Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-03-31
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THE LOVERS RUSE-A DOWEKT GAINED
BY STRATAGEM.

Some years since two wealthy bachelors
lived in the vicinity of Paris. They had o
young maid-of-all-work named Marie de
La Pont. Marie was sweet, pretty girl.
and lively and piquant in her manners,
although modest in the extreme. and this
was the reason that the two brothers kept
her in their employ. They knew that she
was frugal, economical. and dressed In the
most moderate manner imaginable. One
day Marie surprised her employers by In
forming them that young artisan resid-
ing in Paris had asked her hand. They
strove to dissuade her from accepting the
offer Of marriage, but she told them that
she could not be happy unless she became
the wife of her dear Henri. So it was or.
ranged that she should quit the service of
the two brothers at the end Of coming
month.
One day during this interval the two
brothers sold some valuable real estate
which they owned jointly, and the sum
was all in bills on the Bank of France, and
was paid too late for deposit the same af-
ternoon. w
Night came, and as the old bachelors
seldom had such a large sum in the house,
my WSiO SohoiuCtdUly COuCcIuCU lcSt
robbers should attempt to rob them Their
fears were strengthened by the numerous
burglaries that had recently taken place in
that vicinity.
The residence OF the old men was some
distance from the main road, and stood
near the river Seine. 1t was lonely,
gloomy location, and on the night in ques-
tion the winds swept through the tall
ho ~,,sxl
doleful and moaning cadence. 'e
About midnight the old men retired "a
but scarcely had they fallen asleep when
Marie raped at their door and informed
them that robbers were at work below. S
Both the bachelors were terribly fright.
ened, and when one began to bar the door
the other began removing a tile from the
hearth to hide the bills.
You have gun," said Marie, take it
and shoot the villains" ego asaI
But the two trembling men paid no heed
to her advice. -
"Cowards ~ said the brave girl scorn-
fully. II wish that were man for five
minutes" b.
Just then there came a heavy crash
from the apartments lbelow. la
The brothers crept beneath the bed,
y Cus
to speak from terror. .e
1--WE shall all be murdered in our beds,"
said the girl. 1--WE will be found by the
police in the morning with our throats cut
from ear to ear. Peste ! fools, give me
the gun"
She seized double-barreled gun that
laid upon the shelf, and started down
stairs, while the two frightened men
wafchnI hor vithouf a x,orI D.as
emily, bang went the gun, and groan
was heard: Bang went the second bar
rel, and screech of pain resounded K
through the house that caused the blood
of the brothers to run cold.
A brief pause ensued, and then Marie
came tripping up stairs, but her face wore
for powder and ball to reload, which were
furnished: but before she finished load
ing, footsteps were heard retreating from
the house. ooa
No one slept in the house that night, nor
were they again molested. But at
early dawn, on going down stairs, pool
of blood on the hall floor showed that one
robber had been seriously if not mortally
wounded, and it was plain to be seen by
the bloody path in the earth that the VIC
''AAi h.eN pSSh " IuC lNCL. 0OIC
marked the whole distance, and the police
were at once put on the alert for the ar.
rest of the thieves and the recovery of the
body of the dead one.
But all efforts proved vain, and the brav-
cry of the young girl was discussed far
and near.
The grateful old bachelors were so over
whelmed that they offered to give Marie .
DOVER
"Ah messieurs, replied she, affection
ately, "how can ! leave yon You may
again be attacked by robbers !"
but we will not, nevertheless, stand
between you and happiness" they re-
piled.
Here are so, 900 Hfrancs-you have saved
our lives and richly deyerve the money.
If you choose to live in this house with
your husband, we will repair the lower
part for that purpose, and you can also be
hired to keep our room at present.
Henri married Marie, and they accepted
the dover and the house.
Years passed, and recently the real facts
of this midnight robbery came to light.
Both of the old bachelors were dead, and
had willed Marie another $4,000 frances.
The brave girl did not refuse it. 1t turned
out however, that the robbers were not
plural. Henri acted as the burglar, the
blood from lamb killed for the purpose,
and the whole plot was but ruSe OF the