The Washington critic., 1886-03-09

About six months later, when ! was
still in 81. Louis, the card of well.
known lawyer, in official position, was
brought to me. This gentleman showed
some embarrassment in addressing me.
Finally he told me that friend Of
mine had become intimate In his fam
lily, and that he would like to know
something from me about him.
should mention that this gentleman
was the brother of two young ladies
who afterwards attained much celeb.
rity in the literary and dramatic world.
/ asked him the name of the person TO
whom he referred, and he said It was
Delorme. assured him that knew
no person of that name.
"'You must know him, said he. lie
talks of YOU as could none but un in
innate friend
owe argued the matter for some
time, both of us being very persistent.
Suddenly wild idea crossed my mind.
i asked the gentleman If the man who
claimed to be my friend wore mala-
chite studs, and, 10 and behold, he did
1t was Ashley, alias Dumont, alias
Delormc, whom / supposed to he serv-
ing bravely with Hemingsen. then
discovered that he was very intimate
with the two young ladies to whom |
have referred; had won the affections
of one of them. and had become en-.
gagged to hcr
"When explained matters to my
visitor he was terribly enraged and
vowed vengeance against the man who
had deceived him. | wished to aid
him. and persuaded him to promise to
use no violence; to be guided by me,
and to go with me to New York,
where his sisters aud my old acquaint-
ance then were. lie did so, and we
took rooms near his sisters. | knew
very well the one who had become
engaged, and with the freedom of an
old friend, / told her the truth about
her flancc. She received the intcll-
gcncc with surprise and sorrow, but
womanlike, did not believe me. |
| learned from my friend that as soon as
/ left his sisters, Ashley went to them
and persuaded them that | had sian.
| dered him from motives of jealousy. /
| knew the fellow was still in the house,
| and bribed porter to place In his
hands note from me, telling him that
he had better meet me atmy rooms at
II o'clock the next day. received in
due course a reply, saying that he
would be there, and he came on the
minute. My friend, the brother of the
girls Il will call him Sam, was with
me, but let me do the talking.
"Our friend of the many aliases was
| looking very well, and, as usual, wore
the malachite studs. When / taxed
him with his perfdy and duplicity he
broke down and wept bitterly. He
acknowledged how wrong he had been
in winning the affections of an estima.
bic young lady whom he could not
| possible marry.
FINALLY he agreed to sail for Europe
next morning, and leave her to forget
him. He said $3.50 would cover his
| expenses. With that in hand he would
solemnly promise to take himself off
and make no further trouble. Sam at
once handed him double the amount:
and | fully thought we had got rid of
him forever.
Judge of my astonishment when,
next morning, Sam burst into my room
his hair actually standing on end, and
informed me, amid oaths and lamenta-
tions, that the man had indeed gone,
but having twice as much money rs he
| expected, he had taken both the sisters
with him! This is fact. He married
one of them, but she subsequently Sc
cured divorce from him. The other
married famous artist.
"1n Europe fortune favored him,
and he was quite an important man
in France under the empire, and was
once sent to London by the Emperor
on mission.
Not long ago, if you will believe it,
i met this man face to face on Broad
way, looking extremely well, fault
lessly dressed, with the ribbon of the
Legion of Honor in his button. hole,
and still wearing the malachite studs.
lie insisted upon saluting me, and was
as atfable and frank as possible
"'You have done me great services
in time past said he, when l was
down and you were up. Fortune is
sure to change. Now am up and ii
lieve me that | shall be delighted to
reciprocate. Here is my card, and |
beg you to command me at all times
and in all ways The card was that OF
journalist of much note, and such, Il
believe, is my remarkable acquaintance
to day.
"You may suppose that l have been
romancing n little. On the contrary,
while | have suppressed some names
and altered others, have told you only
what actually happened, and l doubt
not that it will be my fortune to meet
this remarkable man in some Other
capacity still in this world. Should
meet him in the next l am sure he viii
still be wearing the three studs, even II
they be asbestos instead of malachite. y
Il Inter. Ocean.
NEURALGIc pain is usually of an intense
sharp. cutting or burning character. 10 pf