Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-03-10
gus AageIes Aemla.
CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
WEDNESDAY,....MARCHl 10, 1870
The Last Stroke of Fortune.

Twenty years ago an old house was
still standing in Cologne, which
showed to the street a frontage con-
tanning five small windows. 1t was
the house in which the first painter of
the Flemish school, the immortal Rue
l.bens, was born A. ID. 1876. Sixty
wears later than this date the ground
floor was occupied by two old people,
shoemaker and his wife. The upper
story, which was usually let to lodg-
ers, was empty at the time we write
of. Two dodgers, however, occupied
the garret. The evening was cold and
wet, and the shoemaker and his wife
were sitting together in the room be-
low.
"You had better go up stairs again.
said the old man to his wife, "and see
how the old lady is. The old gentle
man went eut early and has not been
in since. Has she not taken any
thing?'
cit is only half an hour since was
up stairs, and he had not come in. [
| took her some broth at noon, but she
hardly touched it, and | was up again
at three; she was asleep then, and at
| five she said she would not want any
thing more.n
"Poor lady! This time of the year,
and neither fire or warm clothes, and
not even a decent bed to lie on, and
yet I am sure she is something or
other. Have you noticed the respect
with which the old gentleman treats
her?n HHT I'll $50
eff she wants for anything it is her
own fault. That ring she wears on
her finger would get the best of every
thing.n
Then came a knock at the door, and
the old woman admitted the old man
they had just spoken of,whese grizzled
beard fell down upon the tarnished
velvet coat. The hostess sadly wanted
to have little gossip with him, but
he passed by, and bidding short
''good-night,n his way up the steep
and crooked staircase. On entering
the chamber above, feeble voice in
quired the cause of his long absence.
"I could not help it, he said. III
have been copying manuscript, and as
1 was on my way here a servant
stopped me, who desired ME to raise
the horoscope of two ladies who were
passing through the town; they were
ladies' whom l had known before. [
thought could get little money to
pay for some supplies that will be Of
service to you.n ee,sf.s4..Q s..t
81 am cold"
'It is very cold. I will make you
something which you mnst take di-
rectly." = UFs
The flame of small tin lamp suf-
feed to heat the water, and the pa
tient, having taken what the old man
provided, was carefully covered up by
him with all the clothes and articles
of dress he could find. He stood by
her motionless till he perceived that
she was fast asleep, and indeed, long
after; he then retired to a small closet
and sought repese on the hard floor.
The next morning the lady was so
much better that her attendant pro-
posed that she should endeavor to
leave the house for little while, and
| ne suvUcUuOu III gottiuS hcI w Sv
| far as the Place Saint CeceIla. 1t was
seldom that she left the house, for,
Notwithstanding the meanness of her
dress, there was that about her car
riage which rendered it difficult to
avoid unpleasant observation.
"Do you see that person yonder ?n
! she said suddenly. /" If / am not
much mistaken, it is the Duke of
| Guise."
"Purbleu! said he; "why this is
Mascali. What, are you marriedW
| Mascali had, however, whispered a
single word in the Dukes ear, and he
started as if struck by a thunderbolt;
but instantly recovering himself, he
hastily took off his hat and bowed
nearly to the ground,
~ beg forgiveness" said he; "but
my eyes are grown so weak and could
so little expect to have the honor of
meeting you"
"For the love of God," interrupted
the lady hastily, "name me not here.
A title would too strangely contrast
with my present circumstances. Have
you been long in Cologne ?"
"Three days. lam on my way from
Italy. / took refuge here when our
common enemy drove me forth and
confiscated all my earthly goods. L
am going to Brussels
"And what are your advices from
France? Is the helm still in the hands
of that wretched caitiff?"
"He is in the zenith of his power.n
"See, my Lord Duke, your fortunes
and my own are much alike. You, the
son of man who. had he not
too much despised danger, might well
have set the crown on his own head;
and I, once the queen of the mightiest
nation in the universe-and now both
of US alike-adieu,n she said sullenly,
and drawing herself up, ".the sight
of you, my Lord Duke, has refreshed
me much, and / pray that for
tune may once more smile upon your
steps,
"Permit me to attend your majesty
to-
A slight color tinged the ladys fea-
lures as she answered with gentle
commanding voice:
'Leave us, my Lord Duke; it is our
pleasure"
Guise bowed low, and taking the
lady's hand, he pressedIit reverently
to his lips. At the corner of the
street he met some one, to whom he
pointed out the old lady, and then has
tened away.
The next morning a knock at the
door announced person who was in
| quiring for Monsieur Mascali; he
had small package for him, and
also billet Inside of this was writ
ten:
1.-TWO hundred louis dor consti-
tute the whole of my present fortune;
one hundred 1 send for your use.
GUIsE.u
And the package contained hun