Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-03
KILLED BY A KISS.
ONE MORE IN THE GAZETTE'S
SERIES OF POSSIBLE CASES.
Guy do Maupsssant Narrates an Episode
of Exquisite Sentiment and Harsh
Realism Which Might Be.

NV father. Henri Chantal, was the
youngest of three brothers. My GRANDPA
Their had been shipping merchant In the
North of France and had left large es-
tate Ny uncle Jerome, the eldest, went 10
Paris and married, and thither. somewhat
later, Francois, the second brother loAo"eu
him, nv father remaining IN HaTre.
Henri Chantal was an eccentric man, 81
lent and studious. with q passion for DOCKS
in fine bindings. He made frequent trips
TO Paris 10 attend auction sales, but never
permitted Inc to accompany MN. W men
was eighteen years old ne died, py N? wiz
appointing Uncle Francois the guardian Of
nv narson and estate Francois was re-
mar kably handsome man and very fond OF
wine. women and-some say both-he
wasted his own and my estate too, and De-
came a penSioner upon his brother Jerome.
When | attained my majority, hndlng
myself toiling for miserable plttance IN
shipping house, l resolved to turn my back
on France and try my fortunes IN the new
world. For more than twenty years l
knocked about the United States ana Cana
da. often succeeding III amasslng quite
little property. but my love OF speculation
invariably swallowed it up, and after an aD-
sauce of more than twenty years returned
10 France and hunted up M cousin Gas
ton. .Terome's son. who had kept his money
and was living & quiet married life In the
suburbs Of Paris. He received me very
well advanced me some money and assured
me that his house was always open 10 me.
His wife and two daughters We're likewise
so friendly TO me that l soon became much
attached to them.
But the member of Cousin Gaston's
family who interested me most was
maiden lady well on towards fifty, with a
face CT purest oval. skin like young
girls, hair still luXuriant in growth and but
slightly hecked with gray, nose OF most
nd CT n1ttprn.
If LIQUID blue, soft as June sky, large,
!oulful, tender and eloquent.
who is she, Cousin Gaston" l asked
0ne day.
Come I'D to the billiard room" said he,
where we may be alone, and III tell you
Nearly fifty years ago" Castor began
Eith long drawn sigh, before you We're
porn, we lived at Rouy lie Tors, on the tortl-
Gcatious We had Il fine old mansion and
Yarden on the ramparts, so high IN the ar
nat we used TO call 1t the hanging garden,
from the borders of which we could look
out for miles across the plain. There was 4
hidden flight of stone stairs Leading from
this garden down 10 the plain, used by the
peasants and huc6Sters as short cut TO
the mansion One winters night, an, well
do I remember that night, binding snow
storm had set III at dusk, but we didn't let
that check our gaicty, Tor II was 1weIlth
nirht and father and Uncle Francois were
heuly from way out on the PLAIN came Inc
dull. deep baving of dog, half howl, half
bark. AT first no one noticed II, Tor the
merry feast in the dinlng-room was at It's
height, but rs again and again 1t. reached
our ears. the bowling each time taking !
more piteouS tone, some one called out:
..Why. that sounds like Stentor!" this
being the name of large and extremely
intelligent St. Bernard dog which father
had bought during trip through Switzer-
land.
Its very strange" said my father,
thoughtfully, then turning to the servant
he added: See if Steutur be In the house"
Word was soon returned that the animal
yvas nowhere to be found, and, as if to re-
move all doubt that the barking and howl
ing could possibly proceed from any other
throat than his, Stentor now sent forth
such a deep and far-reaching rumble,
broken BY bowls almost human in their
pleading. that Us II by acclamation the cry
went up
IT'S Stentor, IT'S our faithful STEM
tor
Uncle Francois sprang TO his feet-you
remember what "a hercules he used TO be,
aud how unknown to his vocabulary the
word fear waS-and calling for his cane and
great coat, made ready to sally forth INTO
the storm which every moment increased
I'm fury. Father called out to him to so
armed but he only shrugged his great
shoulders and made for the door; still, at
my mothers solicitation Baptiste was per-
united to accompany him with Il lantern.
Descending the staircase, the two men,
upon reaching the door opening II the bot
tom of the ramparts, halted for moment
for Stentor 10 send forth another Of his
deep booming calls for assistance, then fac
ing the swirliug clouds of Snow and sleet,
they began to traverse the plain After
half an hours search, they came upon
Steutor. He was nearly buried in drift,