The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-04-02
For the Morning Star and Catholic Messenger
MARDI GRAS;
A Tale of Ante Bellum Times.
BY TIM. LINKINwATER.
Continued

ON one of the sofas in this room man was
eisurely reclining, while near him In an arm
chair the renowned fortune-teller was sitting.
He had evidently just come in, and stretched
himself YEARLY out, while she in compass
sionating tone said,
"You seem weary, my dear" :,
and disgusted with this interminable search.
It is first one track and then another, and en-
tirely different one, all leading to-nothing."
"Well, my dear, you get paid all the same,
eyes, oh, yesi but that is not all man
works for. 1 get paid literally, but then
could make just as much working up the pri-
to take them, and then there would be variety,
and the satisfaction of success. Now here I've
had this one case since the year after we were
married, and am no nearer success than when
first took it." .e
at is strange" replied his wife, who wore
her high sounding foreign name only for bust
ness purposes, but was Mrs. Williams in pri-
yate, "that Mr.. MacVain does not tire of this
fruitless search
"Not hep exclaimed the detective, 81 never
saw such man! Disappointment only sharp
ems his desire for success, and drives him into
new channels and on to new plans"
"Why is MacYain SO anxious about the re-
covery of this child was she relative of
his 49,. 49,. r,...,. .,.,. ...,;,,.
mystery about it and it is fast wearing him to
the grave. think from the way he talks and
the weight it is on his mind that he either stole
"He did, What could induce him to do
thatp
al don't know, perhaps money-may be it
was done to conceal the child's birth, thou gh
if it had been that che would have been stolen
before she was two years old. He's the deep
est man ever got hold of; you can't hnd out
much that he don't want you to know, and If
you do think you've struck o trail, you never
know whether you are right or not"
eff he would come here, might lead him
by prophesy to do as you wish"
Eyes, but he would not come here. He
teller, and would not hazard my reputation
with him by such q proposition"
"No, it would not do for you to do that
only wish he would come of his own accord.
As 1t is, why don't you throw up the engage
ment n
way several times, but MacVain is never will
ling to listen to such @ thing, and he has been
SO liberal with me, that could not honorably
drop the case against his will. This match
girl he thinks 10 the child he is looking for, and
that belief has raised his hopes higher than
ever before"
"And You cannot find herp
Find heri You might as well look for q
grain of chalk in barrel of -four, as to look
for one particular vagrant amongst the thous
ands that infest every alley, lane, and tene
ment of the city. Besides, never saw her,
and MacVain only saw her once, and may have
given me q very poor description of her,"
Yet it is strange you can find no trace OF
her"
at is, indeed, and battles me entirely. I wish
MacVain wonld drop the case. / would will
ingly give up the chance of earning the hand.
some reward that is promised on the successful
conclusion of our search"
The door bell was ruDg at this moment
and to avoid the visitor, if it should be some
one wishing to consult the Madame, Mr.. Will