River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-17


A cry of horror resounded throughout
the whole city when the dread news be-
came generally known. The stores were
shut up and the people locked themselves
nj their dwellings. Some of the wealth
Ter residents hurriedly left the city, and
departed for the pine-clad hills North OF
Marseilles, where the air was braclng and
salubrious.
But the vast majority of the people
stayed. Stayed to die-to die in man
ner too horrible TO imagine.
1t was at setting in of dusk that we'll
dressed and very handsome young man
entered narrow street IN the northern
part of the city. He stood still in front
of low house, the window shutters of
which were tightly closed. From his
packet he drew silver whistle, and blew
three shrill notes from it.
A few minutes later the front door of
the house was cautiously opened.
In the dim twilight the young man re-
cognized frail female form, dressed in
a flowing white wrapper. He rushed to-
ward her, and clasped her in his arms ex-
claimed, rapturously:
"Sephronia!"
For minute they remained locked in
a fervent embrace. Then she drew him
gently into hallway. They exchanged
many tender caresses.
AT last she ushered him into a cozily-
furnished back room, lighted by a hang
ing lamp, which shed a dim light over
the room. They sat down on a low divan.
She was a girlish beauty of the true
Eastern style. graceful as fawn, perhaps
eighteen years old, perhaps year or two
younger, with hair raven black, a com
plexion faultlessly pure, magnificent eyes
and mouth as charming as that OF the
Venus of Milo.
The young man took her hand, and
gazed lovingly ipto her eyes.
sSephronia," he said at last, II have
come to hear your decision"
A cloud at once daTkened the brow of
the lovely girl,
"Antolne de Couras," she said, pressing
her small hand against her heart, you
have been the most generous of men to
me. You have surrounded me with
luxuries. You love me- love you
with all my heart. But"
"Butw he exclaimed i'm patiently.
not marry your
He sprang to his feet, uttering wild
lmprecation.
why, Sephronla, wby?" he cried,
stamping his foot on the ground.
Listen to me, Antoine" she said
calmly. 'What am l in the eyes Of the
world but wietched outcast2 The
daughter of woman who was broken
on the wheel as a witch Her bose n
hcaved convulsively as she uttered these
words.
"Poor motherm she sighed. "She a
witch because she cured some SICK peo
pie whom the stupid physicians OF Mar
settles had given up"
at was an abdominable outrage y
murmured NJ ID. Couras.
sit was Antoine. My life was in
danger. You saved me, and concealed
me here! And then think Of who you are.
The only son of wealthy counselor to
the Parliament Your father would dis
own you
II have a modest fortune in my own
right, interpesed Antoine.
"a modest fortunep' she exclaimed al
most scoonfully. Chow happy you, the
petted child opulence, would be with q
slender incomeW
81 would be with you. But tell me,
Sephronia, is your decision irrevocable2'
She hesitated. Then she passionately
drew him to her heart.
"No!noW she cried. "Only give me
a weeks time. have strange forebod-
ing that startling events are going to
happen"
zone startling event has already hap.
pened," said NJ. De Couras. 1.-THE plague
has broken out to-day in Marseilles."
"The plagued she echoed, with dis
tended eyes.
Yes; everybody is alarmed"
"And well they may be-" she said, sol
EMMY. "Few cures can be affected
where the plague appears in its most
malignant form"
"Many people have died this afternoon,
Sephronia,"
Then God have mercy upon Marseilles
You must forthwith leave the city, An.
toine"
He laughed.
'Why | am not afraid" he said.
"Do not laugh, Antoine; was born and
brought up in Aleppo. and my whole
family weuld have been swept away by
the plague if my father, who was very
learned man, had not posed an infallible
remedy for the epidemic"
Have you got that remedy9" Antoine
asked, ergerly.
Il have" she replied.
"Why, then, do not you give it to the
authorities, Sephronial"
"And be broken on the wheel as a
WITCH" she exclaimed bitterly. "No!
mol And what good would it do2 They
would never apply it.'
Il must go, then, Sephronia," he said
Il shall come back in week and get
your final answer"
'Stay minute; shall give you some
fmy fathers plague arcanum."
She went into an adjoining room md |
soon afterward with large crys
tai bottle. The other via she filed with |
an oily substance, soft salve, which she |
took with an ivory spoon from the jar.
If you should get the plague, she
said, rub your body with this save, and |
drink few drops of the fluid. You will |
speedily get we'll"
They parted most tenderly, and An
tome lelt the house.
He had passed ON but few steps when |
he was attacked by two desperate fellows
who knocked him senseIess.
Is is not curious that, whet all good |
people shut themselves up in heir homes /,
in order to escape the pestilence, desper
ate criminals prowl about fearlessly. bent
on murder and robberyl
They rifled the pockets of the mani |
mate young man. They found in them a
we'll filled purse and two walls. The lat
ter they flung away eontemptuousiy |
They then hurried away.
NJ. DeCouras awoke ten minutes later. |
The nj ght was very dark, but he CROPPED |
his way to thoroughfare and speedily |
reached his Fathers palatial mansion.
There terrible news awaited hlm-hls /
father, his mother, and his two lovely sis |
ters had been attacked by the plague.
All their cowaTdly servants had fled |
from the house.
Antoine befhought himself of the two
yials Sephronia had given him. He was
bitterly disappointed when he found /
that they were gene.
Suddenly he felt that his own brain
began to reel, and he sank senseless to
the floor.
He, too, had the p'aguel
Twenty-four hours later he revoke tol