Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-05-30
Madeline Lsvalette.

On the l7th of May, 1880, a French
officer Of infantry-Capt. Auguste
Malsherbes-was found in the streets
of Toulon, severely wounded. A pat
rol of qendum.es, in making their
early morning rounds, discovered him
lying in pool Of blood, that had
evidently flowed from en- ugly sword
thrust in the ribs. He was picked
up by the soldiers and carried home,
Being a person so well known,
every attention was paid to hhn, and
every effort made to discover the as
sassin. The dangerous state OF the
Captain made it impossible to OBTAIN
the slightest information from him.
The police could discover but one
trace of the unknown. Blood was
tracked from the scene OF encounter
to the sallyport at the Castlgneau
then it ceased. The waters alone
could tell the story.
No clue was ever found, although
the sharpest detectives Boulogne
could boast were on the alert.
Captain M;lsherbes recovered slow
", and as soon as he could bear ques-
tionlng, inquiries innumrrable were
asked him. At first he seemed to
know nothing, except that he was
LII IL, ott,ol-od than chat the
assault was too sudden and the night
too dark for him to recognize his
enemy; then that he was too Ill to
bear further questioning, &c.
But from the fact that when dis
covered he had his sword in hand
that his wound was in front; and
more than all this, that a richly EN-
broidered handkerchief was attached
to his sword; that his watch and
other valuables were untouched, MS
statements were received with dis'
belief. :,
The authorities gave up the matter
In despair, and il ceased to be thought
Of except among bis corps, and those
polite Circles ia which the Captain
moved, There it was considered as
ell aFaire d lonnear, concerning
some lair one; and many were the
tests the Captain had to stand about
that queer poke in the ribs-an ugly
place for professedly crack swords
man-about the mouchow, and In
deed, everything concerning the
whole affair.
The Captain bore it in silence. No
word of his confirmed the slight in
uendoes smilingly thrust at him by
clever little lawyers in petticoats. No
faur pas in convivial hours ever fur
nished stray glimpse at this dark
bit of history.
Time passed. The Captain ap-
peareo as much as ever in society,
was as social and gallant as Of old,
and won troops Of friends. His posi-.
tion was distinguished one. Of
cultivated mind, genial manners,
generous nature, his friendship was
ever cultivated. But, though pos
sessed of a moderate fortune, rather
good looking, and decidedly distangue,
he never married. When bantsred
on the subject, Unanswered evasively,
looked grave, and shuddered. d.:
could have made his choice amid the
pretty girls of Toulon easily, but he
rather avoided paying any exclusive
attention to any one, and never con-
versed gaily on the subject of matri-
mony, as the other men did. Among
the members of his corps, he was
looked up to as a brave, daring officer;
and, to the ladies Of his acquaintance,
he wasthe favored beau-his escapade
with the unknown but enhancing his
interest in their eyes. Alas this is
ever so. Mother Eve will show her
self in her descendants, and Captain
Malsherbes was feted and lionized
more than ever when he emerged
from the seclusion OF his sick room.
The troubles just then broke out
in Paris. The King, Louis Philippe,
was deposed. and ordered to the capi-
tai. The Captain arrived too late to
take part in the street fight, that oc-
Cured, but was placed on guard with
his company in the Alice Longchamp,
Bois de Boulogne:
At midnight, feeble cry for help
was heard IN this wood. His men
rushed forward, and found him badly
wounded, and as betore. He was
conveyed to the Longchamp Hospital,
and there his wound was dressed, his
company, during the tine, searching
every nook for the assaiiant. They
were asunsuccessful as the gcndarmcs
at Toulon. Footsteps were traced as
far as Port Dauphine-no further.
The disturbed state OF Paris prevent
ed all inquiry. The Captain recov-
cred slowly as before, attended by
skilful surgeons and to all the anx-
ious inquiries Of his comrades he
answered evasively. That the un-
known ,Sas no asscc7in was very evi-
dent. The Captain We fnandsword
in hand, at the mercy OF Lis antago-
mist, who might have taken his life
had he chosen.
Malsherbes returned to his regi-
ment, after convalescence Of several
weeks, cheered by the consultations
and sympathetic attentions OF the
fair Of Toulon. The regiment was
stationed at Lyons, and quartered at
the barracks at Fort Brotteaux.
One week afterwards the Captain
was found severely wounded, and ly-
ing in by-path, the following curl
Gus billet pinned to his coat:
"Ihare, at last, reached your leg"
1t was true; it was his right leg. A
savage thrust lad penetrated tha
knee, near the patslla, or knee-pan,
and rendered amputation necessary.
No clue still to the assailant. The
only trace was, that shortly before
Captain Malsherbes was found, a
naval officer sprang quickly into
boat waiting at the quay at the Tete