The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-02-27
LUCKY PHOTOGRAPH.

gentlemen concerning modern mVentlons
and the marvellous appliances of science,
James Beaufranc, a great. brown, boy
ish fellow, with merrier countenance
than is generally considered to be be-
coming to professor of mathematics.
was asked to tell in his turn what he
thought was the most useful discovery
of the human mind.
'sWhatl You dare TO pretend that the
greatest wonders of modern times are
steam, explosives, electricity, and know
not what As if it were a pleasure to
travel SO fast that you cannot enjoy the
scenery on either hand; to speak through
the telephone to person whose face you
cannot see. or to have your tooth pulled
out, even without pain, by wad Of
some mysterious chemical, come from
God knows were! In truth, you gentle
men, though You are reputed to be very
wise, appear to me to be very foolish"
The paradoxes of the young professor
caused general smile, but James Beau
franc continued imperturbably:
my own idea is that inventions are
valuable only in direct ratio to the hap
piness which they procure That is why
/ find your railroads odious, your cannon
monstrous, your dynamite absurd And
for other reasons / find but one laudable
modern discovery-one which is univer-
sally benefcial-a science which is also
an art.
"And what is ity'
"photogTaDhv" E r.
There was a great shout of laughter.
Decidedly Beaufranc had not his equal
for pleasantly.
However. with astonishing GOODNESS
the young professor continued:
"Yes, photography. which does no
harm to any one, but, ON the contrary,
much good; which makes to live again
at our fireside, immortal as their MEM
ory, the cherished features of relatives
long departed; which consoles in the alb
sence of the dearly beloved, and to which.
besides, | owe my marriage"
There was great silence at this point,
and intense curiosity was depicted upon
the countenances of Beaufranc's hearers
n bought" he continued. ''as soon as
they appeared, one of those instantaneous
cameras. 1t is no larger than an alarm
clock and perfectly light and portable.
You can hide it under your overcoat,
under your arm, within your waistcoat
almost anywhere. When you wish,
you touch a button, and, presto! every
thing before You is found imprinted upon
the film for all eternity.
asHor, +.rraa hn,,o II ,x,vzaeol +,~
the denial of scholars, complaining Of
the injustice of punishment, a photo
graph taken at the moment their arms
We're raised to hurl at my head the paper
missile! But l must come to the story
of my marriage.
Il was professor at Amberville col
lege. and lived in little apartment on
the ground floor. Opposite my house
was the large. ornamented sign of MIR.
Pradoux. the notary, today my father
in-law. Close beside his desk the win
dow of his library opened opposite mine,
and across the very narrow street
could see as well as in my own room
all that passed in the house of my
ne,ghbor Indeed from the first day
could see but one thing--his daughter
Valentine. She came and went all day
long. for she attended TO the housekeep
ing. Mr.. Pradoux being widower. She
animated with her CHEEKY smile and hen
fresh gayety that paper strewn interior
IN way that was truly adorable.
Pardon this panegyric upon my wife,
bat she was then in the marvellous
hrilliancy of 18 years Her first appear
ante was to me blow from which my
i.eart never recovered-a blow that only
those psychologists deny who have never
experienced it. 8F
Alas! from the first day this insur
nionntable love seemed to me what II
must have seemed to any reasonable
being foolish, senseless. useless and
.loomed to perpetual disappointment.
Mr.. Pradoux was rich, very rich, and
had. TO Offset his money bags, only thin
diplomas and appointments yet thinner
There was, shut up alone with my love
silent as ina sanctuary, satisfied only 3,
look with innocent and distant adoratiol
upon the beautiful Miss Valentine.
One day the audacious idea came {.
of instantaneously photographing her
and at least preserving her image.
carried my little machine to the windoy
sill and carelessly, in the most casua
manner. | photographed my prett,
neighbor at the precise moment whel
she was embracing her father. At an
other time caught her while she watere,
her flowers at the window.
In short. within month I possesse,
an original gallery, true museum q
my dearly beloved. With her were pic
lures OF great many people who ha
spoken with her IN her fathers Ibrar
at the moment of my operation. an
very often turned over my preciou
collection, happy to possess it, but fille
ut the same time with terrible sadnes,
One day did not see Miss valentin,
learned that she was iii. In the wee
which followed another portentor
rnImor reached me. Mr.. Pradoux wa
or was going to be, ruined by a bank,
of doubtful reputation. who had risks
ansl lost a fortune in bad speculation
Ii was even said that criminal procee
ings were about to be instituted again
Mr.. Pradoux! The trial would tai
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