Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17

"Behold the work of the celebrated DIR.
Nic0lovius! No, no, my friend-no doc
tors for me; they are all quacks. / know
my own constitution better than any one
else.''
With these words my task for the day
was ended.
On the second day after my visit, theold
lady was able to leave her room. called,
and brought notary to lndorse the
stipulated contract. We were conducted
to the third floor by the nurse, who opened
a door guarded by an iron bolt and bar.
Madame Jansen was seated at table IN
this dingy room, employed in folding and
marking small packets of bank notes.
Each of these notes was of great value.
All along the walnscOt lay bags of crowns,
the bags being mostly made from rem
nants of silk dresses. The old lady was
as reserved to-day as she had been gar
rulOus on the previous occasion. Her
| trembling hands placed each bag in turn
before us, as with a sad, fixed stare she
watched us count the crowns, seal the
bags, and number the tickets. The inyen-
tory of silver and bank notes kept us en-
plOyed until long after shutdown. We
finished our work by the feeble flicker of
a rush-light which had been stuck in the
centre branch OF a massive silver chan
delier.
The last bag was full of crowns stamped
| with the efigy Of Christian ". These
coins were not only very scarce, but had
the reputation of being free from alloy.
| AS coins, they were worth even more than
/ their intrinsic value. When we had sealed
up this bag, l asked Madame Jansen If
there was not something more.s
| She started nervously, but said drily:
| sis that not enough, my friendW
| EEAre there no gold pieces, madameF'
| E1Gold? People never pay me in gold"
| We had now completed our task; the in
! ventory was finished, and the old lady Eff
! fixed her name to it with trembling hand,
| The titles were placed in strong box, Of
| which / kept the key. 1t was arranged
| that both the box and money were to be
| removed to my house early on the follow
ing morning. We babe Madame Jansen
| good night, and left her.
When l reached the street l remember
ed having left silver pencil-case behind
| me. With few words of apology TO my
| friend 1 turned back, and ran quickly up
the stairs. l knocked at the door, and
without waiting for an answer, entered
| the room. To my surprise, l saw, by the
feeble rays of the rush-light, Madame
Jansen still seated at the table, holding in
one hand an empty purse of red silk,
while, with the other, she endeavored to
hide heap of gold which was spread out
before her. On seeing me, she uttered a
piercing cry, and bowed her head over the
treasure. Then, suddenly, she lifted up her
hands supplicatingly, and cried:
sob! leave me this! 1t is my sole con-
ISOLATION"
Then she rose, seized my hand, and drew
me to the door, beyond which the great
staircase was'lOst in gloom.
II L. ,ay,frr 9cho 1nf1 sc Aays IL
ness and solitudel / have only my goldl
Oh! do not take it. The long nights are so
lonelyp
II have no right to take what you do not
give me,'' said /; ''though the plaything Is
costly, you are rich enough to afford it.
Good night"
So saying, picked up my pencil-case,
and hurried from the sitting atmosphere
of that room into the crisp night air.
1t was spring. The larch woods which
bordered our little bay wore all the bright
ness and freshness so peculiar to the month
of May.
During the past few weeks an intimacy
had sprung up between us and the family
of the Chef de Police. His eldest daugh-
ter, Matilde, had evlnced a romantic at
tachment for my wife, devotion reciprO-
Gated with true feminine fervor. 1t would
have been strange indeed if this innocent
young girl, with her deep blue eyes, had
not fascinated us both, and we encouraged
her to visit us as often as possible. But
we perceived that an unaccOuntable vein
of sadness stole over her at times,
which contrasted painfully with her other
wise joyous and artless nature. Her
grief was certainly deep-but, as she new
er for moment broke her reserve, we
could only sympathize in silence. 1t was
Sunday morning. The sun. shone in all his
glory. and the blue waters of the FOhrde
glitlered enchantingly at our feet. We
had arranged to make an excursion across
the bay, and had invited several friends to
Join us. Before II o'clock we were all on
board, and gliding merrily over the spark
ling waters.
At one end of the boat group of girls
and young officers were carrying on a es-
ultory conversation; Matilde was not
among them. She was leaning against the
mast, her graceful figure swaying with
every motion of the boat. Never had she
seemed to me more beautiful as she stood
alone under the blue canopy of heaven,
the wind stirring her dress and hair, and
her eyes gazing sadly over the bay to-
wards the wooded shore. Something in
her manner attracted me towards her.
'EMatilde,' said /, softly, ''wOuld you
like to inherit a fOrtuneP
She looked at me for moment in mute
establishment, and then said sadly:
"Why do you ask? l suppose that every
one would be glad to inherit money, though
| confess that L have not much hope of
anything of the kind"
The town we were leaving behind us
stood out bold and clear in the far dis
lance.
"Look," said /, ''do you see, among
those low buildings, that high, sombre
house? A poor woman lives there who,
even on such a day as this, knows nothing
of the blue skies or sunshine"
"Isee the house" replied the girl. 'Who
lives there?"
can aunt of yours and your father's."
"Oh! that womanW replied Matilde,
disdainfully, with shrug Of the should
ers. ''She is not my aunt. My grand
mother was only her cousin. We went to
call on her once" And then, shaking her
head, continued: 'No. l should not like
to inherit her fortune"
care you so sure of that ?" said l, look
ing steadily into the depth of those elo-
quent eyes. She did lot vince, but sud
den flush Overspread her face, and her eyes
lost their lustre. After pause she said
composedly:
'sWell, yes. Perhaps 1 should, after
ALL"
1 saw that dream of possible happiness
had dimmed her eyes with tears. That
dream she thought, could never be real
lied. L had been told that she had given
her heart to a young officer, and that pow
erty was an insuperable bar to their mar
riage.
now understood it all.
".
One morning received message from
Madame Jansen begging me to call upon