The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-04-19
WITHOUT HEART.

Neither Madame de st. Angc nor
her friends, however, were old; and,
although she was widow, Madame
de st. Ange was not a day over
twenty-five, and had made up her
mind to remain widow all her lite.
She was rich and possessed of every
attraction to insure her brilliant posi-
ton in society, but she was, as far as
a woman can lie, utterly devoid OF
vanity. She preferred TO be loved,
to- be respected by those around her,
WIZ thoroughly understood and APP
preeiated her, rather than to be adj
mired by thousand people incapable
of understanding her, and who would
have forgotten her as soon as she had
ceased to amuse them.
The greater part of the year she
lived at ST. Cloud three months was
all she gave to Paris. Year after
year the same circle of friends drew
around her, spending week after week
beneath her roof. But the circle was
often enlivencd by visitors from Paris,
fifteen minutes of railroad being all
that divides the Capital from ST.
Cloud.
This evening Mime. de St. Ange was
expecting guest from Paris, and all
were Just saying, Monsieur de Mont
medy will not come" when NJ. de
/ Montmedy was announced,
DO not ask me why am late, but
rather wonder how it is that | am
here at all"
why, what has happened ?"
a have been Knocked down
Knocked down."
"Yes, and by woman"
a woman ~
"Yes, a woman, who fell from a
third story window first on my head
and then on the pavement, where the
mangled body lay very still, all crush
ed and bleeding"
Good heavens! An accident or
suicide?n
know not; all | know that when
| rose | was so overpowered with
horror that | was obliged TO lean for
support on the two people nearest
to ME, and that nothing but glass OF
stiff brandy restored me TO my senses.
Then | beheld another sight that al
most turned my blood"
What could be more horrible than
that you had seen ?"
when what | have told you occur
red. | was with friend OF mine, one
of the hardsomest and most fascinat-
ing men | ever knew Hooked around
for him and beheld him with the
bleeding, disfgured corpse in his arms,
carrying it to the nearest druggists;
he laid it on the counter, gazed at it
for an instant, then having washed his
hands, he turned to the lookingglass
TO see that there were no stains on
him, and. taking my arm, went on
calmly with the conversation this acci-
dent had interrupted. He was not
even n shade palcr than before"
Il, who am a surgeon" said one of
Nine. de St. .Ange's guests, could
not have done this"
And l." exclaimed General Sim
onet, "who have seen men on the bat
tie field lying dead by the hundreds.
could not have looked on such a sight
as this unmoved."
81 wouldn't have seen such thing
for ten thousand francs" said VI. Cani-
lac, who, being a millionaire, valued
every emotion in specie.
81 should like to. see your friend"
said Nine. de St. Ange, TRANQUILITY,
- for to tell you the truth l think he
is a clever hunkug."
Not at all; there was no acting, no
ostentation."
Is he young?"
"Twenty-three."
Is he rich 2"
Very"
Is he handsome ?"
Ladies and gentlemen" said NJ.
de Montmedy, laughing, "all your
questiens will soon be answered, for
| have asked the Count de St. Floy,
taking advantage of general permis-
sion given me by Nine. la Baronne,
to come here this evening"
delightful" exclaimed the Ba-
rome, we will put his insensibility
to the test"
"And we will conquer it, l will
wager anything
81 think not" said NJ. de Mont
medy; at this moment the servant,
opening the door, announced IL. de
St. Floy.
Under the shadow of this name
tall, handsome and most distinguished
looking man advanced into the room
with the easy grace of man of the
world, but without either conceit or
presumption in his manner.
All were prepossessed in his favor,
but all were very anxious to put to
the proof the indifference of which
they had been told.
Nine. St. Ange soon found an op-
portunity of referring to it.
4" am sorry for the terrible acci-
dent you and M. de Montmedy wit
messed to-day"
!" Are you, Madame ?"
ayes: did it make you shudder ?"
"Why should it | do not know
the woman. All I could do was what
| did, to get her out of the way of
public curiosity As for feeling hor-
ror at. the sight of blood and broken
bones, that is vulgar emotion; peo-
rle shrink from the physical horror
who have not one tear to give to a
lacerated heart or an agony Of the
mind that is racking the brain to mad
ness. This look on as folly"
"You have extraordinary strength
of mind
No, but I feel only as my reason