The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-12-27

DlSbl last August, Two spoItsueu ictoAh-
ing home fom days bunt found wo'
man lying in the middle OF the road. She
appeared to be- .iusensible. They trans
ported her to a wayside hosiery, where
they discovered ber to be young person
OF a decidedly charming exterior, elegantly
atiired In the newest mode. When the
combined efforts Of everybody about the
place had restored her TO consciousness she
exhibited great embarrassment, and plead
piteousIy to be permitted 10 depart. ---
"But you are not well enough" expos
tuatcd one OF the gallant disciples OF MINI
rod.
"I am, indeed. I assure you ! am,"
persisted the fair pleader.
Where do you want to go!"
"To Paris"
"But why not wait till morning!"
| , ...- "BECAUsE I DARE NOT"
"You dare not And why?
"If my husband discovers that have
been out all night, without an excuse, he
will murder me. Alb, monsieur, you little
know the torture Of mind chained to
jealous soul which neither appreciates it
himself or permits others to-"
This settled it. Monsieur jacquard was
q married man. He was also most re-
spcctc1 one, well known on the Bourse.
"Comc to my house." he said. at is
| really impossible for you to return to Paris
alone ut this time Of night. You shall spend
| the evening as mine ard my wife's guest.
| Tomorrow she shall accompany you and
explain ALL BY the by, what is it all
| What brought you into the road rs we found
you?"
| There was more embarrassment, further
hesitation, additional sobbing. and then the
| unfortunate lady unfolded her tale OF hor-
| ror.
| She was the wife OF prosperous lawyer.
! Her husband, an ogre OF sixty, hated yet
! was odiousy jealous OF, her. It bad been
marriage OF convenience. She had sold
herself TO the golden calf, only 10 leurn that
that auriterous animal can kick as bard as
any auadruped OF vulgar hide and hair. In
the three years which had elapsed since she
assumed those bonds which had been pay
ing her such heavy dividends Of misery
ever since she had not known happy
! hour.
The nearest approach to it had been pro-
cured for Eer by frieDd OF her husbands,
young journalist. Monsieur Gribeuu
chow appropriate a name for such mon
sterD was counsel for the newspaper CT
which Victor Fallot was editor. Business
brought the latter frequently to the lawyers
house. He had met Madame Gribedu. lie
had loved her, at least she had thought so.
AS for herself. she had experienced an in
terest in him. 1t was not love. 1t was
rather gratitude that he brought little
light into her mournfui existence. She
| trusted him, she confded her troubles to
him. In return be sought to comfort her.
Strange rs it might seem, her husband was
not Jealous OF him. SO he was able TO take
| her about among scenes which in measure
distracted her mind from its morbid brood
ingS.
This mornin. he had proposed to her
visit to some lady friends OF his at Cour-
celles. The Journey had been made IN an
opcn carriage. They halted by the way at
the BruZcn Lion to dine. and dusk came
on. He made proposals to her at which
her soul revoIted. She leaped from the
carriage and fell insensiDle. The miscreant
| drove on, leavisg her to the terror OF the
| darkness. The rest Monsieur jacquard
knew.
These affecting copfidences melted Mon
sieur Jacquard's naturally sympathetic soul.
He mingled bis phying tears with those OF
the unfortunate lady. He then took her 10
his house in a conveyance, and Madame
jacquard listened to her tule with sobs OF
commiseration. 1t was determined that
MADAME jacquard should accompany Mad
anne Gribcau home next day and give Mon
sieur Gribeau piece OF her mind.
| But though one woman proposes, an
other frequently disposes. When the SER
want rapped ut Madame Gribeau's door next
morning there was no answer. -. -.'
! THE ROOM WAS TENANTLEss.
The bed had not been slept in. In point
! of fact moor Madame Gribeau had dlsap-
nearcd. The first infer ence was that,
goaded to despair by the poignancy of her
misery, she had committed suicide; but a
more plausible explanation offered Itself
when Madame jacquard dressed to go TO the
magistrate and make deposition. her
| Jewels were gone. So was all the mSney IN
the house. So also was Monsieur jacquard S
three-thousand.!ranc chronometer. 10 DC
brief, Door Madame Gribeau was poor no
longer. She had literally cleared out the
! house.
There was hardly the price, in portable
nroperty, of a cocktail left. At the first
ylance the detective, summoned from Paris,
| declared the Job the work OF one OF the
most expert thieves in the business.
The next thing was to find that thlef, or
| rather thieves, for it was evident that Eo-
man. unaided, could never have made so
clean a sweep. This proved to be quest
worthy OF rank with Diogones's search Tor
n very different sort OF person. The slums
| Of Paris were secured, the Jalis 1hVestl.
gated, all Of the oat-of-the-way recesses OF
| The strange world Of crime that testers un,
der the current OF life in the great city iaio
bare by the calcium glare Of the law: In
vain. Unless Madame Gribeau's ogre nad
deyoured her, she must have paplsheo INTO
smoke as thin as her tale OF woe.
The investigations were dropped, anu
Monsieur jacquard scored heavy entry 10
the account Of profit and loss.
Late In September, Madame Jaequard naa
occasion to Visit Paris in hurry and alone.
fastening into carriage at the railway
depot, she was followed .by an elegantly
dressed young man, who restored 10 her
her handkerchief which she had dropped.
The young man offered her further atten,
tions,' which she accepted. They driitea
into conversation. Suddenly she noticed
on his slender hand 4a&s'-}
.-st. .<stit -.Es.e gING -
Of familiar aspect. 1t was cats eye, tne
very duplicate OF one which had formed
I nart OF her vanished jewels. sea.
| ..That is curious RUG you nave, Dols'
Isieur,o she observed. -.
0It IL, indeed. A valuable fr.ae, yet one "a.