The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-02-13
A Journalists Adventure.

August, l q the year 1867. When a mar
looks back upon his life, his memory
commences with some particular Incl
dent which was so marked and peculiar
that it cast it's shadow upon all the sue.
ceeding years. So now, glancing over
my shoulder, I find that I cannot recall
any place in Europe, on my homeward
tour, that lies behind Switzerland. Fol
this reason, T shall alter Lord Byron's
expression, and say, I awoke n morn
ing, and found myself getting ready to
90 over the Pass Of the Simplon.
Whether I ever went over this pass, !
don't know ; but I am quite certain that
it was perplexing to me some time after.
wards to suddenly find myself, first in
Ferrara, then in Bologna, and then in
Modena, then in Parma, and then IN
various other places, all perfectly ire
concilable 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 my
mind comes to be so much at fault upon
these important points, it is impossible
for me to say. I made my way, without
retinue and comparatively without ex-
pense.
To say the truth I had no francs to
spare. A man who subsists upon oc.
casional remittances from a newspaper
to which he is attached, and that news.
paper a new speculation likely to evapo-
rate at any moment, has neither a very
sure nor a very liberal source of income.
What francs T had, I secured about my
waist to make certain of them, and as l
told you, one evening in August crept
into Paris.
1t wa well for me that an English
man, whom I had known III Rome, had
lived in Paris at the cheapest rate for a
year or so, told me that the Rue Met
ternich was the most obscure and yet
respectable street in all Paris, and that
food and lodging actually cost there next
door but n to nothing.
After some difficulty, I found the Rue
M~etternich, 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 a fresh
coat of paint and damask curtains at the
windows, could have taken it's place in
the most fashionable street in any CAPT.
tai of Europe, and eve be found out
by anybody.
monsieur 7"
Turning around, I discovered that my
train of reflection had been interrupted
by as pretty a French girl as n might
wish to see.
pardon II would like to know
ma'amselle, if I IA obtain lodging here,
This is No. 80, I believe. MI. Henri.
Brownsmith directed me to inquire y
this house."
"Come in"
= Once in, I did not parley long. I
must have a quiet room, not very diff
cult to select where all was quietness
and the price must be at least within the
bounds of reason. My fair. conduc-
tress, who Appeared to be the mistress
Of the establishment, as I saw nobody
else, was quite a business woman, and
lost no time in making a bargain. In
ten minutes I had agreed to take a
chamber in the attic, for as long a time
as J should need ii, and had closed the
arrangement by paying an installment
for two weeks down.
On the next morning I took possession.
I will not describe the happy life I leo
for a 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. Hav-
ing a weakness for gossip, I made them
pretty long. Material was easily OBJ
tanned by seeking out all the obscure
places and having interviews with a
variety of eccentric characters, seldom
met with by tourists generally ; and ]
know that some of the facts I gathered
we're certainly novel, if not interesting.
I don't believe I ever spoke to a living
creature for a whole week, except the
eccentric characters in low life men
toned above !; and I know1 had moth
ing to say to anybody at my lodgings.
At first, I began to think that the girl
who had let me in, or 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 l deserted
an elderly lady entering a room on the
floor Immediately below.
Great, then, was my surprise one
morning to hear the sound Of a musical
box proceeding from the apartment next
door. It was the first greeting to my
ears when I awoke. I got UP, stole
quietly across the floor, put my cheek
to the wall, and listened.
Exquisite! charming I cried
hunting for my stockings. "Woult
that I might be permitted to listen for
ever Ishall make it a point immedi
ately to find out (where are my stock
ings p to find out who it is that possesses
the means of treating herself to thi
music at will. She shall become m.
bosom-shirt-I mean my bosom friend.
At that moment some n knocked q
the door. 90.
"Enter~ I exclaimed, in a tragic
tone.
A gentleman came in, bowling ant
smiling most agreeably. He was q per
son in the prime of life, with iron. gra,
hair, great glittering eyes and a Droat
forehead. He said, II have come
Monsieur, to apologize for making music
so early in the morning. I disturbed
you" =.
"What !" I cried, "are you the must
clan in whose head rests the power tx
thrill every nerve of a mans organiza
ton ? Let me hear your sublime melod,
c again, and I shall die in peace"
Monsieur is welcome to my poo
music. I shall be proud to have tn
honor Of making il play for him again
"Instantly, if you value my happi
ness! !" was my reioinder, thrusting my
self into my clothes. "But stay, ~
had nothing to eat. Shall I eat tn
music before I hear my breakfast
mean; shall I eat my breakfast before
hear the music?
GAS Monsieur chooses"
"Then I choose to hear the musi,
first. Lead the way, if you please"
The old gentleman appeared to be de
lighted. Smiling and nodding his head
until I looked for it to be suddenl,
twisted off, he took me across the pas
saoa and into his chamber. There wa