News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-04-24

NOL. ALI. NO.
upon the stage, some gallant was un
usually attentive to the handsome girl
Was he Jealous, also? Certainly; anC
he must have suffered atrociously, fol-
: his companion, as coquettish as beauti
full, seemed to delight in exasperatine
his jealously.
son one occasion the manager of the
Alcazar d'Automne stopped her in the
wings as she was escaping with laugh
from circle of wine-excited coxcombs.
"'See here, my little one,' he whis-
pered in her ear, you had better take
care. Every evening that man holds
your life at his mercy T
"Arabella burst out laughing.
"'He kill me?' cried she, Struggling
her shoulders. Get along with you; he
thinks too much of me to harm hair of
my head =
l. "And every night she stood before the
| muzzle of the pistol with the same
serene tranquility, fascinating the rebel
lion of her lover, as the eye of the tanner
fascinates that of wild beast
''One evening, when the name of
Guido Ventura and that of Arabella had
been shining scarcely week upon the
bills of the Alcazar d'Automne; a gentle
man of fine appearance entered the
foyer, went straight to the young woman
who uttered slight cry of surprise, and
taking her hand kissed the tips of her
fingers. Guido Ventura, who was talk
ing to the manager, turned and sudden
ly grew very pale. The man who had |
just entered was rich Yankee whose |
attentions to Miss Arabella had made |
some noise in New York. 1t was be-
cause of him particularly that the marks
man had made his engagement in Paris.
But this man now had taken a notion to
follow them, for it was on account of
Arabella that he had come to Paris. As
soon as he had ascertained where she
had gone he had taken passage upon the
next steamer. That night as she was
returning to her dressing-room Guido
Ven tura made terrible scene with his
companion.
''But the most terrible scene took
place some nights later. For a week
the American had hung about Arabella's
footsteps. Guido Ventura had striven
to exact that the manager of the Alcazar
d'Automne should prohibit him from
entering the coulisses. But, having
made his way into the managerial office
with his hat in his hand, the American
putting his wallet back into his
pocket and there was no longer question
Of his exile I:
''That night, when Arabella was pre-
'aring to assume her pages dress for the
Guido Ventura saw paper
all from her corsage. He picked it up,
cad it; it was love letter, proposing to
he young girl an eIopement, and mar
iage the next day. When he came down
1to the foyer, the marksman had knitted
rows and quivering lip. He took 6
istol and aimed at his own image III
lirror to try his hand. His hand did
ot tremble. ,
Give minutes afterward he was on !
he stage, commencing his exercises. As
lie turned he saw behind him in the cou-
isse the American leaning against fiat.
lust at that instant Miss Arabella planted
herself in front of him, her arms folded.
Ter nutshell placed upon her head. She
Imiled. On whom was she smiling? On
he man who was there, behind him
Guido Ventura saw it clearly from the
direction of her glance Suddenly her
eyes having moved, she ceased to smile
and a shadow passed across her visage.
before her, Guido Ventura
took aim full at her forehead.
''The report rang out and Miss Ara
bella fell dead upon the boards. When
they tore from his arms the corpse that
be was desperately clasping to his bosom
Guido Ventura was a mailman.
''Was it crime?-was it an accident
They thought only ofstifing the affair.
In Paris the dead are speedily out of
mind. The first excitement over, people
forgot the two heroes of this bloody
drama.
"Since that time Guido Ventura has
been here, in my establishment, passing
half his days aiming at that plaster mask.
Once he chanced to break it. For a
week afterward he was delirious. But
he is inoffensive, as you can see."
We returned to the pavilion and found
the marksman loading his weapons.
''Not a shot missed the mark, eh2"
said the doctor to him, In an affable tone.
The man raised his head, and, point
ing with his finger to the plaster mask,
In a hollow voice:
''Not one Always in the center of the
forehead -