Middletown transcript., 1871-12-09

tcusutIuuultst w iuUhc tiir ipTiuUe W Hr
proprietors. and such sensation" was in-
deed its fortune so late MS three weeks ago
On that occasion. n gentleman. whose
fertures were bronzed with tropical sun.
and whose military Uniform bore upon the
breast several crosses aud decorations. en-
tered the cafe with the multitude Of other
guests and called for refreshments. Ilav-
ing dispatched the latter. tho officer pro-
ceeded in the nsual course 10 the pay
desk Of the house, and wus handing the
amount Of his dill to the at,epdan, . lady
Of the counter" when between himself
and the latter there passed look Of rccog-
milton, followed by an exclamation from
the one. and the fall and the dead faint,
Of the other.
In momcn, all the quests Of the cafe
were gathered in excited concourse around
the PROSTATE woman, and the strongly ngi-
tatcd soldier hanging over her, and it was
some time before any explanation Of the
scene conld be obtained. When at last. in
response to the rather angry questioning
Of the two masculine proprietors Of the
cafe, who now appeared from the inner
room. the military intruder wildly claimed
the fain,ing lady us his long los. wife. the
whole company cried out tina, he must be
luna,ic aud commended him to the po-
lice. No luaatic was he, however. but
the Z" late husband" Of The fain,ing wife
the cx captain. who ten years ago. woocd
and married her in Switzerland
faom the wreck of the vessel (as cor
rcctly reported at the iime) on the coast
Of Africa, he had been cast ashore. alone
and almost inscnsitlc. the solitary surv-
vor Of thc catastrophe In such situation
death seemed preferable to the broken lifr
he saw before him. and he was upon the
point Of lcapng back into the waves when
the thought flashed upon him tia, France
had an army in Africa. in which i, might
be possible yet to retrieve his desperate
fortunes
The extravagnnt idea was an insprl.
ton to cX,rayagant action, At the near
est military post in Algeria the wrecked
sailor enlisted rs a soldier resolved to win
fame and competence in new profession,
or allow his wife in Switzerland anl hi.
friends in France 10 believe iha, he had
pcrishcd with his ship Seven years
rolled on, and hy his superior inttlligouc,
and bravery hc had risen 10 the rank oF
captain. Then ha>lcuing to France. and
thence TO Swiizcrand he had reached So
lucre ouly To hear that his WIFI. apparent.
" dying # grief trr him. ba! been car
ricd by her uncle 4 some place in France.
there probably To d..
Remurscfnlly aware now uf tile fatal
mistake be hal made. ia roueea,ins tn
fact oi lis existence from those mt inter
cs,pd il Il l1r 50 long tino, he bal -.
turned almost mauinc 10 Afiita. not
douhting that his wii' wa. lc,l, and car
ing for nothing hcncrintili bnl the chances
of an honorable death in hellle for him, il
Ills regiment wa in the ii, lion recall.
i to France during the war with ptussia.
aud as it. canucl h. was taken prisoner
with MacMahap, Al the SUR t. ler at Se-
dan Finals released rs his Getiaan cap
tors. aud returning to France, hr bal en-
tered the cafe on tn boulevard Mnn,mar.
ire, without a dream Of the revelation il
contained for him. and aas astounlcd by
recognizing aud being recognized hy the
wife whom he wcpt a> dead The unhap-
~ predicamcn, into which all parties are
plunged BY this may hc imagined, nor is
il likely Ia receive any such romantic init
igatinn. rs tlir poet at au English = Ennch
Arden might improsi,e IN ictinn The
* sailor. uaw a general, demands the al-
lcgianec Of his wiie The unh1fpy w.
man is distracted hgtwceu the rival claim,
ul hei first love and the iiiher ot her ehi,.
dteu With the hitter she has ai,illawn
to the sanctuary Of her afflicted uncles
house for the present, there to remain un.
Ill the law should have decided her future
fate