The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-09-21
THE SUICIDE OF THE PONT NEUF.

| -Scribner for September.
THE SUICIDE OF THE PONT NEUF,
At four o'clock on the morning of Oc
tober %, 1888, Henry Cabrion, a young
| journalist, who resided at the Hotel de
POdeon, near the School of Medicine, in
the Latin quarter of Paris, returned
home from drinking bout on the BOule
wards, by way of the Pont Neuf. 1t was
dismal, foggy morning, damp and chill
and few people were abroad.
As Cabrion reached the middle of the
bridge, he noted by the light of the wan.
ing Oil-lamps which sparsely illuminated
the roadway, figure leaning against the
railing in the shadow of one of the little
sentry boxes which are posted over every
pier of the bridge. 1t was the figure of
woman in ball dress, and without
shawl, head-dress, or other protection
from the inclemency of the weather.
In utter amazement at this singular
appearance, the young man paused, and
was about to cross the bridge and speak
to the stranger, whom he supposed to be
some street walker or unfortunate wo-
man, when, with sudden spring, the
woman leaped upon the rail, and, with a
shrill scream, plunged overheard.
The tide was on the ebb, and flowed
swiftly through the arches of the bridge.
In moment Cabrion could distinguish
by the dim light of early morning dark
figure drifting from under the gloomy
arch, and floating past the barges of the
city lauudresses which at that time, as
now, congregated about the Pont Neuf.
Quick as thought the young man threw
his cloak upon the bridge, kicked off his
boots, and dropped from the parapet into
the water.
For moment the icy flood took away
his breath, but he quickly recovered and
struck out in the direction the body had
drifted. He found it within hundred
yards of the bridge, lodged between two
barges, and clinging to the rudder gear
of one with its li.eless hand.
Cabrion's calls for help soon summoned
one of the boatmen from the cabin of the
barge, and the rescuer and rescued were
dragged aboard.
The warmth of the cabin and the COM
bined efforts of Cabrion and the boat
man recalled the errant blood to the
would-be suicides heart, and little by
little her breathing became regular, and
she opened her eyes.
"Where am II" she asked, Chow
came l here?' -,
"By accident, Mademoiselle," re-
turned Cabrion. "Do not disturb your
self. l will explain as soon as we can
reach some place where you can be more
comfortable"
TIE woman stared at him fixedly, but
made no reply, and suffered herself to be
assisted to a cab which the boatman had
summoned. BY Cabrion's order the cab
proceeded to his hotel, where room was
secured for the stranger. Within two
hours later the unfortunate woman sue
cumbed to the exposure and nervous ex-
haustion of the past night, and fell into
a raging fever.
In her fevered rawlings, during which
she was watched alternately by Cabrion
and the porter's wife of the house, the
sick girl spoke frequently of some one
Langlaume, who seemed to have inflicted
great wrong upon her; but never by
any accident revealed her own name.
On the second day after her rescue
Cabrion repaired to the Office of the
Petite Journal, where he was employed,
in order to make his excuses for his alb
sence. While lounging in the editorial
rooms he picked up copy of the paper
of the day before, and among the first
extracts upon which his eyes fell, read,
"Murderp
"On the morning of October %, M.
Etienne Langlaume, the wealthy stock
holder and proprietor of the Cafe Grenier,
in the Place Vendome, was found ex-
tended upon sofa in his drawing-room,
dead. He had been shot with one of his
own guns, which had been taken from a
lite armory of curious weapons which
he had collected. No trace of his MUIR
derer has been discovered. The dead
gentleman had evidently been shot while
asleep, and his countenance exhibited no
signs of pain"
Cabrion read and re-read these lines in
a species of mental stupor. When he
recovered his self-pOssession, however, he
Jumped to conclusion at once, and de-
termined to come at the bottom OF the
story.
Next day his patient was much better,
and the physician who was in attendance
on her declared her out of danger.
Within week she was so far recovered
that Cabrion resolved at once to satisfy
the doubts that were distracting him,
and asked the favor of private inter-
view. This was granted, and he found
his patient, propped UP with pillows,
seated at the window.
"I am happy that you have come,
Monsieur" she said. "How can ever
thank you for your great kindnessW
"I do not desire thanks at all, Made
moiselle. My best reward is in seeing
you recovered"
"I am recovered in body, but in
mind -"
"In mindT
The woman started, and her pale face
crimsoned under the searching glance he
bent upon her, but as she made no reply
he went on:
"Do you know anything of this, Mad
emoisellep he asked, at the same time
handing her the extract from the Petite
Journal, which he had clipped and pre-
served for the purpose.
"How should know anything of itT'
she faltered, after hasty glance at the
lines. "Wbat right have you to ask me
such question p
"From what you spoke during your
illness, fancied you might be able to
explain it--that is all.