The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-06-21

But he comes not back.
And yet dare aver
He il brave discOvcrer
Of climcs his elders do not know;
He has more learning than appears
On the scroll of twice three Thousand years;
More than in the groves is taught,
Or from furthest Indies brought
He knows perchance, how spirits fare
What shapes toe angels wear,
What is their guise and speech
In those lands beyond our reach
And his eyes behold
Things that shall never, never be to mortal
hearers told.
Edmund c. Steadnaan, in Radical Rere,c.
PROVIDENTlAL JUSTICE.
THE Bots de Boulogne is the modern
capital what Central Park is to New York.
extending from the Triumphal Arch, at
the head of the Champs Elysees, for a
mile or more by boulevard one hundred
and fifty feet wide. into what used to be
thick forest, Astounding with game, and
the resort of duelists and organized bands
of robbers. All this is changed now
millions of dollars have Oeen expended in
turning the entire region into charming
park, intersccted by beautiful drives,
waterfalls, fountains, grottos and flower
beds, all Of which form the favorite drive
and promenade of the Parisians.
To create this beautiful and extensive
park many of the houses which had stood
here and there upon the grounds were
necessarily torn down and destroyed, some
OF them mansions which had stood for a
century, many pretentious buildings be-
longing 10 noble families, and many of
very humble aspect, forming the homes
OF the middle class of people, Some, in
deed many, of these houses had their
story or legend, well remembered by the
neighborhOod, and it is one of these
which we propose to relate, as exhibiting
marked instance of providential justice.
The Bois de BOulOgne was one of the
crown domains under Louis Philippe, but
in 1852 it was transferred to the Munich
pality of Paris, on the condition that two
millions of francs should he expended
upon it at once, and tina! it should be
henceforth maintained as a public park
at the cost of the city. Then at once
commenced the demolition of the build
ings referred to, tine laying ont Of broad
and attractive thOrOughfares, lakes, groves
and the like. So that the date of NE events
We describe is scarcely more than twenty
years since.
In that section of the present Bots dc
BoulOgne nearest to the Champs Elysees,
there stood an ancient stone structure
which had evidently once been a very
pretentious mansion, but which in later
times had been reduced in size, and the
walls and building generally had been
adapted to the convenience Of modern
residence. In effecting this false wall
had been erected on the east side of the
building, SO as to cover up the rough ap-
pearancc produced by the removal of q
portion of the former cdifice on that side.
This portion Of the building of which we
speak was the back part, and, with this
exception, the whole dwelling presented
very neat and handsome aspect.
1t il still remembered that in 1910 this
house was occupied by lady. known as
Madame Brienvillc, and her daughter, q
very beautiful girl of eighteen or twenty,
and that the complement of the little
household was made up by the addition
Of an elderly domestic, named Nanette
Little was known relating to Madame
Brienville and her family; indeed, there
seemed tObe some mystery connected with
them. She was understood to be q widow
and to have come here to live from the
neighbOrhOod of Lyons, but she hal no in
innate acquaintance. nor any relations,
as far as could be discovered.
The old servant was very reticent, and
the gossips could get little or nothing
from her concerning her mistress except
that they had all come from the Depart
ment of the RhOne. That the widow was
possessed of ample pecuniary means was
clear enough to her neighbors, for though
there was nothing of an OstentatiOus char
acter in her style of living, still every do
nestle necessity, and even luxury of de-
sirable character, were freely enjoyed by
the household, except that they kept quite
isolsted and were satisfied with the serv-
ices of old Nanette alone.
Madame Brienville and her beautiful
daughter we're often seen together among
the shaded paths of the vicinity, walking
arm in arm, on which occasion the OBJ
servers did not fail to note the dignity
and quiet, distinguished air which seemed
to surround the widow, quite as readily as
they did the extraordinary beauty of her
daughter. Yet the charms of face and
form which characterized. Mile. L0ise
were so marked as to be the theme of uni
versal comment among the people of the
neighborhood.
In VAN were all the attempts of the in
reviewers Of old Nanette, when she daily
went with her basket upon her arm to the
nearest market. These curious ones were
gratified only BY repetition of the old
story, over and over again, until thcy gave
up in absolute despair. They had all
come from the Department of the Rhone;
madame was widow. That was the
sum total of the Information which old
Nanette could or would communicate.
The natural conclusion was that good
and substantial reasons must exist for
such reticence, and this acted as a spur 10
the inquisitive people. to whom any mys.
terry was q delight. None would have
presumed to force their presence upon the
distant and digni6ed Madame Brienville
herself. Her neighbors woe of TOO hum.
BILE class to call upon the. widow in q
social way. And 90 matters stood up to
the spring of 1910, when Nanette. by
chance, let out the fact that the family
were about to go to the Town of Dieppe,
on the coast, Tor the summer, il hopes It
might improve madame's health.
Is Madame Brienville i'll ~ asked one.
"She is in delicate health p answered
Nanette. 80
"Why does she not call in Doctor Eo,,.
chets' w.
"Oh, she is not i'll in the wav tn "a.
quire medicine. A little change of eli.
mate and scene for . few m0nths viii
make madame all right again, !" answered
the servant. 80,
.'And when do you go to Dieppe r'
asked listener.
CAT once"
"To-day?"
No, but very soon. Madame did mo-
say whens" replied Eanette, % che lath
cred up her purchases and departed.
That woman knows oil about the fam
lily, but she has been tntOred to hold ho1