Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-02-28
A Conspiracy.

During the summer of 1910 there
might have been observed lettering
about the Tuileries a spare, shabbily-
dressed man, past the prime of life,
restless and watchful in his move
ments, but wearing, in spite of his
humble garb, an air Of faded respecta-
bility and character. lie was a decayed
ed Spanish noble, Don Monsen Chavarri
by name, and one thing noticeable
about him was his persistency in en-
deavoring to obtain an audience with
the emperor. Foiled in every attempt
either through accident or the suspi-
cions of the attendants, he invariably
received his rebuffs in silence, and
withdrew-merely to renew his impor-
tunities Repulsed to-day, tomorrow
found him at his post He haunted
the palace like a specter. Even the
gamins soon grew familiar with the
story of his hopeless quest, and he
began in time to be treated with that
sort of pitiful consideration which is
usually accorded to those of unsound
mind.
At length, however, there came a
day when, in the Rue &C Rivoli, as the
emperor was returning from a review,
a pistol shot rang out from the corner
of the court, and the bullet, whistling
through the line Of outsiders, buried
itself in apanel Of theimperial carriage.
The police at once charged the crowd,
and among the number arrested was
our friend, the Spaniard. At the
trial. there being no evidence against
him, he was acquitted, but warned to
Instantly leave Paris. Acting upon
the warning, he disappeared, and all
traces of him were lost.
1t was some two years after this oc-
currence that there began to circulate
among quidnuncs of the capital reports
of marvellous clock to be seen in that
city, which illustrated, by means of
automatic figures, an episode in the
life of the emperor. 1t was designed
for presentation to that parsonage. 1t
was said to be the work of famous
artisan, who had lately arrived, incog-
nito, from foreign parts, accompanied
by a young lady, his daughter, who, in
a supposed fit of eccentricity, had
taken lodgings in humble and obscure
quarter of the Faubourg st. Antoine.
The reports of the wonderful, almost
supernatural performances of this
piece of mechanism, and the mystery
surrounding its owner and inventor
gave rise for short time, and in
certain circles, to no small amount of
gossip. This gradually died away, and
the artisan and his clock were alike
when an event occurred
which restored them to more than
their former prominence, and entitled
them to a place in history.
Fouche, ono morning in his office,
received letter from his secret agent
in Spain, which contained information
Of a most startling and important
character. Its perusal threw him in
to state of unusual excitement, and
its result was an immediate descent of
the police upon the mysterious shop in
the Faubourg st. Antoine, with orders
to arrest the artisan and his daughter,
secure the premises, and carefully
guard all the stock, tools, implements
and other contents from being touched
Dr. displaced till further opportunity
offered for thorough investigation
The party detailed for the duty having
departed, Fouche reseated himself and
waited, with ill.concealed anxiety, the
arrival of the prisoners.
After a considerable lapse of time
the officer charged with the arrest ap-
peared empty-handed. His report was
soon made. The lady in the case, the
had that morning, at an
early hour, left her house in the Fau-
bourg, accompanied by a young lad,
who bore heavy black p)rtmanteau.
The two had been traced to the gates
Of Montmartre, beyond which point
no clew to their movements could yet
be obtained. The old workman him
self had left the shop an hour before
the visit of the police, locking GJors
and barring windows behind him. He
bore in his arms what was apparently,
according to the apple woman opposite,
a great square box covered with oil