Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-12-06
F 0 R { Y { R :,

bourg, under the Grandes Arcades: and
the two or three dim gas-lamps intended
to light the old and obscure passage were
scarcely sufficient to enable beIated wan
derers to see farther than five or six Yards
before them.
The young man walked with unsteady
gait, and his manner indicated that he
was in a decidedly bad humor. He did
not observe that another person was adj
7ancing from the opposite direction until
they both paused suddenly in trent of each
other.
The gentleman who thus Unexpectedly
disturbed the cogitations Of the nocturnal
and absent-minded promenader was the
first to speak.
''Sir," said he, with a strong south-coun-
try accent, will you oblige by informing
me how to say the words For ever in
German?"
'A1tf dnanteT,' sir, " replied the young
man, promptly.
"Oh, thank you, sir" replied the other.
Then, resuming his way, he repeated
aloud, ".Auf &mmern Ah, yes-Auf I'M
1nerp"
AS he proceeded, he teok from his thick
overcoat pocket-book, and, stopping for
an instant, wrote on a page the words
'iA1If inlTacr;;' after which he replaced
the book and continued his route, repeat
ing his newIy-acquired German phrase to
himself.
"Auf tT1n1eTr' repeated the other young
man to himself "Aalf imnlerl What in
the world can he want to know that for,
at half-past eight o'clock at night? Per-
haps / have been assisting him to make
love to some pretty Alsatian maiden who
is not proficient in any language but
her own. A declaration of love-eh? The
deuce take love, and the women, tooP'
That young fellow of twenty-five
should SO express himself as to love and
women seemed puzzling; but so it was
This young Strasbourgian, Augustus
Weiss, sincerely believed in neither the
one nor the other. He had made his first
essay some time before, in O very pretty
romance which had failed Of a successful
issue through the timidity Of the young
lady concerned.
AS he reviewed the details of his past
mischance Augustus Weiss arrived at the
end of the Arcades. The sleet had deep
ened into snow, and he was quickening
his pace to descend the passage steps,
when his foot struck against something
which the Pickering light of a gas-lamp
enabled him to perceive was q pocket
DOOh. I4G IllChCu III "a anu COuGlEuSu Ills
way as best he could over the uneven
ground, which waJ in some places paved
with cobble-st3nes, in others asphalted,
and in many parts streWn with the re-
mains of materials that had served to
cover the floors of the Arcades. AtIength
the snow abated; and the young mans
progress became easier as he fastened on
ward to his home in the Rue Merciere. In
passing, however, he did not fail to cast q
glance strongly expressive of both anger
and regret ut one of the first houses in the
Rue DIES ScrrurierS. After entering his
room, he set about examining the prize he
had found. The pocket-bOok was a new
one, and corr,ained a number of bank
notes; but there was neither letter nor
card to indicate the name of the owner.
The next morning, before going to the
office in which he was employed, Augustus
Weiss proceeded to the advertising de-
partment of LEGAL newspaper, the COuT-
Tter du BdS-Rbj3l, which was situated in
the Place Saint-Thomas-a locality pecul-
iafly peaceful and SILENT where q dozen or
so of slender sycamores vegetated lazily
in the shade Of the Protestant church of
Safnt-Thomas, and sheltered to some eX-
tent beneath their scanty foliage the stalls
of six or eight yeRders of fruit and Megeta-
bles
Augustus entered the publishing-r0o
of the Courier, and informed the repre-
sentative OF the newspaper-then in its in
fancy, as at the period alluded TO it had
reached only its third number-that he
was DESTROYS Of announcing in its col
umns the godsend he had found in the
street.
II am sorry, saidfthe manager, ito lose
Mt Tina fNn QIUprti pTtG HIFi
doubtless this is the owner of the pocket
book"-pointing to 9 man who stood close
by.
The person indicated, who had arrived
few minutes prior to Augustus, was ask
ing the charge for an insertion of the par
ticulars respecting his lost property. He
was man of about thirty, with horid
complexion, and eyes and hair of an in
tensely black hue.
Augustus Weiss held out the pocket-book
to him
az am very pleased, sir,,n he said, ito be
able to restore your property to me-"
''The pocl1et-book is mine, SIR" replied
the stranger; land yet / scarcely know
how to convince you of the fact. Pray
where did you find it?''
''Under the Grandes Areades."
yesterday evening, at about half-past
eight"
Eyes; about chat time"
''Then you are the man who kindly told
me how to say the words For ever'-AlGf
inlmGrg''
Really, 1 did Eot recognize you again,
sir"
"Ah, yes! 1 had taken out nay pocket
book for the purpose of writing down
those tiresome words. 1t was fearfully
cold, and | hastily returned the book, as l
Thought, to my pocket; but, instead of do
ing SO, must have placed it between my
under and over-coats-and that is how it
fell to the ground. But, as neither of us
has any further business here" continued
the stranger, as he raised his hat to the adj
yertisement manager, twill you permit
me to offer you some refreshment."
with all my heart" replied Augustus,
and the two young men LETT the office to-
gether.
"Mr. Maurice Cazanave, of Nismes,"
said the south-countryman, by way Of
self-instruction.
'Mr Augustus Weiss" retained the
other, in a similar manner.
''Now, Mr.. Weiss" said CazeRave, "as
you are Strasbourg man, you ought to
have your favorite tavern. Let MS go
there
1.-THE house 1 frequent most is the
Dolphin near the cathedral" replied
Weiss.
"A house happen to know" said Caz-
enave, although 1 have been in Stras-
bourg only one month. know the Dol
Yhin' very we'll"
ISr-o ,,,;p,Y+,ac Jo+ar tho two wanna. ,,o,,