Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1882-05-12
On a warm evening in September


The great chevalier had gone out for IN
airing on the Champs Elyses, but find
ing it too cool for his pleasure, had re-
turned and was sauntering up stairs to
his apartments when he hears the sound
of singing, and on listening recognizes
the voice Of Hortense. II will steal 10
and surprise her." he mutters, for
would not have you suspect the great
magician of eavesdropping He enters
the ante-room, when perceiving that the
door was ajar he crept nearer and on
looking into the boudor he perceived
Hortense, my Horteuse," as he called
her No one ever knew the exact re-
lationship between them, and no one
cared to inquire, for il was rumored that
the chevaier was as skillful marksman
as magician She was sitting before an
eta,ye, on which rested picture. She
was singing in low tones an Italian love
song. This was to her rs her native
tongue, for though born in the Valley
of the Loire, she had been raised in
Italy One glance was all Armand
Prudhomme needed to assure him Of the
identity of that picture, for the dark
handsome face of Leonetti Cipriani was
too well-known to him to need second
glance to convince him that it was he
before whose penciled face Hortense
was singing. His dark face grew darker
as she stopped singing and said passion
ately, "Oh, Leonotti, when will you
come; when will this life end when
shall be free 7" and she rose to he feet
and began to walk up and down the
room. The chovalier Withdrew as he
had entered, noiselessly to the hallway,
where he paused, muttored an oath and
entered his own room door. "You shall
be free, ma chere," he muttered as no
closed tho door and sank into an easy chair
'and soon,' and he began to laugh as
if pleased at the idea Of setting at lib
erty that which he had striven SO hard
to capture.
That night he was unusually courtc-
Gus to his beautiful assistant, and laughed
and talked in an uncommonly pleasant
vein all the way to tho theatre. Nor
was HOrtenso less charming, on the con.
trary us she came on the stage that night
she was, if possible, more lovely, more
raine than ever before. The old theory Of
coming events cast their shadows boz
FORE was certainly exploded in this case,
for as she entered the casket that night
and kissed the tips of her jeweled fingers
TO the audience her countenance was un-
clouded
The curiosity of the audience having
been raised to fever heat by the usual
formalities, dead silence had fallen ever
the vast auditorium. AS the great ma
gician grasped the handle Of the crank
and made the first turn all eyes and ears
were strained for some forcaste Of what
was coming, but there was none. Twice
the handle was turned, when the casket
grew shorter, flatter, narrower; three
times and the cries from the cssket were
raised, but not as formerly in well as
sumed but still unreal anguish. No!
this time the voice of Mile. Chanfrau
was heard supplicating for Mercy"
Help" "Armaund, have mercy"
"Mon Dieup p "Help, helpw
rose and wsuld have sprung down
from my seat, but some mysterious pow
or held me spell-bound. The crank was
turned more rapidly-tho cries grew
fainter and we're drowned in tho tolling
of the great bell which now began to
ring. The usual sharp explosion fol-
lowed by a series Of brilliant illumina-
tons which made the stage look weird
and ghastly, and tho magician advanced
to the front. All eyes, my own in
cuded were turned to the curtained box
whore Mile Chanfrau was TO appear.
But she came not. A long pause, and
the magician said. as he advanced calmly
as possible: "You needn't look for Mile
Chaufrau there ladies and gentlemen.
she is unwell," with CHASTITY smile,)
"she is hero - and he went to the casket
and uncovered IT, There was mass Of
crushed, mangled humanity, all that was
earthly of IIortense Chanfrau.
At first that horror which sometimes
seizes on the bravest, held every man in
all that vast audience spell-bouDd, but as
| the murderer advanced TO the front again
and cast of the long white beard and
robe which he had worn all through the
performance, and waving his hand cool
ly said, "Bon soir," then disappeared.
The whole audience rose and rs one
man cried, Seize the monster"
Long and fierce as was the search
skilIful as we're the Partisan detectives
who hunted on the trail--notbing was
ever heard of Armand Prudhomme be-
yond that the body Of man answering
to his description had been found in the
Loire.
In the Pere la Cbaise the grave Of
Hortcnse is still pointed out as an object
Of interest to strangers OF Lconetti
| Cipriani have never heard