The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-03-04
Lovers Ruse-A DOwry Gained by
Stratagem.

| some years since two wealthy bach
elors lived in the vicinity of Paris They
had young maid-of. work named
Marie de La Pont. Marie was sweet,
pretty girl, and lively and piquant in her
manners, although modest ia 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 man
ner imaginable. One day Marie sur
prised her employers by Informing them
that young artisan residing in Paris had
asked her hand They strove to dissuade
her from accepting the offer of marriage,
hut she told them that she could not be
happy unless she became the wife of her
dear Henri. So it was arranged that she
should quit the service of the two broth
ers at the end of the coming month.
One day during this interval the two
brothers sold some valuable real estate
which they owned jointly, and the sum
realized amounted to 106 900 francs. 1t
was all in bills on the Bank of France,
and was paid too late for deposit the
same afternoon.
Night came, and as the old bachelors
seldom had such large sum in the
house they were considerably concerned
lest 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 a
lonely, gloomy location, and on the night
in question the winds swept through the
tall larches surrounding the mansion
with doleful and moaning cadence.
About midnight the old men retired !;
but scarcely had they fallen to sleep
when Marie raped at their door and in
formed them that robbers were at work
below.
Both The bachelors were terribly
frightened, and when one commenced to
bar the door the other began removing a
tile from the hearth to hide the bills.
You have a gum said Marie; take
it and shoot the villains"
But the two trembling men paid no
heed to her advice.
Cowards!" said the brave girl, scorn-
fully. Il wish that were man for
five minutes"
Just then there came heavy crash
from the apartments below.
The brothers crept beneath the bed
where they shivered and cringed, unable
to speak from terror.
We shall all be murdered in our
BEDS" said the girl. 1--WE will be found
by the police in the morning with our
threats cut from ear to ear. Peste
fools, give me the gun"
She seized the double barreled gun
that laid upon the shelf and started down
stairs, while the two frightened men
watched her without saving a word
Presently, bang went The gun, and
groan was heard. Bang, went the sec
ond barrel, and a screech of pain re-
sounded 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 determined, dissatisfied look
She asked for powder and ball TO reload,
which were furnished; but, before she fin
lshed loading, footsteps were heard re-
treating from the house.
No one slept in the house that night,
nor were they again molested. But at
eaily dawn, on going down stairs, a POOL
Of blood on the hall floor showed that
one robber at least had been seriously
If rot MORALLY wounded; and it was
plain to see by the bloody path in the
earth that the victim had been dragged
" lAC pOTt MAI htu tiic "uOfc
distance, and the police were at once put
on the alert for the arrest of the living
thieves and recovery of the bydy of the
dead one.
But all efforts proved vain, and the
bravery of the young girl was discussed
far and near.
The grateful bachelors were so over
whelmed that they offered to give Marie
a dover.
"Ah. messieurs,n replied she, affection
ately, 81 how can leave you? You may
again be attacked by robbers"
But We will not, nevertheless, stand
between you and happiness" they re-
piled. "Here are 10000 francs-you
have saved our lives and richly deserve
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 cur room neat
as at present"
Henri married Marie, and they &C
cepted the dover and the house.
Years passed, and recently the real
facts of this midnight robbery came 70
light. Both of the old bachelors were
dead, and had willed Marie another 80
600 francs. The brave girl did not re-
fuse it 1t turned out, however, IL at the
robbers were not plural Henri acted as
the burglar, the blood was from a lamb
killed for the purpose, and the whole
was but ruse of the two lovers to open
the hearts and purses of the two old
rniSprs