The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-02-07
A JOURNALISTS ADVENTURE

That you may comprehend my nara
tive properly, it Is necessary for you to
know the precise circumstances under
which | entered Paris in the month of
August, in the year 1867. When a man
looks back upon his life, his memory
commences with some particular incl
dent which was so marked and peculiar
that 1t cast its shadow upon all the sue
ceeding years. So now, CHANGING over
my shoulder, | find that | cannot recall
any place in Europe, on my homeward
tour, that lies behind Switzerland. For
this reason, | shall alter Lord Byron's
expression, and say, awoke one morn
ing, and found myself getting ready to
go over the Pass of the Simplon.
Whether ! ever went over this pass,
don't know; but | am quite certain that
1t was perpleXing to me some time after
wards 70 suddenly find myself, first in
Ferrara, then in Bologna, and then in
Modena, then in Parma, and then in
various other places, all perfectly irrec-
oncllabie with any recognized ideas of
geography; until Genoa, Avignon and
Lyons were the dawn to the daylight of
the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. How nv
mind comes to be 50 much at fault upon
these important points, it is impossible
Tor me to say. | made my way, without
retlnue and comparatively without ex-
pense.
To say the truth | had no francs to
spare. man who subsists upon oc-
casional remittanceS from a newspaper
to which he Is attached, and that news
paper new speculation likely to evapo-
rate at any moment, has neither a very
sure nor very liberal source of income.
What francs had, | secured about my
waist to make certain Of them, and as |
told you, one evening in August crept
into Paris.
1t was well for me that an English
man, whom | had known in Rome, had
lived in Paris at the cheapest rate for 3
year or so, told me that the Rue Met
ternlch was the most obscure and vet
respectable street in all Paris, and that
food and lodging actually cost there next
door but one to nothing.
After some difficulty | found the Rue
Metternich, conveniently hidden between
two great streets, and looked out for No.
80. The houses all seemed to belong to
noble old families that had spent all
their money, and were forced to main
tain very reduced establishments in re-
tired localities. No. 80 with fresh
coat of paint and damask curtains at the
windows, could have taken Its place in
the most fashionable street in any capital
of Europe, and never be found out by
ANYBODY.
" Monsieur, ;"
Turning around, | discovered that my
train of reflection had been interrupted
by as pretty French girl as one might
wish to see.
pardon! | would like to know,
ma'mselle, if can obtain lodging here
This is No. 90, | believe. Mr. Henry
Brownsmith directed me to inquire fol
this house"
Come in"
Once in, | did not parley long. must
have a quiet room, not very difficult to
select where all was quietness; and the
price must be at least within the bounds
OF reason, My ia conductress, who APP
peared to be the mistress of the establish
ment, as | saw nobody else, was quite d
business woman. and lost no time in
making a bargain. la ten minutes | had
agreed to take a chamber in the attic
for as long time as | should need it
and had closed Ike arrangement by pay.
ing an installment for two weeks down
On the next morning | took possession
will not describe the happy life led
for week or So after this. 1t embraced
nothing but lounging about the city the
greater part of the day, and writing my
letters home in the evening. Having q
weakness for gossip, | made them pretty
long. Material was easily obtained by
seeking out all the obscure places and
having interviews with variety of &C.
centric characters, seldom met with by
tourists generally; and | know that some
of the facts | gathered were certainly
novel, if not interesting. | don't believe
ever spoke to living creature for a
whole week, except the eccentric charac-
tiers in low life mentioned above; and |
know | had nothing TO say to anybody
at my lodgings. At first, | began Ia
think that the girl who had let me in,
on my first evening, was the only person
about the house, but after two or three
days several old gentlemen-not a single
young one-appeared on the staircase,
just coming in or Just going out, and
once | deserted an elderly lady entering
a room on the floor immediately below
Great, then, was my surprise one
morning the hear the sound of musical
box proceeding from the apartment next
door. 1t was the first greeting to nv
ears when lawoke. | got up, stole quietly
across the floor, put my ear TO the wall,
and listened.
Exquisite, charmingu cried.
hunting for my stockings. Would that
| might be permitted to listen forever,
| shall make it point Immediately to
find out (where are my stockings?) who
Il Is that possesses the means of treating
herself to this music at will. She shall
become my bosom-shirt-I mean nv
bosom friend.
At that moment some one raped on
the door.
Enter | exclaimed, in tragic tone.
gentleman came in, bowling and
smiling most agreeably. He was a per-
son in the prime of life, with iron gray
hair, great slittering eyes and a broad
forehead. He said Il have come, Mon
sleur, to apologize for making music
50 early in the morning. l disturbed
you"
What" l cried, "are you the musi-
clan IN whose head rests the power to
thrill every nerve of mans organiza-
ton? Let me hear your sublime melody
once again, and l shall die in peace
Monsieur is welcome TO my poor mu-
sic. | shall be proud TO have the honor
of making it play for him again.
Instantly, if you value my happi-
ness" was my rejoinder, thrusting my
self into my clothes. But stay. I've
had nothing to eat. Shall eat the mu-
sic before l hear my hreakfast-I mean,
shall | eat my breakfast before | hear
the music?'
/" As Monsieur chooses