San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-31
THE MAN WHO WASLOST.

N. Scipion Desruelles kept small shop
in the Rue de Seine, Paris He had wife,
but no children.
He was a small tradesman, and his wife
large, coarse looking woman, quite capa-
BILE of taking care of shop and Scipion.
Scipion's past life had been singularly
uneventful
One single circumstance had ruff1ed it,
and that he used often to relate to his gos-
sips in proof that 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
a noise in the shop. He armed himself
with bootjack. went down and, with the
assistance of the hastily summoned police,
captured a 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 1862 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. Desruelles 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 a trunk, committed the little boU
tigue in the Rue de Seine to madame,
charge-she was quite as competent to take
care of it as he-made deed of all his
property in Paris to madame as prevent
i've of accidents, and then bidding her the
most tender adieu sailed for Martinique,
via Bordeaux, in 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 90
back again.
The brig was TO sail in day for New
Orleans, and Scipion determined to go
thither in her. take the cars to New York,
and the steamer thence to Havre, in order
to get home again as speedily as possible
He was burningt to send the police in search
of the rascals who had hoaxed him and
made him spend his money and suffer sea
sickness in a wild goose chase He was
armed with all the preliminary dispositions
md statements necessary to open the case,
duplicates of which were to be forwarded
~ the authorities from Martinique.
Arrived in New Orleans, Scipion de
to- mined to spend 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
a stranger who took his hand and said. 81
am truly delighted to see you, Monsieur
Quentineau! When did you arrive?"
ScipiOn gently informed the man that he
was not Quentineau, but Scipion Des
ruelles.
The stranger with great violence said
that the dodge wouldn't go down there
| Next thing he'd want to repudiate that
bill of $725 he owed Marais g. Hughes
Scipion said he had only been in the cit J
a day, had never seen the stranger before
nor knew he who or what Marais & Hughe.
were-consequently could not possibly ow'
them or anybody else anything.
An hour later Scipion was arrested on
warrant taken out by Marais & Hughes
liquor dealers in Canal street, agains
Pierre Quentineau, an Ascending debtor.
Scipion Desruelles, alias Quentineau
was cast into prison. He found lawyer
and with great difficulty and at the cost o
half his money proved that he was no
Quentineau, but Scipion Desruelles, a pas
senger aboard the brig Braganza, of Bor
deaux. But for the captain he would hav
been convicted, for several witnesses swor
that he was Quentineau.
As soon as Scipion was released he wen
to the levee and embarked on a steame
for Memphis, intending to make his wa
thence by rail to New York. -.-... .
Al Memphis he was INSTRUCTED, en-
ticed into low groggery under the bluff
and robbed Of every cent he had lefI
Scipion found His way Z. the mayor Of tn