The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-17
THE MAN WHO WASLOST

1 NJ. SclplOQ Dc5fkciico AcpS SE1 AL SlOt
in the Rue de Seine, Paris. He had wife
| but DO children.
| He was small tradesman, and his wife
a large, coarse looking woman, quite capa
ble'of taking care Of shop and Scipion.
Scipicn's past life had been singularly
uneventful.
One single circumstance had ruffed it
and that be used often to relate to his gos
sips in proof that a hero was spoiled in
| the making when Scipion became shop
keeper.
| One night, ten years before the time OF
| his introduction to the reader, Scipion had
| gone to the theatre, and after the perform
| ance had taken madame to a restaurant
and treated her TO little supper Return.
| ing home, after he was in bed Scipion heard
noise in the shop. He armed himseh
with bootjack. went down and, with the
assistance of the hastily summoned police
captured burglar.
The man. who said he was an Italian
| named Vedova, disclaimed earnestly all
felonious intentions, but could give no
good account of himself. Scipion prose.
cuted him vigorously, and he was con-
victed and sent to Brest
Two years later Scipion met Vedova in a
cafe and had him arrested as an escaped
convict.
In the early part of 1852 Scipion received
official notification from Martinique that a
bachelor cousin of his on the island, whose
name was Pache, was dead and had left
him heir to all his property, which was
Large, and included a valuable sugar
plantation. Desrueiles was further in
formed by the notary at ST. Jean that it
would be necessary for him to come out in
person and administer on the estate in or
der to save himself great loss and incon-
venience and many delays.
The bourgeois of Paris is not travelling
character, but neither is he willing to lose
money if he can help it. Scipion bought
himself q trunk, committed the little bou-
'tique in the Rue de Seine to madanac,s
charge-she was quite as competent to take
care of it as he-made deed of all his
property in Paris to madame as a prevent
i've of accidents, and then bidding her the
most tender adieA sailed for Martinique
via Bordeaux. in a brig which took out a
cargo Of claret and oil for the French ISL
ands and New Orleans.
When Desruelies reached MARTINIQUE
and went to st. Jean, he was simply struck
dumb to find his cousin alive and well and
all the notarial papers he had received for
geriesl
There was nothing for him to do but go
back again.
The brig was to sail in day for New
Orleans, and Scipion determined to 20
thither in her, take the cars to New York,
and the steamer thence to Havre, in order
to get homo again as speedily as possible.
yx7cc h1lry -
of the rascals who had hoaxed him and
made him spend his money and suffer sea-
sickness in wild goose chase He was
armed with all the preliminary depositions
and statements necessary to open the case,
duplicates of which Were to be forwarded
by the authorities from Martinique.
Arrived in New Orleans, Scipion de-
termined to spend a day or two IN the city
before taking the cars for New York. He
put up at a boarding house in the French
quarter, and devoted himself to sightseeing
with great assiduity.
While at breakfast the second morning
after his arrival he was warmly greeted by
stranger who took his hand and said, 'I
am truly delighted to see you, Monsieur
Quentineau, When did you arrive?"
Scipion gently informed the man that he
was not Quertineau. but Scipion Des-
ruelles.
The stranger with great violence said
that the dodge wouldn't go down there!
Next thing he'd want 10 repudiate that
bill of S725 he owed Marais g. Hughes.
Scipion said he had only been in the city
a day, had never seen the stranger before,
nor knew he who or what Narais g. Hughes
were consequently could not possibly owe
them or anybody else anything
Al hour later Scipion was arrested on a
warrant taken out by Marais & Hughes,
hqaor dealers in Canal street, against
Pierre Quentineau, an absconding debtor.
Scipion DesrueHes. alias Quentineau,
was cast into prison. He found lawyer,
and with great difficulty and at the cost of
half his money proved that he was not
Quentineau, but Scipion Desruelles, pas
senger aboard the brig Braganza, of Bor-
deaux. But for the captain he would have
been con victed, for several witnesses swore
that he was Quentineau.
As soon as Scipien was released he went
to the leyee and embarked on a steamer
for MeInphis, intending to make his way
thence by rail 70 New York.
At Memphis he was misdirected, en-
tieed into low groggery under the bluffs
and robbed Of every cent he had lefU
Scipion found his way to the mayor of the
city, who promised to write to the French
consul at New Orleans about it and to
send the police in search of the thieves
Scipiol meantime wrote % Paris to mad
anne for a remittance, and went about in
search of situation. a cotton broker
gave him some correspondence with
Louisiana creole planters to look after, and
be was thus enabled 10 earn enough 10 eat,
but no answer nor remittance came from
madame, and our poor exile could not
make money enough to take him home At
last he wrote to his cousin in Martinique
stating his circumstances, and received
shortly after in reply a draft for 900
francs
Scsp:on Immediately bon ght himself some
clothes and necesssries, took the cars and
started for New YORK
Here while waiting for the sailing OF the
Havre steamer he was again arrested as
being Pierre QuenSineau, fugitive from
justice and q bond foygsr
BY the merest good luck the cotton
broker Ia whose employ be had been in
Memphis happened Ia be in the city, and
Scipaon was able 20 estabissn an alib. His
passport was stoaea from him on the Mean
phts steamer. and he mad to get another
one IN New York, being thus delayed q
week.
Finally, TO hts intense joy, he was oct
side Sandy Hook On his return voyage
Arrived ss Havre he ves aecossed On the
enay by customs officer with "Inoeed.
Monsieur Oasentineau. What have vou 20
declare at esis SiTrss''
'Sacre eese de QeeutioeauT cried tbs
exasperased boutiquier. 81 sm Seipson |
Desruslles. shop keeper. nuH.ero . us rue /