The Lamar register., 1892-12-31

consul.
And then, mon cher marti," said
she, looking her husband full in the
lace, II should sail for my own coun-
TRY and leave you to your devices. A
good home and a comfortable living.
as you have, is worth at least a civil
tongue in your head; I'd advise you
to keep it."
:. A little coniugal tempest that left
ITS mark. though Fleurnois was too
wise and too alive to his own interest
TO permit it to stand long in the yay
OF reconciliation with his wife. A
drlve in the Bois, little dinner in the
Gale Anglais and to all appearances
the F1eurnois household had settled
again to it's former peaceful train.
In the husbands mind, however.
was that ever malignant and darken-
ing purpose. His invention absorbed
his entire thoughts; the money needed
Tor its development he longed for as
hungrily as n starving animal longs
Tor a bone. II only his wife could be
brought to reason, or only be brought
to die. The terms OF the marriage
contract assured him her entire in
come, and perhaps, after all, she had
made no will. lie watched her daily
and hourly, but the wiry, sturdily
built spinster gave no sign OF failing
health 10 encourage him in his evil
wishes.
The cholera WAS now raging in
Europe. had reached Marseilles, and
was suspected at Harye. Paris was
tremulous with apprehension, and no
body could be cert nin where its raw
l.
dread plague woul fasten it's tents-
eies. StiIl, in spite of the RAPIDLY
growing shadow OF terrible epidemic
DR.. tleurnois' thoughts hovered al
ways about the malignant idea that
had now taken entire possession of
him. Naturally, from wishing his
wiie's death to laying plans to accom-
pllsh It was only a step, and n step
easily taken Poison must be the
means, poison that left no traces be-
lore or alter death, for. like all Grim
inals OF mis- calibre, Jacques Fleurnois
was afraid OF the law.
sitting one morning reading the
daily bulletin of the progress OF the
cholera plague the heiollowing paragraph
in n treatise upon the subject by a
well-known authority caught his at
teutiou.
"Timidity and fright" said the
great authority, "in the handling of
the plague was doubly TO bedspreciat-
ed, for the reason that il was not only
predisposed people TO the contraction
OF the disease, but also because it
blinded justice and assisted crime;
briefly, the effects and symptoms of
certain mineral poisons were exactly
similar to those OF the first stages of
the cholera disease, and therefore such
poisons teloniously administered
would produee-as many times he be-
lieyed they hRd-a death that was
really murder. but that passed un-
noticed and unsupported. 1t was well
TO be warned"
Jacques F1eurnois read the passage
again carefully. laid the paper aside.
and two hours later announced to his
wife that he had made up his mind.
"rm ashamed OF myself" said he;
II ought TO have gone before; ! an a
MarseIllai. and I'm going now, at
once. to volunteer my services for du-
~ in my native town; the cholera is
hourly increasing there and the gov
ernment has issu u an appeal for all
tho skilled attendance that Paris can
spare You, OF course, will remain
here"
Remain here. Jacques, IT, eSclaim-
ed Mime. FIeurnois, surprised. Ger
,ainly not; shall go with you Some
one must look alter your food and
the proper condition OF your home
20 keep you in health for your work.
I'm a doctors wife and doctors
wife's place is at her husbands side.
20. and that settles it"
DIR. F1eurnois had calculated upon
this decision and laid his plans accord
ingly.
aHis wife," he said, "was right,
cleanliness and good nourishment
were two-thirds the battle, in his opin-
ion and she certainly would be OF
great assistance to him is she was not
afraid, etc, etc"
Two DAYS latter the thing was done,
and they were installed in comfort
able little apartment in the health
iestland arrest part OF the town, with
A stout. strong armed boune to wait
upon them. Nine. Feurnois busted
herself not only in attending to her
husbands wants and seeing him al
ways supplied with fresh. strong
coiiee of mornings and appetizlng lit
tie dinners OF evenings when he re-
turned from his labors, but she also
did many a kindness for the Ill and
dying. e.,
Neither husband nor wife seemed to
fear the infection, and SO for nearly a
fortnight their stay in the dirty and
pest ridden city passed without
break or special incident in the busy
lives. Then the epidemic began to