The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-02-23

AS~1 1880 49, OA140 O1OWS lAOM UGn1lu.
which laid bare his skull. But for the help
OF 9 passing workman he might nave bled to-
death by the Wayside. With difficulty the
sculptor dragged himself to his abode. His
attempted assassin remained undiscovered,
although David always suspected a rival
against whom he voted ii q competition, and
who afterwards died mad. A few years later,
when the episode had been nearly forgotten
By its victim, David of Anglers las he is
called) received a letter inviting him to re-
pair, between midnight and one o'clock, to a
certain house in the Faubourg st. Jacques,
near the hospital Val de Grace. A sign, I'M
stood by ''patriots," was traced on the cover.
David, fancying that it referred to a convo-
cation Of some political refugees, prepared to
start without any misgivings. The note
stated that the house had n concierge and
that the bearer must 60 provided with q Gov
cred lantern. On the fourth story he would
see q cross chalked on the door, which would
be opened on knocking. Somebody would
be there to receive him. The proposal sound
ed mysterious, not to say suspicious, but the
recipient Of this strange missive was young;
and the romantic school, with friend Hugo
at the head, was just at its dawn. He set off,
arriving at the house indicated a little after
midnight.
On reaching the fourth floor David per-
ceived the chalk cross, when he knocked as
instructed, without any misgivings. No an
sWer. He knocked again, with the same re-
suit, until, thinking he had been made the
dupe Of some practical joke, the midnight
visitor was about to descend and wend his
way homeward. All Of q sudden the oppo-
site door opened, when a young woman ap-
peared with a light ia her hand. Recognize
ing David, she became pale, exclaiming in q
terrified voice, "What is it you? You, Mon
sieur David"
The sculptor, in his turn, stood supplied IS
he saw before him, still beautiful, though
trembling, the little street girl of the Rue
Montparahasse, the young Greek of the tomb
of Botzaris.
'Go away from here as quick as you cam"
she cried il supplicating tones. IF you stay
you are a dead man. And be sure not to say
q word about it, else we shall be undone, my
mother and I. All. Mon Dieu! | did know it
was you. Be off at once, [ beg of you, Mon
sieur David
"Be it So" responded the sculptor, feeling
that alone, without arms, he would be no
match for his hidden enemies. Descending
rapidly the staircase, he gained the street, and
posted himself a few doors oHf in the entrance
to the court. A few minutes later several
men approached, who disappeared stealthily
in the house he had just quilted. Il fancied'
said the sculptor, s'that | recognized my as
sassin among them"
Many years elapsed, when one day David
was impelled by the desire to revisit the site.
Knocking at the door where the girl had ap-
| peared, he obtained no answer. Asking a
workman on the stair for Mile. Clementine,
"Don't know her. was the grufff reply. No
body in the place had ever heard of q Woman
Of that lame. Disappeared, doubtless, the
lassie of 1897, who had incarnated such a
beautiful dream. In the month of August,
1843, following the obsequies Of his comrade
Cortot, of whom he said, "His sculpture is Of
ice-an honest tradesman, who puts the right
weight in the scales, neither more nor less =
David deserted, Longing along the Quai
Malaquais, his old model, grown to woman
hood, still beautiful, though miserable. I'm
dor hnr arms che norr;ad tha rhr;of +ho a. -
which the sculptor gave her with the exhort-
alton, "You shall think Of it when you are
tempted to go wrong" For d moment he
thought OF leaving the procession to follow
the woman on her errand to the bric-a-brac
dealers of the quarter, and for months after
wards he scanned the windows Of these curl.
osity shops, to espy, if possible, this bronze
figure of the Savior. Five or six years sub
sequently the artist once more stumbled
across his young vision. Alas how changed
and fallen. David saw her disappear in one
of the hideous dens Of vice, in company
with a noted bully. s'This creature, bearing
already at forty the stigma Of d%ecrepitude,
was the maiden whom the sculptor and the
poet had met, who had for q moment i'm
pregnated their dreams of art with the genius
Of liberty-Greece, ever young and ever
fair"
But this was not the last time the pair were
fated to encounter each other. n July,
1s47, a figure drew timidly towards David as
be was passing along the Rue des Boucher
les. "You do not remember me, N. David :
she said. ooh, yes; I am so changed. |