The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-04

regarding the whole thing as a
huge joke aud nearly laughed them
selves INTO apOplexy, The idea OF this i'm
maculate Harvard senior, who ''knew it
all. and heap besides as Jack put g.
bing taken in by an everyday confidence
trick, was too delightfully."- funny to be
taken seriously. and the chatting poor Car
rington had 10 endure those next few DAYS
was gall. indeed, 10 his philosophic soul
He knew in his heart as well as
he knew anything that this uncom-
plir entary explanation Of his loss was
utterly without foundation; he knew
that on the night in question he entered
his room carrying with him everything
which had been found missing the next
morning; he also knew al hough this state
ment he dared not make for fear of ridicule,
that he had addressed as usual before ret r
ing. All this he knew, and yet he could not
prove it, could not prevent even his friends
from regarding him merely as a vulgar
carouser. He saw that the facts were hope
lessly against him, and nearly boiled over
with rage, particularly when his fellow
countrymen leased him as they did most
numerically.
Re was just about giving up his search,
when some days later he received a note
written IN French, which he translated as
follows:
"MY DEAR FRIEND: 1t was all joke, the
taking Of your money and trinkets. did
it to teach you a lesson, which, pardon me,
you needed. There are a good many things
in this world you do not know, and one of
these is that you cannot tell at all what a
pretty Parisienne is thinking by what she is
saying You believed me better woman
than the others you saw at the Butler;
really was the most dangerous Of them ALL
l slipped into your glass n powerful drug
which throws of the perfume you remarked.
| could have taken you away and plundered
you at my leisure had l wished, but there
were reasons why / let you go home un-
harmed.
1.-The fumes OF the same drug, introduced
into your bedroom through the keyhole,
Weakened you first and then made you I'M
conscious. | entered your room, took what
pleased, dressed you as you were found
the next morning, and went away as easily
as l came. Before saying goodnight, how
ever, Just as a souveneir l tatooed on your
back the words 'sois humble (be humble)
which you will find in blue ink between
the shoulder blades, and which you will do
well to bear in mind.
.When you go back to your country re-
member that there are to-day mysteries OF
Paris just as real as any Eugene Sue de-
scribed, and that am one of them. You
will receive tomorrow, by post a package
containing all that was taken from you.
Do not try to discover my motives in all
this. Be it sufficient that | ha ye one which
you will never know. Trusting that the
experience may be of service TO you, and
that when married you may never have any
trouble in explaining to Mrs. H. Darlington
Wells the TATTOO mark on your back, / am,
with the assurance of my deepest considera-
ton, APARIs MYSTERY"
4 \
When H. Darlington Wells showed this
remarkable letter to his dear friends, Frank
Moore, Charlie Wilson and Jack Trumbull,
and when in the course Of twenty-four
hours following he showed them his recov-
cred property, which arrived intact, they
were tremendousy-oh trememdouslyl-
astonished, and joined him in the opinion
that he was certainly the hero of one OF the
strangest adventures they had ever heard
of. They said much more in the same strain,
and then insisted on his undressing forth
with and displaying to their admiring gaze
the tattoo mark, which appeared sure
enough in bright blue letters, blue as the
blood which ooursed beneath, indelibly
stamped between the shoulder blades.
On numerous other occasions during the
remainder Of his stay in Paris, II. Caring
ton Wells was called upon by the trio of
Americans to lay aside coat, waistcoat and
undergarments and present documentary
evidence Of his curious experience and on
every suCu OCCdblOn WHon no WOuAu Will
draw-as Boston modestly reduired-to re-
| arrange his toilet, a shrewd observer might
have remarked that Jack Trumbull Charlie
| Wilson and Frank Moore went into convul-
sions of unaccountable laughter. That, how
| ever, was detail which never came to the
knowledge of H. Darlington Wells, and
anyhow very possibly only coincidence.
Perhaps though. it wasn't, and even Wells
was set solemnly rejecting when one even
| ing few days before his departure be
caught glimpse of his jovial friends hav.
| ing an uproarious time with certain dark
| eyed beauty who certainly did look very
| ike-but then he could not be quite sure
| his fascinating friend at the Butler.