Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-25

! aCofu-cOlOF; OF INOfy-Wlltc, mon
sieu?''
| Neither, madame; it was delicate
blue and on q head. | saw it in the
window there, but which now" Mar
eel remarked. his eyes rowing search
ingly from side TO side. L do not see
it in the shop anywhere"
But, l know, monsieur. what you
require
Then, madame, if you'll be good
enough to show us the head We'll be
able to tell you ut once"
| Quite unnecessary, monsieur; we
can lind it without that; besides the
| head TO which monsieur refers is abb
sent at this moment
Absent! Madame-the head
Yes, monsieur. 1t is being-being
dressed, you know"
Very well, then We'll wait and see
it."
THAT will be useless, monsieur; the
head will be seen no more this even
ing; but the engrayings Of the styles
are here I'll get them for you, and
l am sure
| No, the mere fashion plates don't
do at all. 1 could tell nothing from
them; We'll come again later on when
the head is here" And not staying for
! further argument, Marcel and LeOpold
| departed.
'Well?" and "Well?' rose in chorus
from all the tables when the friends
returned TO the club, little crestfallen
at their bootlesS errand.
| we didn't see her. She's gone to
| bed" they asserted
| BEFORE separating that night Marcel
and Leopold made an engagement to
meet again before the coiffeur's Win
| dow at Z o'clock the following even
ing. This time they were sure of not
| being too late.
positively, Leopold, she's prettiel
| than ever Marcel cried, excitedly.
| when Il few moments later his friend
| arrived.
| Marcel had come first and awaited
| the other. "A little more color. per-
haps, than when / saw her last; the
eyes, too, Il trifie more languishing
| but did you ever in this world see
| ii HSliEe us pretty us thlS.
Not SO lfelike, either," Leopold
assented, stirred for once from his
usual stolid calm. Why, the very
noStriS seem to dilate and the lips
actually to smile, as if about to speak
| What perfection of mechanism
And presently" Marcel continued,
| IF we wait long enengh Wen see her
walk. She is only ON view for an hour,
! they told ME about it today. When
the gas is extingFiShed the figure
| meltS, as it We're. The gas comes I'D
again, and pouf.,like the stage of
| the theater-the window is empty
again"
And as Marcel had said, presently
down Went the gas, it flickered feebIy,
came up again and the window con
| tanned only the velvet drapery.
Not only the club, but all Algiers,as
one sheep follows another over the
fence until the whole flock has passed,
talked Of the charming figure in the
Rue Bab-A2eun. But the eagerness of
the city changed nothing in the habits
! of the hair(fTesSer's shop; the pretty
head, in her cOQuettiSh capuchOn faced
! with Il delicate shade VieuX-roSe, show
! ed herself neither more nor less often
in her crimson and crystal caging,
and, verse than all for the curious
| ones. when they entered the shop and
demanded of the ma jestic shOpwoman
4 nearer view of the wonderful image,
she answered firmly and invariably
that the key was not in her possession
and blanGiy pointed to the side of the
! room, impenetrably incloSed TO the
ceiling behind stout wooden panelling
| Marcel made up his mind one morn
J inS and entered the shop with a whim-
/ Steal determination TO purchase the
| beautiful object of his desire, no mat
ter at what cost The attendant
| sought to sell him everything in the
shop burt that which he had come to
purchase. Marcel was not to be turned
from his purpose.
No" he said, 1T is the head / want.
1t is Il superior work of art, and In
| willing to pay handsomely for it."
| The saleswoman declared that She
had no authority to negotiate such
a sale
i TO whom, then, madam" persisted
( Marcel, shall | address myselfT'
TO the master, monsieur, though /
warn you it will be useless, for lie will
not part with it."
I'VE shall see, and when can the
master be SEEM
Impossible to say, monsieur. He
goes out every morning and does mot
return till late"
But he surely returns for meals,
does he not:"
Not at all. He lives at Mustapha
SUPERIOR, three miles distant, and
comes only to the shop occasionally"
What is his home address," urged
Marcel, persistenuy.
"Out of the question, monsieur, /
am forbidden to disclose it, was the
reply.
Marcel was not to be baked by tn
fes. He took up his stand in cafe
opposite the hair dreSsar'S shop and
waited. About II O'clock he saw lit
tie becurled, poma6ed, undersized
creature enter the place and begin to
move about with the air of the master
, Marcel quickly crossed, entered the
shop and stated his business. The
coiffeur did not receive the officers