Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-01

| w ell. mere IS DT1SdC DaCK HUH LIS
rounds. He can tell the story best"
The Surgeon-Major being appealed to,
lay down upon the grass, lit cigar and
said:
"' 1884, De Valmont, appointed lieu
tenant in the Chasseurs dAfrique, which
had lust been raised, landed in Algiers,
| where Twas assistant-SurgeOn attached
to the military hospital Though l was
older than he, we struck up an acquain-
lance that ripened into friendship, which
time was not impaired. Eugene was
young, good looking and man of facln-
ating manners. He came of a dlstln-
guished family, and his friends kept his
purse well filed; in short he could get
money as fast as he wished to spend it.
"'We served three years together, when
De Valmont got leave to exchange and
return to France. His mother was the
cause of this, for she had in view for him
a marriage with rich heiress. Leaving
Algiers would have been all plain sailing
except for bidding farewell to a certain
lady called La Severina, a danseuse at
the theater. In appearance she was de-
cidedly handsome, of an olive cOlOred
complexion and with raven black hair.
In her large expressive eyes and in her
firmly cut mouth there was significant
indication of determination which sug-
gested that the young lady would be
more desirable as a friend than as an en-
envy. She said she was an italian, hav-
been born in Rome; but her parents
were Bohemians, who travelled through
all countries dancer by profession.
"La SeVerina had conceived for Eu-
gene passion as violent as it was hope
less. When she heard of his proposed
departure she was wild; when she
learned the motive of it, she turned a
demon. Failing in a determined at
tempt to baulk his plans by stabbing
him with a stilletto, she assured him
with her last words that she would be
revenged. De Valmont laughed at her
threat. I, however, determined to keep
an eye on the actions of the young
lady. But in this resolve l was foiled.
She left Algiers about a month after
and l never knew what became of
her,
Nearly four years had passed since
Eugene's return, We kept up a con-
slant correspondence, and [ learned Of
his marriage and the birth of one son,
whom he called Lucien. He continually
pressed me to exchange and go back to
France.
"'At length I got appointed to a calva-
ry regiment quartered in Paris, and left
Algiers to take up my new duties. Land
L
Castellana where the first names I read
in the list of arrivals were those of the
Count and Countless de ValmOnt. We
met with JOY after our long separation.
Eugene introduced me to his wife-a la.
dy as lovely as she was charming and
showed me with pride his soma fine
chubby child, with curly hair, and the
splendid blue eyes of its mother. He
simply worshipped the boy-poor fell
lOw-and his life and soul seemed wrap
ped up in its being and existence. And
now, as to the sad sequel to my tale.
Z" DE NalmOnt was on leave, and at his
wife's desire they were about to visit It.
ally. Not to fatigue the child their route
was mapped out in short stages. They
were resting two days at Marseilles be-
fore going to Genoa by La Corniche, so 1
decided to stay and see him off.
In the afternoon of my arrival, as
the weather was glorious, little Lucien
was sent with his nurse down to the sea
on that magnificent beach where the
splendid palace of Padre stands. Two
hours after this nurse returned alone,
looking like a mad woman. The eyes
were starting out of her head and, sob
bling and crying she threw herself at the
Countess feet, and said she had lost the
child. She and her charge were playing
on the beach, where they were. attracted
by the performance of some acrobats. a
small crowd had assembled, and the boy
was not out of her sight for half a min
ute. On looking round he was gone !;
and she sought him in vain. He seemed
to have been spirited away. She called
his name at the top of her voice, and ran
up and down the beach until exhausted.
By-standers who heard her cries helped
her in her search; but they found
nothing"
"Was Lucien drowned?" asked the sub
lieutenant.
"This was the question started, but it
seemed well-nigh impossible. The child
could only toddle, and the sea was too
far from the place indicated by the nurse.
So this hypothesis was given up. The
police considered it a case of kidnapping.
and went to work, but failed to find a
clue. They searched for weeks through
all the slums of the city-the low quar-
tiers where the dregs of the population
cOngregate, the scum of the Mediterra-
nean-but with no success. A descrip-
ton of the child was sent to every consul,
with orders to make full inquiry. De
Valmont himself obtained special leave
of absence from the war office and spent
a year in trying to solve the mystery.
He returned more dead than alive to
bury his wife, whom grief had killed.
"As to the Colonel, at first he had seri-
GUS intentions of joining the Trappists
and retiring from the world. But hope
sustains him still. He belives, if his
boy was not drowned, that Providence
will take pity on him and yet restore
him. Vain delusiOn! But we humor
him in his hope. He has since devoted
his whole life and soul to his regiment;
but the wound at his heart has never
healed, and when it breaks out afresh,
he becomes sad and sorrowful and talks
about presentiment.
LA Severina I believe has kept
her word, and wreaked terrible re-
venge."
Brisac finished his story and wished
all good night.
owe have six hours for sleep, my boys,
and then-?f