where he is, otherwise he
will perish as surely as my poor brother
De Vartelle. With these words, he
vanished from my sight, or rather,
swooned away, and lay in state of un-
consciousness until long after sunrise.
But when my senses returned, fancied
it might be only dream, and feared
to mention it to you, sir, lest you should
be angry and dismiss me from your SER
vice. Two days afterwards, NJ. do Var
telle died. I was torn with remorse, but
still shrank from speaking to you. Well.
sir, last Tuesday, at nightfall, was sit
ting by the fire, thinking of my dear
master, and of all that has lately hap
pened, when felt as if some one rubbed
against me, at the same time that chill
ly, fetid air made me shiver-with
alright more than with cold. \ voice,
once we'll known and dear to MS all,
whispered in my ear: Saint Jean. thou