Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-05

from me- Lights Jared along the
boulevards as the cabman whipped UP
his horse. | had promised hin. a large
pourboire in return for what speed he
|. could make.
When Sismondi saw ne enter g rapid
change, like that one sees On still
water when the wind rushes across its
surface, came over the impassivity of
his face. 1t vanished instantly and he
confronted me calm eyed, firm Tipped,
a self-controlled defiance in his straight
glance.
Il suppose you know what I have
come to say?"
He nodded.
Perfectly. [ see that you have
spoken to Mile. Marvern-or heard
from her. think she did not expect
you so soon. [ did not. Let us not
waste idle words! Doubtless you feel
that have defrauded you. My dear
friend, if you were a fatalist, as [ am,
you would take a different view. I
love her. [ have loved her from the
first moment Tried to win her
have-yes. Why not? My passion is
greater than yours. But had it not
been fated so to be [ should not have
succesded. If you ask for satisfaction
am ready to give it when and as you
like. But you Americans l know, do
not fight duels.''
They were to be married within a
week. had left Paris for a few days,
but [ was going to return. [ was 60
ing to be present at the ceremony. A
strange position indeed, for the dis
carded lover! But what cared I for
ridicule? | wanted to see this thing
accomplished with my own eyes. [
wanted to realize the nightmare. I
wanted to see the girl who had seemed
to me the truest and the highest of her
sex pledge herself before my sight to
the man for whom she had taken away
her love and given it again in the space
of two short months. Tuesday was
the day appointed. Monday evening
| came back. The remembrance of
that last day has always been blow
to me. I never knew just how l
passed it.
As | came in my man told me that
a lady was waiting to see me; that,
hearing that l was expected, she had
insisted upon entering, [ opened the
door of my little salon mechanically.
A cry greeted me. Mrs. Marvern, as
much disheveled as so handsome and
correct being could be, started to-
wards me.
ooh, Franklin, Franklin, What a
miserable business is this! And what
are we to do? We shall all be in the
papers-Elita and all of us-and, per-
haps, even brought up on the witness
standi Oh, oh! it is too, too dreadful!
Oh, can't you do something? WHY,
man, you stand here as if you did not
understand. Is it possible you don't
know" Her ascending voice ended
almost in a shrek. why Sismondi
has been arrested! Arrestedr'
''For what? When?"
This morning. 1t is in all the
papers already. For trickery, for
swindling, for getting money under
false pretenses! The American from
India got off; he has disappeared.
"And Elitap" [ said in moment
Mrs. Marvin burst into tears.
ooh, Franklin. don't ask me. It
makes my heart bleed to look at her."
SismOndi's trial was one of the SEN
Stations of the year.
Much of the curious distant ringing
of bells, much of the sudden falling of
strange missives purporting to come
from the brethren in India in the laps
of persons before whom Sism0ndi and
his confederate had exhibited their
powers was discovered to be the very
clever work of the usual sleight-of-
hand. [ say ''much of it." Person
ally, | have always felt that Sismondi
had acquired by rigid self-discipline
certain insights, certain capabilities.
That he added trickery to these for the
sake of money there is, of course in
the light of such developments as came
out at the trial, no doubt. He was
sentenced to imprisonment for term
of years, and at that time he wrote to
Elita a letter and contrived to have it
delivered into her hands wherein he
asked her, calmly ignoring this shock
ing announcement to remain faithful
to him in the name Of their love.
Their love. By degrees Mrs Mar
vern taught me what to think of this.
She was commonplace, but she was not
lacking in insight Her good sense
and her good heart were at that time
the greatest consultations of my life.
Listen to me-, she would repeat.
''He loved Elita-this odious wretch
loved her devotedly. | am ready to
think she was the passion of his life
If it had not been for her-that he
wanted to command more money as
her husband-he might never have be-
come so reckless and been found out.
l don't know. But this one thing is
sure, Elita loved you first loved Won
through it all-if she had but known
it-and she loves you now. Mark me-
She was bewitched, enthralled. He
had q most strange influence over her
She was under q spell, an incantation,
If ever there was Onei 1t il dissolved
now, but this poor girl suffers too
deeply in her shame, her wounded self
respect, to rally for a long time to
come. She is bruised-sore in every
fibre. 1t is the province of a good,
sweet and noble fellow to forgive. You
must do it. You must have patience
She will come back to you, and you
must wait for hex coming back"
And l am waiting now.
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HAIR-BREADTH ECSAPE.
A Race for the Boat and the Terrible