Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-26
miscellaneous.
THE TERROR OF A NIGHT.

1t was in Paris, in the year 1S-. Mad
am Pcrrot sat in her beautiful bouduir,
waiting patiently for her maid, whose
task it was to undo the wonderful super
structure of hair which had excited so
much admiration at the dinner from which
the lady had just returned.
Every hair of all those golden braids
and putfs grew from Madame Perrot's
own head, 1t was too great task to
unbind and comb it for the night with her
own hands. Where was Felice Why did
she not come? Madame Perrot rang the
bell again.
"Send Felice to me at once" she said,
as the servant opened the door.
81 have been searching for Felice ever
since | received madame's direction
said the woman. Il do not think that she
can be in the house. Indeed, if madam
will permit me, think | can guess Fe-
lice has been in the habit OF going out
evenings. Felice has a lover"
Indeed I" said Madam Perrot "Wen,
pretty girls generally have beaux. Only
she should not forget her duties"
"lf madam will permit me. the servant
says that this beau Cf Felices is gentle
man-not man of her own position, and
that-but no matter; it is none of my bus
mess. Only young girls were more pru-
dent in my days"
81 will speak to Felce," said madame.
AT was right of you to mention this
Then she sank back into her chair and
waited little longer She was not a
nervous person. and yet gloom and
dread. for which she had no words, began
to settle down upon her. She shuddered
she grew cold-she dared not look be-
hind her-she fancied strange voices borne
to her on the breeze that lifted the cur
tans over the open windows.
In the saloon, Monsieur Perrot and some
| old friends drank wine and played ecarte
She would have gone to them had she
dared. but she dreaded the long corridor
too much. She absolutely did not dare
to open the door.
Some one who knew the value of the
jewels she had worn that day might have
| followed her home. The idea of black
vlsaged ruffians was so terribly vivid that
Madame Perrot actually gave little
scream and Selling the small silver hand
bell which stood upon the table near her,
rang i, violently.
1t was in this way that she was wont to
summon Flee from her own little room
hard by. The other servants only answer.
ed the bell which communicated with the
Kitchen but Madame Perrot had now be.
come too nervous to cross the room to
touch it.
| She rang the silver bell and looked over
her shoulder toward the door. hoping that
some one had heard the door opened, and
Feliee entered slowly.
/ Her face was very pale, her large, dark
eyes were darker than ever. She made
her little courtesy. and stood before
Madame Perrot with her hands folded to-
gether.
You have been a long while in com
ing said Madame Perrot Il have
waited for you for two hours. This must
never happen again.
. mo. madame; never again"
! "See that it does not My dressing
gown, Felice."
The girl already held it in her HANDS.
Usually she was brisk and active in her
movements. To-day she was strangely
slow and solemn.
'If it was my shroud you could not he
graver over It," cried Madame Perrot.
There, comb my hair and 90. You are
too frightfully solemn to endure auy
longer.p
at is madame's will that should comb
her hairP" she said.