The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-03-31
MADAME LA P0NIAISE.

Paris. \ large house, " hlte, richly
gilied inside, with much red velvet on
she chairs and couches. A house divi-
ded into many suites Of apartments,
each suite occupying Al entire es2ge.
Orr story has 70 DO with the trOisieme
etage.
Madame Ia F0ntaine had been three
months ia the residence when this story
commences.
:. She must have been very beautiful
years ago, !" thought the world who saw
her. a. they looked upon her regular
features and large black eTes. Her com
plexioa was deadly pale, save when art
lent its assistance 10 nature. when rouge
and blanc-ie-perie met in not altogether
friendly rivalry on her deeply furrowed
brow aad her thin, pale cheeks; her
hair was . white IS snow, her express
sion yEas one u deep melancholy. Peo-
pie felt fhSt this woman had q painful
past; that for her there was no future.
Il was about 10 O'Clock in the morn
ing. Paris WIS quite awake, with only
an exception here and there. One OF
those exceptions was the trOisieme
etaCe IN the street at the back Of the
b0alsvarls
A large room- nearly dark Although
IL was 10 O'Clock. il would have been
quite dark in this room had it not been
for wax-candle burning in q silver
candelebra placed in the center Of
reen-baize-covered table. On the
chairs and table. cards; on the side
board. cards again, and dice-box; on
the ormolu table supporting the look
ing-gi2ss. cards, snd a haf-emptied
champagne bottle. There was no
doubt about il the suite of apartments
in the street at the back of the boule-
wards was used by Madame La Fontaine
as gamblinG-h house.
A man-servlnr was putting the place
to rights SO occupied was he with his
own thoughts that be did not hear 3
knock on the outer door. The knock
was repeated, and then the handle was
turned, and gentleman entered the
room
He was an old man. lie was thin
and sallow, and wore a white neck
cloth. lie carried gold-headed stick,
snd spoke sharply. He was blunt, and
evidently prided himself upon his ma
tionslity. After this description need it
be said that be was an Englishman'
HIM very nice place indeedl" he
exclaimed. looking through pair OF
double Eyeglasses at the room and It's
contents, "A nice place indeed. Cards
and dice, A gambling house. and for
is custodian rufiian'f
who's that calling me = rlfians ~
cried the man-servant.
my name is DIR. Abernethy Blunt, and
I have come here 10 give you five Ma
pcleons, If you earn them"
That alters the case, sir. Business
il business. But amt ruaian. A
gentle nan left me here To starye Che
brought me from England as valet),
aud Madame here took pity upon me.
She gave me this place, and I never met
a kinder woman"
"The keeper Of gsmbling-house
kind2-
alt seems strange, don't IL? and yet
its gospel true. She's not at all bad
sort, take my word for il. But about
them five Napoieons, sir2''
look here, my good friend, said
the Doctor, "i'll tell YOU what | want
q. briefly as can. have a ward-a
young fellow who was left TO my care
By his father, very dear friend Of
mine. This boy fell in love with q
young lady. Her father would not let
him marry her, and he ran away to
Paris. The young lady fell i'll, her
father relented. and I have come here
bearing his blessing TO young Hopeful;
but Young Hopeful has disappeared. I"
swell, sirP"
II have been 10 the French d-tec-
tiyes they are every whit As stupid as
their English brethren. At the last
moment | came across French doctor,
who gave me a clew--that clew led me
here. Now do you see how you can
earn your five Napoleons?
Not quite. sir"
!" want you TO tell me II, within the