Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-08-28

N s"~-5 tIIC Clib2lC "oo
Pierre Leger.
His alleged mission was ogive IN ore
profitable exercise to his mechanical
skill in the broad field OF American
industry. He had cometo our shores
to escape that curse OF pauper labor
competition existing in his own an
Gent and somewhat over-crowded
continent.
Possessing characteristic French
frugality and an avowed degree OF
proficiency in his profession, this
sanguine young foreign mechanic felt
already assured that few years Of
well-directed toll in his line in the New
World would enable him to win COM
parative wealth here, when he would
return to France, transporting his
fortune as a martial tribute to his
fair and plump fiancee living far
: away in Paris.
The misfortune of not having pre-
viously learned the United States
language proved to be a tremend Gus
obstacle against this young mans
immediate prosperity. After wan
dering YEARLY for many days through
the strange streets of the American
metropolis, he could find no door,
way open for him to that magical
domain Of modern American indus
try.
Pierre Leger at last lost heart.
He had not another franc left to pay
for a nights lodging, not another
sou wherewith to purchase Il morsel
of bread. Thus, struggling his
shoulders with expressive snng-froid,
he decided to terminate his existence.
An hour after midnight, exactly
one month after his arrival in Amer
lea, this Respondent young French
man, with haggard eyes, hollow
cheeks and shivering frame, stood
on the very edge of an East River
quay gazing down into the dark
depths of the water. The tide below
lay like a lake OF cold blue steel pol
ished dimly by the wasting light of a
wintry moon. Above was an equally
pitiless expanse Of chill blue sky, in
which the cheerless stars appeared
to be but pale points of frozen light
and the neon but q round fragment
OF some celestial iceberg. A self
doomed wretch, this poor man leaned
Observation-Disclosures, as If some
Irresistible power were behind push
ing him slowly to his untimely fate
No friend in the night was near to
reach forth a rescuing hand AND
drag him away from that certain
embrace OF death.
As that dread selt-sacrifice was
about to be completed. Leger drew
back with startled and less drear,
expression on his pallid features. A
single wavelet had cut athwart the re
Elected face ofthe round moon looking
up at him from the steel blue water
It's ripping light, smiling back, as i
were. to his own mourntul gaze, re
minded him OF the bright face ir
his distant native city which had in
spired him to go forth and seek hi
fortune across the wide sea-
1t was Cochonette who looked a
him thus from the lustrous reflected
sphere, divided into the semblanc,
OF a silent laugh by that dimplin!
ripple across it's middle; Cochonette
the companion OF his holiday ram
bles in the Bots and Champs Elysees
when humber Paris takes the air
Cochopette the happy CONSIDER O
long-gone hours of loneliness; Co
chonette, whose little round hand
and pouting red lips had pressed hin
with alternate farewells as he Wen
forth, q voluntary exile, for a few o
many years into remote an,
strange land!
It was thus fortunate Tor Pierr
that the moon was both full and il
the zenith. But for this he woul
not have seen the reflection, nor bee
reminded of her from whom he ha
parted. As it was. he saw what h
did, and decided to postpone his trs
gedy, to make yet another trial.
Providence seemed to reward hin
for, his betterresolve; for. on lOokin
upwurd, u new idea was at once in
planted in the brain of the reinvigG
rated man. Before him lay moore
rag transporting vessel from MAJ
seilies.g 1t was the latest arriva
The day before he had read from tn
Courier des Etaes Unis, in sma
French wine shop of the city, tina
the cholera had appeared in certai
Mediterranean ports, and the Ne
York Health Board would permit tn
import zion of no more cargoes {
rags hencetorward from that quartz
of the world.