Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-06-19

W MERCER. and l made
V~ such a hole in it that
on rising from the table, we ielo
vague sensation of sleepiness ana
congestion. -.
"Will you take a walk with me:
asked Robert. "Let us go to my
rooms. want to show youtwo new
pictures"
"All right"
We we're walking very fast, Cypress
ed by the cold. smoking our cigars
with rapid puffs and not saying much'
when with a common movement we
stopped to look at a superb bay coo'
harnessed to a tilbury, who was
coming in our direction at gate
that showed supple strength and per-
feet rhythm. Just then we were OPP
posite the Palais de rIndustrie, al
most at the corner of the Avenue
Marigny. At the precise moment
when the horse was passing by us he
slipped with all four feet and fell to
the ground heavily. There he lay,
entangled in the shafts and traces;
with an air of bewildered abandon.
Passers-by came running up. Soon
there was group, talking and ges-
ticulating. At last the horse was ex-
tricated, raised up and led away by
the bride. The carriage, one of the
shafts of which was broken, was haul
ed to the nearest carriage house by II
team of officious by-standers, among
them, of course, II kitchen maid.
As we moved off Isaid to my friend:
ga fine invention, decidedly, this
wooden pavement! At the least frost.
the slightest drizzle, these poor
horses are unable to stand up. l
have seen seven or eight accidents my
self. on this very spot, within year.
Robert, turning very pale, answer
ed me ina strange voice that was al
SO little hard:
"If so many accidents happen on
this spot, it is my fault. 49,.
"Your fault? You are mad!
"No; but morally l am innocent. !"
And he continued, for my air OF
amazement implied all possible in
terrogations for enlightment:
"Ah! my dear fellow, how Incidents
of no apparent Importance some
times upset our whole livesl You
must have asked yourselfwhy l have
changed my way Of living. | am go
ing to tell you the story which has
opened my eyes to the invisible
world"
This phrase. and especially it's con-
clusion, filed me with some anxiety.
Whether it was the duck pie, or the
fear OF seeing Robert go mad, do
not know, but l + 1t a disagreeable
cramp in my stomach. With wander
ing eyes and contracted brow he con-
tinued:
"You remember George Sauviniere
and his targic death about two years
and II half ago. On reaching home
one night, / found Il letter in which
he announced to me his intention O
killing himself. Immediately hur
ried to the little hotel in the Rue des
Saussaies, a dismal den where he had
; lived since his misfortune. arrived
: too late; he hanged himself. While
4 the servant went in search ola useless
doctor and to notify the police,
! remained there, alone with the body
which we had stretched upor
the bed. Around the neck n very
\ slight violet streak, a countenanc'
that was almost smiling, the CHR
r thrown q little forward. As l tool
4 a few steps toward the mantel-piec'
to light two candles, my foot caugh'
: in the rope that We had cut ant
a thrown upon the ground. A curiosit.
q seized me-a curiosity that was min
9 gled with sort of timid respect-tt
. get a closer view, to examine and fee
this thing that had killed. 1t was I
curtain cord, covered with red wOr
a sted, and looking bourgeois ant
a harmless enough, and. while wa
handling it, thinking What! it wa
y this!and filled with that astonishmen
!. which always come from finding g.
lpaltry and simply the factors of th
% problem of death, which seems to us i
;. gigantic. there came to my mind tina
= old superstition which makes tn
:, rope with which q man has bee
- hanged an infallible talisman OF goo
:. luck"
~ "Well, you took the rope. But
= do not see the relation"
- "Wait! No, did not take til
rope. Tho police officer who wa
!; coming would ask to see it, and
- would blush a little at this fit I
- superstition. But cut off q lit
y piece oft, two or three inches
y ! length, which ON reaching home,
- carefully placed in my pocketbook.
= Sand then?"
~ "rhen, starting from the momer
:, when l had this bit Of rope in m
., 10 possession, began to digest badl.
:" l had constant Nightmares that toe
III M narticular form ut first. and the