Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-08-23

hey then make this momentary futiie
| effort, CHASTITY in its despair. A sound
told that the shoes had fallen to the cellar
| bottom.
Miss Lillian dropped back, half stnpef
ed, into sitting posture on the stairs,
her head dropping over her knees.
Here she vas found by her much alarm
ed sister anc the grcaning servant, Maria.
at 6 o'clock in the morning. The open
door at the head of the staircase had
/ given a eIew.
The first thing she was conscious of
Msria, wailing
/, "Oh, be you dead, Miss? And sure, if
she amt, Miss"-this to Miss G. Anna
| 'she will be before we get her UP siive
with her neck all broke, as it must beg7 ,
Hush" commanded the voice of Miss
@. Anna, as, pushing her assistant aside
she hastily descended to her sister. She
at once helped that chilly individual 70
her feet, kissing her and exclaiming:
"You must have taken your death cold!
Oh you poor child, how did it happen?
How shall nail up that nasty door? You
might have fallen to the cellari Ughw
And country cellars arn't like 10y
began the poor child" in a faint voice.
and glanoing dogu with a shudder She
did not finish her sentence for a white
something caught her eye on the lower
stair.
By her own movements or the move
ments of something else, as Miss Lillian
still believes-the insecure board forming
the stair had been moved from its place.
In the box like space thas disclosed, lay
what proved TO be an ancient and folded
piece of paper.
Miss Lillian seized it eagerly, exelaim-
ing: ut may be somethipg" and made
her sieter examine the place from which
she took il.
'Rat's nest!" said her sister laconically,
and, though Miss Lillian objected, she
would let her explain neither her position
on the stairs, nor her ambiguous remark
about the pepper, until she had been help
ed mp and then down stairs, and received
a treatment TO prevent an Influenza.
At last estoned in an easy chair before
the fire, her sister beside her, she told her
story.
Nov then, / know, of course, that you
think | dreamed this. But please 20 and
see where those shoes are" said Miss
Lillian lowering her tone, as she spoke the
last words. Miss G. Anne made no re-
mark and did as reque~ed. Returning
presently she said, but quite calmly
They are, my dear, on the cellar bot
tom. Yet, it is quite possible that put
them too near the foot of the stair"
"And they fell off," interrupted her
sister; "and as TO the spur, you forgot
after all to bring it down-isn't that
itY"
Miss @. Anna smiled "WeH, truth to
! tell, is is up stairs. | SEM Maria to see"
she said; adding: "but anyway, my dear,
the 10y of aghostly experience is in the
telling, and you can tell this thriliingly."
! Miss Lillian shivereo and made no further
remark till they had studied some time
over the old document, when, during her
sister's last words she had spread out on
her lap, The parchment was yellow, the
ink faded with age. But they were able
to read the following
To all Christian People to whoom these Pre-
seuts shall Come Know ye that stephen Ashley
! (prsn'N of Glenhe.d, in the County of Hamsnire
~ Ills MaleSties Domaine of Masstts Bay in New
! England and Rebecca, his wife, for Divers Good
Causes and Considerations them Moving but es-
peCially tor and in Consideration of Twenty Pound
! of Money in hand paid 20 him by Jean j. Dubeau
vasseau
When they had made ont bat the first
! part of this last name, Miss Lillian grasp.
ed her companion by the arm, for mo
ment too excited to speak then pouring
out the following stream Of words to her
astonished sister, who was studying the
deed with quiet Interest,"
ooh, don't you seer Dubeau, Dubeau
oh, that was what 10 was all for-oh, 1t
all seems like story, only more wonder
! full! oh, Nan don't look so stupid Don't
] vpu Epnu how Haiiank'5 aupaatpry ,yus a
Comte de Beauvissaeu, exiled forever
/ from French soil on penalty of death
because he had offended Madame de
! PompRdour!
Poor Miss G. Annals brain did not ar
rive at conclusions with the electric
duiekncss of Miss Lillian BIS. But to.
gether they read the rest OF the docu
ment relating to how Ste phoD Ashley
and his wife, quit claimed forever, to
infinitely described house lot, and did all
things that could make it entirely and
absolutely the property of the said Jean
| j. Beauvaisseau. Signed ana sealed
Ammo Dommina 1874 1t did, indeed,
seem evident that this house lot was that
on which their house stood. Mics Lilians
excitement increased and it was useless
.or the sister to urge not visiting the.
antiquary, Mr.. Hidden, till another day
She must go at once, SO so az once they
both did.
That good gentleman was somewhat
disconnected at being expected TO answer
about 20 questions at once. But with a
Joyful CLEAN in his eye, and satisfied
smile on his lips, as he read, did he admit
this anoient deed TO be the missing link,
long sought, to clearly prove who had
built this house. Undoubtedly the builder
had been this exlled French count, who
had made the secret stairs for the public
good, in those troublons times, and also.
according TO town legend, as a safeguard
against bitter personal enemy-a man
devoted to the Pompadour.
Ia q fair fight or Otherwise this enemy
had vowed to Kill the count, aud soon
after iht counts exile, had CHANGED to be
sent to occupy a high official position in /
New France. This meant dauger fo- Jeau I
Dubeaugaisseau, as he was now called VITO
could have no desire to die, in fair fight /
or otherwise, thus leaving young wife /
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