The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-09
THE cARMAN's STORY.
Translated from the French Of AlexandEe
Dumas.

"The next moment he rose again,
This time he had hold OF the girl by her
long hair. She was senseless; and my
master was not much better. could
hear his breath come and go hard, and
he had just enough strength LETT to keep
her on top of the water; for you see she
could not move hand or foot, and was as
heavy as a stone. Monsieur Eugene
turded his head to see which bank was
nearest him, and he saw me. Cantillon,'
cried he, 'this wayp ! was on the boat S
edge, stretching out the oar TO him, but,
curse it'll it wasn't long enough BY more
than three feet. This way, Cantillonp
again he shouted. May heart sank with
In me. sCantiIlonp he shouted, and a
wave went over his head. Here was,
mouth open and eyes fastened on the
spot; at last he reappeared and oh! what
load was off my breast! ! still kept the
oar out to him; ;he drifted hairs breadth
nearer; courage, dear master, courageP
cried l to him. He was not able to an
swer me. Let her co. l shouted, sand
save yourselfP No, mop he cried, Il
and his mouth filled with water. An!
Monsieur, there was not hair on my
head but was wringing wet. was still
leaning out of the boat, reaching the oar.
Everything was whirling round me. The
bridge, the Hotel de Gardes, the Tuile-
ries, every thing, went round and round;
but had eyes only for that head which
by little and little was sinking before
me, for those eyes just under the water,
still looking at me, and seeming to grow
larger and larger as gazed; then the
hair disappeared like the rest; and only
one arm was above the water, with the
fingers clutching at nothing. l made
one last effort, 1 stretched out the oar,
now thenl He got hold Of it ah!-"
Cantillon wiped his forehead; it was
heavy with large sweat-drops. /
breathed again, and he continued:
''They say well that drowning man
will grasp a red hot bar of iron; my
master grasped the oar so that he LETT
the mark of his nails on it. rested the
oar on the boats side and bore down my
end; that raised the other end, and
Monsieur Eugene came to the top Of the
water. l trembled SO that Twas afraid
every moment should let go the ID
stick. Here l lay-upon it with my
head close to the edge of the little craft;
drawing the oar to me as l steadied it
with my whole weight. My masters
head was thrown back as If he We're in a
faint; l kept drawing in the stick, and
bringing him nearer and nearer. AT last
stretched out my arm and got hold OF
his wrist; it was a sure case then
held him like vice. Eight days after
wards, mis- arms were covered with black
and blue marks.
Gle had never let go his hold of the
girl; l dragged him into the boat, and
her with him, and there they lay in the
bottom both of them, one about as dead
as the other. called to my master, not
word! l tried to beat the palms of his
hands, but they were clenched as tight
as If he were cracking nuts ip them. l
could have bit my tongue Oft for vexa-
tion. l took my oar again and tried to
very great oarsman; with one l had no
chance. 1t was the same old story. /
pulled one way, the boat went the other,
The current all the while taking us down.
When / saw it was carrying us off to
Havre surely, said l to myself, mot this
road any how ,lets call for help,' and l fell
to shouting like ten men.
"The chaps in the boat for picking up
drowned people and bringing them to,
heard me. They hal their craft afloat
like lightning, In two pulls they were
alongside, and had us in tow. Eve min.
uJes after, my master and the young
girl were as snug as packed herrings.
''They asked me if 1 had heen drowned
too; | told them no, but just the same as
drowned, and that ii they would give me
glass OF brandy it would put new life
into me. My knees shook Under me like
paper.
"My master was the first to open his
eyes; he threw his arms around my
neck / sobbed, and laughed, and cried,
all in a minute. My Godl what tools
men can make Of fthemselyesl
Gle l0Ok10 rOun0 him and saw .thQm
busy with the girl, trying TO bring heI
10. "A Thousand francs ior you, my
friends,' he said, If you save her life;
and you, Cantillon, my brave fellow-my
friend, my preserver (hete could not
help it,, 1 broke out again J, bring ahe
cabriolet.'
"Tis true, every .werd, as tell you,
and Coco there knows it. Didn't make
haste to fetch the cab! ,Ireach the place
where had lett it, neither cab nor horse
there, it was as clear as the palm of my
hand. Next DAY the police found them
for us; they had been taken of by an
amateur.
81 60 back to my mast and tell him
Very well,' says he, 'then call hack
ney-coacn! Sand the young woman, how
FOOT said he. 'Goodv l brought hack
cred, only she had not spoken word.
We carried her into the coach. tRue du
Bac, No 81, driver, as fast as possible.'
''But here we are, Monsieur, at Mad
emoiselle Mars, No. 3d."
"Your story's finished then~ asked
"F1nished! pooh! not quarterl and
what l have told you is notning to what
is to come"
His narrative had really won upon my
interest. had but word for the great
actress, q hope that l might find her as
sublime in '31 as in '3O. In ten minutes
| was back in the cab.
"Your story"
''Flrst, where am to drive you
nextW
"Where you please, straight on, goon
with your story"
"Where were we then ?-oh Rue du
Bac, driver, as fast as posible.'
"On the bridge our young girl fell
senseless a second time.
"My master made me go down upon
the Quai for his doctor. When | re-
turned with him, found Madeinoiselle
Marie, did / tell'y you her name was Ma
riep
mop
"Well, that was her name. l found
Mademoiselle Marie lying in bed with 6
nurse beside her. can not tell you how
pretty she WAS, with her pale face, eyes
closed, and her hands crossed upon hel
breast; looking just like the Virgin she
was called alter.
"The doctor made her smell of q little
hottIe: i 6han't gOon forpet th af hnttIo