Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-07
The "StOry" of a Little Girl.

THE Paris correspondent of the London
D0aly Telegraph writes: " A tale full of
drollery comes from Cambria On Satur-
day night prodigious alarm reigned in
that city. The telegraph worked without
ceasing and mounted gendarmes careered
in every direction. Their orders were to
stop van, clearly described, in which
would be found several acrobats and three
kidnapped children. A little girl, escaped,
had given the alarm. She came home
very late, dreadfully bruised, her eyes
blackened, and scarcely able to walk A
big dog, to which she was much attached,
led her. The parents and neighbors.
greatly disturbed, asked an explanation,
which, with tears and spasms and mental
agony, the little girl delivered. She was
playing on the glacis, with her dog, when
a van came past. The fair of Cambria
has lately taken place, attended by many
acrobats and gypsies, and the van belonged
to party of these. A woman got out, as
it stopped on the glacis, and seized the
child. In spite of her struggles she was
handed over to man, who took her UP
and put her in the vehicle There she
recognized three other children belonging
to the town. The man put bottle in her
mouth and made her drink some opiate,
no doubt. But the dog had stuck to his
mistress and she had not let 90 the
chain. Between them they prevented the
door shutting, and presently the faithful
cur dragged his mistress out and she fell
into the road, bruising herself, as could
be plainly seen. The van people didn't
wait for such a troublesome victim, but
hurried off. This story was much inter
rupted by the fainting fits of the mother.
When she could be safely left, half dozen
jealous neighbors hurried to the police
Office. The Commissary arrived and
heard the little martyr for himself. Then
ensued that galloping of gendarmes which,
have mentioned. There were persons in
credulous, of course, for such there always
are everywhere. To the anger and dis
gust of the city these people pointed out
that the fair had broken up ten days be-
fore; that not van or an acrobat had
been beheld in the last week Reused to
more aggressive incredulity by the wrath
of true believers, they declared the little
girl to be little story -teller. After this
no one would talk to them any more, and
in Coventry they reflected on their wick
edness. But the worst Of it is these cal
umniators are proved right. The naughty
little girl contesses that she found bottle
Of brandy, that she gave a glass of it to
her brother, and took the rest upon the
glacis with her dog. Then she slipped
and slipped in the blaze of the sunshine
until, in fact, she could sip no more, but
rolled among the stones, to her great
damage; and then she went to sleep and
dreamed all that story Of the van. Wax
ing with a dreadful headache and two
bla ok eyes, she pondered how to explain
these accidents to her mother. The dream
came handy for this purpose, and was
used. But now the parents called her
story teller, and treated her accordingly
With needless emphasis they protested
that brandy had never entered their house.
The Commissary Of Police was struck
| with such warmth of denial. He called
the little girl again, and she wept sore in
hopeless puzzle between her own false
hood and her mothers. So the Commits
sary took on himself to make a perquisi-
ton, and a quantity Of brandy did he find,
OF which no satisfactory account was
forthcoming. There seem to be several
morals that attach to this little story"
A LOT of peaches were shipped to Eu
rope, the other day, dipped in melted par
| afine. By this process the fruit is covered