Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-04-05

"Howf SpeakP'
"Seem Indifferent to my remarks
nov, my lord. Have you ever heard Of
the Red Death, my lordf"
"Never,. to my knowledge"
1T Is briefly this; On the nights Of
festivity figure in red domino and red
mask sits,near the duke. At the close
of the feast this figure shakes hands
with all present, and it is rarely that
some one of the number does not die
shortly after. Does your lordship COM
prehend2"
II think do-secret poison"
"When this Red Mask takes your
hand on. that night, hs will leave within
it a paper of instruction, which you
must find an opportunity to,Tead in Sc
cret and follow to the letter"
"How do you know tbis?"
"You shall know II you, come"
"Ewill come--though how am ! to
know you mean me welli"
"H meant you i'll, my lord, what
need to warn your"
"True-it is enough-Iwill be here. :"
Punctual to the appointed time, the
Count Of Palmera appeared at the ban
quet Of the Duke of Francavella. At
the close came the handshaking round
of the dreaded. Red Death.
The count, being a stranger, seemed
the most Indifferent of any, as was nat
ursl he should. He poured out more
wine and drank and then seemed to re-
feet. In this mood he held the small
paper which he had Just received in
such way that he conld peruse it with
out being suspected. This paper con-
tanned these words:
Feign illness and be shown TO q private
apartment. / will, be there to complete the
design
[ In few minutes the duke, who had
tbeen furtively watching the count, re-
marked, with seeming concern, that he
feared his lordship was i'll.
| The mobiles exchanged glances, and
each breathed freer as he fancied he
had discovered the victim in other than
himself.
But the count, instead of getting bet.
ter, seemed to grow more faint, and his
kind host suggested that he should be
shown to private apartment and his
chief physician be summoned.
He offered his arm to the count, who
leaned heavily on 1t, and thus left tht
hall. Passing through an anteroom
they entered one hung with damasl
and richly furnished.
The Red Mask, who had left the ban
quoting hall before them, was standing
here as if awaiting their coming. Al
the duke assisted his guest to divan
the Red Mask quietly closed and boltet
the door. .,
Then, producing small rope will
the slipknot of hangman, he glidet
up to the duke as he bent over thu
count, and throwing the moose arount
his neck drew it tight and stranglet
him before he could comprehend hi
murderous design and raise his voic
for help.
When the duke was quite dead, thu
mask was removed. and the face of An
tonic appeared before the count.
"Quick, my lordl" said Antonio
pale and trembling at what he had done
"Disrobe, put on the dress Of the duke
return to the hall and be lord of th
/ palace. If you succeed in deceiving tn
assembled guests-which trust you
! close resemblance will enable you to d
we are safe; if you fail, we are lost.
; Assisted by Antonio, the Count {
Palmera was soon dressed in the gol
? geous robes of the Duke of Francave
!. la, and the counterfeit was so perfet
that none but wife could have detect
ed the difference.
, The plan of the iniquitous scheme
. succeeded perfectly, and all the guest
that night retired in the belief that th
a false duke was the real.
: The next day the Count of Palmer
o appeared in st. Marks place and othe
: parts of Venice in his own proper persol
This destroyed the suspicion that
4 had been poisoned, as all at the bal
q quet believed.
v In fact, it was only through the d.
ing confessions of the count himself tn
a the truth came out at all, which mar
q would not believe even then.
n Long before this event, however, Il
o Red Death had ceased to appear becau
, of the real death of Antonio, whom b
! new master had murdered in turn Fl
fear of being himself murdered or b
v trayed by the only one who possessed b
+ fatal secret. et.-Exchange.