Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-19

| acquisition of wealth was the result of
your letter to the mysterious and pow
erful being whom you invoked in your
hour of distress"
We'll, sir, what about it?"
Just this, NJ. de Roquefeuil. In 4S
hours hence your tenth year will have
expired"
well, and what thenp"
I'm 4S hours you will belong to me.
| am the devil"
One would naturally imagine that
| Fernand and his six friends would only
burst into a fit of laughter at this
strange declaration from this unex-
pected visitor. To-day we NAV be
sure he would be told to carry his
transparent joke elsewhere. But this
happened some time ago, when his
Satanic majesty figured prominently
in romantic literature. In the first
place the fantastic writings of that dav
had n great number of readers on ac-
count of the stories of Theodore Hoff.
man, then largely scattered through
out France. Again, Frederic Soulin.
still living, had made his sable mai
.sty quite fashionable by the recent
publication of the Memoirs of the
Devil"
Nevertheless, Fernand and his COM
rades laughed in chorus, one of them
remarking:
'.Mons. Satan as this is the first time
we have had the pleasure of your dis
tinguished presence, you will do us
che honor of acceptinga glass Of cham
pagne?"
my ordinary beverage is human
tears" replied the king of terrors,
'.but I suppose may make one excep-
ton. Pour out the wine!
He emptied his glass with apparent
zest, bowed gracefully and retired,
saying, as he withdrew, to Fernand:
Monsieur Roquefeuil, | expect to
have the honor of calling on you to-
morrow"
With that not very encouraging re-
mark he withdrew.
So soon as he had gone the young
men laughed heartily, but the supper
came to an end, and at about three
o'clock in the morning all retired to
their homes.
At noon the following day, just as
Fernand was about to rise, servant
entered his room and handed him
three letters and a card. This last was
a duplicate of the card of the evening
before.
"Ah, indeed! The devils cardr'
muttered Fernand. at seems Satan
does not intend to give me much re-
spite"
As for the three letters, they were
anything but pleasant reading.
The first announced that the bank
/ er, Isaac H, with whom Fernand
had deposited the greater part of his
fortune, was suddenly ruined by fall
in stocks, and, having secured all the
money he could, had fled to America
on Havre packet.
The second letter-anonymous, of
course-informed him that Nine. de
Lucay, the charming young widow
| whom he was to marry in day or
two, had given him the slip, and was
| about to wed one of lis most intimate
| friends-one of those six gallants who
were seated at the table with him the
evening before. OF course, a man of
| honor should not be annoyed at any
| thing contained in an anonymous let
| ter, always written by a coward; new
ertheless, he found such precise details
of things that he knew to be true, and
which he thought to be unknown to
Others, that he could not help give
credence to the whole letter.
The third letter contained a steno-
graphic account of a conversation that
recently occurred in a club, of which
| Fernand de Roquefeuil was a promi-
nent member. 1t was sort of a run
ming commentary of the principal
members of the club on the merits and
character of Fernand himself. The
latter was by no means flattered; on
the contrary, he was regarded as the
most insignificant of men.
"Well, these are odd series of coin
cidences," exclaimed the undeceived
Fernand, as he proceeded with a sad
air to complete his toilet. Just think
of it, Fortune, friendship, social con-
| sideration, all gone. Not thing left
me. Oh, yes, | had forgotten. have
still got the devils card"
The idea then struck him to look at
the card again and to scan it more
closely than he did the evening before.
The signature was still illegibie, but
a few words traced with a pencil in
first rate French told plainly enough
that Satan was a man about town.
This is what Fernand read under the
redoubtablc scratch:
FERNAND; 1.-The Devils Part will be
played this evening at the Opera Comique.
Come there at 8 O'Clock; knock at the third
box. You will be sure to find me there. Your
oldest friend, The DEVIL.
Was this a mystery or was it
freak? Fernand reflected a moment.
ITO 90 there would be childish" he
| mused.a
And not to go there will give the
| idea that | am afraid. +"
He decided to go.
About o'clock in the evening he
entered the theater, and, come what
might, walked straight for the third
box, as directed. To his unspeakable
amazement he found himself in the
aame is Ophelie de Brevames. an the
only daughter of that friend of your
fathers, for whom you were generous
enough to sacrifice your entire fortune.
Do not be surprised, then, at seeing me
offer You a restitution. | am rich,
and wish to repay the losses you suf-
fered for my fathers sake in the hour
of his misfortune. All / possess IS
yours, myself included, if you think
me worthy of the love of so generous
heart"
"Ma, foi," exclaimed the young man.
half dazN with establishment, "but if
you are the devil he is the most charm
ing being ever met in my life"
He offered her his hand and sat down
beside her.
Three days after they were spending
their honeymoon at the Watering place
of RaOnero-da a. Ri porpa - Eroso3 the