The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-04-01


and SeaIdhed the garden. where they
found footprints, which they measured.
ITThcy searched everywhere. In the
mearti1ne Coussac died, and the old
mother was beside herself. Catisson,
half out of her senses, saw ever that
frightful hand, with the four even fin
gers gliding over the oak shutter, like
spider or crab. .r@
AS you can imagine, we made every
effort to find the dog who had sent that
worthy to Lonyat Che cemetery at Linn
oges) Yes. we did all we could, but
there was NO olew. We had the hand as
Catisson had described it to me, but
knew of no one possessing such hand.
We questioned all the masons who had
worked with Father Coussac, but no
SUSPICION rested upon them; all were
worthy people, we'll known, with a little
foudness for chestnut wine, but not
crime. Who, then, was the criminal?
One day butcher-boy from la rue
Aigueperse came to tell us that he
remembered once having quarrel with
a great fellow who, in drawing his Nou-
tron knife, had displayed a very peculiar
hand with four even fingers. Nowth
knife with which he had killed Coussac
was Noutron knife, but the butcher
boy could give no further information,
and many thought his story q afabrica-
ton. And our men still searched, find!
ing nothing, which annoyed me, as 1 had
said to Catisson: @Ten us, demoiselle,
what you viii give for the man who
captures your fathers assassin" aa.
She did not answer, but turned pale
while her beautiful black eyes wept and
promised, but all that did not enable NE
to find the criminal. Finally Catisson
said:
IF YOU can not find him, I will"
She had still her grandmother, true
woman, living, who since the assassina-
ton had been silent as stone, yet-ferce
as dog ready for attack, and the poor
old woman kept repeating: "Win they
not, then, conduct to the Monte-a-Regret
the villain who killed my son?"
Catisson left her position as seamstress,
and applied to the prefect of police for
permission to take a place at the fair.
This astonished every one, especially
when we saw at the fairgrounds at st.
Loup or st. Martial or Limoges great
bill posted, with portrait Of Catisson In
rose-colored robes, and beneath, in large
letters, "The Electric Girl" How odd
for Catisson so to designate herself. So
Catisson Coussae was electric, and you
received d shock when she touched you.
But I needed / t to touch her to be, cleo
trifed; / had only to look at her: You
see her at %; but ten years ago, those
who saw her and did not turn to look the
second time were great imbeciles. ,.a-
Well, the electric girl" brought spec
tators. An orchestra was not necessary,
or other attractions. They saw her and
exclaimed, "What a beautiful girl" then
entered. ..,..'G ...'s.. r. -...t
One day entered the fair. She was
there upon little platform, with Mother
Coussac, who, as afortune-teller, watched
every one closely. Catisson encouraged
me, and, while I stood before, her think
ing how becoming her costume, she
smiled, and said in a droll tone: .,@
"Oh, it is you! I do not need to see
your hand!" s-.'.
Then I knew what the brave girl
wished; why she went about the country
in such disguise. She had ever in mind
that f7ghtful hand, and extended her
own white little hand, soft as satin, but
nervous to every one who came, hoping
it might meet that other hand stained
with blood. It was her own idea; she
had only the one clew; it would suffice,
she thought; yet to find the rascal was
Like looking for a needle in o hay-stack.
But there are chances that murderer
will wander in the direction Of bis crir:
The murderer might then be far!fro
Limoges, but would in all probability re-
turn, and there was q chance that she
might again, see the hand which haunted
her like o nightmare. ,.a ~"
Everywhere Catisson, with Mother
Coussac, travelled over the county, yet
it was always toward Vienna that they
turned with the most confdence-Eomen
often divine things. =. ......,.. r,.;.;a.,.
One day-I remember it as though it
were yesterday-&hs 22d of May, a Mon
day, there was a show at; the Place
Royale, and Gatisson and Mother cous-
sae were there, distributing the. hand.
bills and saying: 4Enter, ladiesFand
gentlemen -It was not necessary 10 in
vite me; I entered as the; others, enly
saying, aGood-dsy, mademoinelo;" and
she replied, .aGood, day, gendarme, ,"well
knowing my name, but giving only my
title. T ses it all, now-Casisson in her
red robe, her pretty brown hair, arose
in her corsage, white arms, pretty shonl-
lers, and a head to turn all others. and
she explained to the spectators, as was
her custom, about the electric fluid; then
extended her hand, saying:
aGive me your hand and you win feel
the current. Do not fear; it will not hurt