The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-04-14
Tho Model for a Marble Hand.

After the restoration of Louis Philippe
to the French throne, many OF Napol-
cons soldiers were left in comparative
poverty. One of them, famous GEN
eral, had beautiful daughter whom he
wished to marry rich, but who fell in
love with poor young man-an under
secretary or something of that kind
She married ut her fathers request q
rich Count, but refused at the wedding
ceremony to allow the ring to be placed
upon her left hand, upon which she
wore ruby, put there by her lover
Her jealous husband was not long in
finding out what was the matter, and,
intercepting letter in which the ardent
young lover claimed Matilda's hand as
his, he determined upon an awful re-
venge.
One night as the celebrated surgeon
Lisfrance was returning from u profess
sional visit, he was captured by party
of men, blindfoldcd and taken to dis
tant palace, and led through labyrinth
of passages and rooms, At length his
conductor, stopping, said Doctor, We
have arrived; remove your bandage."
The doctor, whose fears had given place
to restless curiosity and n vague ap-
prchcnsion, obeyed, and found himself
in small chamber furnished with re-
markablc luxury, and half lit by an
alabastcr lamp hung from the ceiling
The windows were Theoretically sealed
as well as the curtains of an alcovo at
the end of the room.
Here the doctor found himself alone
with one of his abductors. He was Il
man of imposing height and command
ing air, and his whole exterior of the
most aristocratic stamp. His black
eyes cleaned through the half mask
that covered the upper part of his face,
and nervous agitation shook his color
less lips, and the thick black beard that
Unframed tho lower Doctor" said
he, in an abrupt, loud voice, prepare
for your work-an amputation. I"
"Where is the paticntp" asked the doc
tor, turning toward the acove The
curtains moved slightly, and he heard q
stitlcd sigh, Prepare, sir" said the
man convulsively. But, sir, must
see the patient" you will sec only
tor. folding his arms and looking firmly
at the other, said: "Sir you brought me
here by force. If you need my profess
without caring for that or troubling my
WA "couS oui SSSlSloI DUU IL JOl WISH
to commit crime you can not force me
to be your accomplice." "Be content.
SIR" replied the other, 'thcre is no
crime in this" and leading him TO the
| alcovc he drew from the curtains a
hand. at is this you are to cut off,"
The doctor took the hand in his; his
fingers tremblcd at the touch. 1t was
lady's hand, small, beautifully nodded
and its pure white set off by magnti-
cent ruby encircled with diamonds.
"But," cried the doctor, 'there is no
need of amputation; nothing is"
"And l, sir! | say" thundorcd the
other, "if you refuse will do it tmyself," t"
and. scizing II hatchet, he drew the hand
toward small tablo and seemed about
to strike The doctor arrested his arm.
"Do your duty then, doctor" "Oh,
but this is an atrocious act" said tho
surgeon. 'What is that to youP 1t
must be done. | wish it.; madam wishes
it also; If necessary she will demand it
herself Come, madam, request the
doctor to do you this service" The
doctor, nonplused, and almost fainting
under the torture of his feelings, heard
from the alcove, in half-expiring
voice and an incxpressible accent of de-
spair and designations: "Sir, since you
are surgeon entrcat you-let
it be you and not-Oh, yes; you! you!
in mercy" "Well, DOCTOR" said the
man, "you or l."
The resolution Of this man was so
friShtful, the prayer of the poor lady so
full Of entreaty and despair, that the
doctor felt that even humanity COM
mandcd of him compliance with the
appeal of the victim. Ho took his in
struments with n last imploring look ut
the unknown, who only pointed to the
hand, and then with sinking heart
began the operation. For the first time
in his experience his hand trcmblcd;
hut the knife was doing its work. There
WIS cry from the alcove, and then all
was silent. Nothing was heard but
the horrid sound Of the operation till
the hand and the saw f'l together on
the lloor.
Lisfrance wore the ruby upon his
watch-chain, where it was seen by the
young lover on his return to Paris, and
out OF 1t grew duel that led to the dis
closure of the infamous crime. The
morning after the young lovers arrival
at the capital he was presented by a
man lin livery with an ebony box.
Opening it he discovered bleeding
hand, Matilda's, and on it paper with
these words: "See how tho Count Of -
keeps his oath" After the duel the
young man feed to Brussels, where the
bleeding hand was transferred to can
vas. Hart seeing the painting copied
it In marblc.-Lenington (Ky.) Letter
TO Cincinnati Enquirer.
One Of the daughters of Mrs. Eliza