Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-24

times with samples; ultimately, with
the idea of concealing the gas pipe, he
would paste over it some Grips OF wall
paper that did not match. One room
being thus well begun, they would 60
on with the next one The masons
would dig another hole, and the pro
gramme would be repeated.
The big five dropped in often to cheer
the work along and admire its prog,
ress. Toward the end | could see they
felt worried about leaving family of
helpless foreigners alone with the gas,
and finally they sent nice old gentle
man to give me gas lessons. He
taught me how TO light the gas with
the aid of a match, and how to turn it
off. Twas obliged to solemnly repeat
the formula after him, and prove my
proficiency by going through the mo
tons. He instructed me, moreover,
as to the danger of blowing out the
gas, pointing his carefully worded
phrases by most ogninous and terrify-
ing pantomime. At the close of his
lessons he gave me key to lock box
in the main hall, and charged me
thirty cents for a kind of a French
monkey wrench. In case of fire l was
not to think of saving my family, my
self or my yaluables until ! had
opened the lock box, and with the aid
of the monkey wrench turned off the
gas from our apartment.
We will pass over the return of
Sally's Gen. Boulanger with a bill of
seven dollars and twenty cents for the
government stamps that went on the
documents already described, q tax
that made me thoroughly appreciate
the people who once made tea in Bos-
ton harbor There was, as matter of
course, deposit of six dollars to guar
antee the gas bills; but it is needless as
we'll as painful to dwell upon another
man in brass buttons who got three
dollars for installing the meter, or still
another with gold braid on his sleeves
who collected thirty cents a month
each for the care of the gas burners.
The banker and the family doctor as
sured us that all these things were le.
gitimate and customary, and all /
could do was to lie awake nights and
assure myself we would enjoy that gas
enough to make it pay.
We had only been trying to enjoy
the gas for few weeks when there
was a murder epidemic in Paris. II
eliminated in a horrible affair; the
inhabitants of small apartment were
murdered III their beds servant, child
and all. The Herald and Galignani
warned Americans not to admit TO
their homes any men who did not
come on authentic and well under
stood business.
One day l was invited to the Ameri
can quarter for noonday breakfast
1T may be late in the afternoon be.
fore | return, said ! to Sally; land
now. above all things, be very careful
whom you let into the fat when you
are alone with the child.
You know you can depend on me, "
she answered, with an expression like
Joan OF Arc at the stake. 1t was easy
to see she did not like to be left alone
but was nerving herself for the worst
AS usual, ] waited in vain for All
omnibus that afternoon, and came
home in one of those little victorias
that cost thirty-fve cents a trip in
Paris. When block away from the
house / observed that there was an
unusual excitement in our street. ]
looked up to see if | could catch a
glimpse of the child. High up, hang
ing out of my bedroom window, was
a crazy Frenchman, yelling at the top
Of his lungs 1t seemed to me / was
years paying the cabby and climbing
the stairs.
When / arrived at our landing the
trial was just beginning, and / had
only TO join the crowd. One gendarme,
whose sword clanked against the oaken
balustrade, had my fainting Sally by
the arm. The concierge, his wife and
all the neighbors chartered in concert
There were the butler from the minis
try of war, the two gendarmes who
were arresting Sally, the man and his
wife who kept a creamery hard by, a
footman from the Spanish ambassa
doris, two piou- pious, or common sol
diers, an aged maiden lady of rank
who was having Mysteries in the arms
of her maid, and several little errand
boys in blouses.
A perspiring, disheveled French
man mopped his brow and pointed at
Sally. This woman" said he, sis a
murderess She locked me in room,
and, had | not summoned assistance
would undoubtedly have assassinated
me"
"You are our prisoner" said the
two gendarmes to Sally, who was
luckily none the wiser for what they
said, but went ahead with her expla-
nation.
'The numbering villain come in an
pretended to be a gas man come to take
the meter, whin sure I'd a right to
know him for thafe whin the rale
gas man had just left from takin' the
meter and putin that same in the
book. Claws, SEE he to me in Frinch.
'Ye can't come in, says |. An whin
he paid no attintion to what said, but
walked by me into your room, KNEW
him for murderer, an / turned the
kay on him like a eat. 'Ahap says /,
yell find the gas book an the jewels
in the desk; but it isn't far yell go
with EN- An thin, the child bein'
aslape, ! laid her in my room and
locked her in, bless her heart an thin
called out the parlor windy fer the
police"
The gendarmes, consulting each
other-they always travel in pairs in
France adjusted their swords and
capes, preparing to move on with Sally.
"Who are you2" asked the alleged
murderer.
Madame, I am an official of the
municipality. represent the Mutual
Partisan Company of Heating and
Illuminating by Gas. and I demand
justice"