The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-06-30
ASTUDY IN SMOKE.

s'sais so SIC ~ fr.l1s
A STUDY in SMOKE. .
ny JEAN pEcxEn
Tronta,af from ne Fraea
IN the highest part Of a largo and ino;s
posing building. situated on the street
Chaussee d'An,in. a. young man BY
tho name Of Paslerand perched Ike q
spnrrow on The topmost branch ii q
poplar tree The mannors OF this
young man were peaceful md orderly;
bis temper was gentle; his bearing
modest; his clothes were patched.
He had recently loft tho Ecolo Gem
trale with mn honorable standing, and
almost Immediately tho Calcium min,
ing company OF the Upper Pelopon-
nosus had offered him posltion-,SlG0
q month to begin wlth-which would
have put him out OF the reach. OF want;
but as he dreamed of inventing an an-
tomato brake which would prevent 10.
comotives from coming into collision, on
the railroad, or at least wouldireduee
the force OF tho shock, he had refused
tho offers OF the mining company to
give himself night and day. to the draw.
ing Of innumerablo diagrams OF the
brake in question rs
One day, on the first flight Of the
staircase, he encountered o young girl,
blonde and exquisitelY dressed and 30
graceful that echolar would 1imme-
dia,ely have called hor q goddess-as
shown by her bearing. shewent for
ward and disappeared, highland supple,
leaving behind her q subtle odor of
lemon verbena, and iPasseraud, aa-
tonished, remained Inotionless- m the
middle Of tho landing for two minutes
with his mouth open, ms though he ok
pected that the Vision OF his peerless
ncighbor would present itself to him
anew. i &
The next day, By. coincidence which
we would like TO beliepe quite forsui-
toua, pnsseraud was on the same land
ing, exactly at the came hour again
The young gil passed, end, as Il
seemed, biushed In passing. Fearing
that he had wounded her, Passeraud,
resolved never 70 come down tho stair.
case al that hour again. X, 4 VI g{ii
The following day, however, no ress
mc,nbered that urgent business COM
PEELED him to 90 out at 8 moment exg
actly identical with that VIII leaving
the house was quito forbidden him BY,
his decision OF tho day before. What.
no dreaded happened; new meeting
took place and Posseraud was incon-
soieble, tho fair maid btushing more
than before Z
lie Was accordingly engaged neainsti
himself, tho unknown ono, scandalized
at being thus followed, would very.
probably .ako stops to keep, herself out
OF the way. In order to convince him.
self ofthis misfortune, Paascraudsought
.the same place every day at tho came
alour, and opery day drew asido on the
staircase to lot his nc!gbbor pass.
Brought up politely by his mother, he
bowed at each meeting. Attic end of
some timo it seemed to him that that
tho slight inclination of the head which;
he received In return took on M aspect
almost friendly. Sc & :,
Ho did not know why, but no had q
strong desire to know her fret name.
Whom he had learned that il was Val.
cntine, be was quite enchanted.
At last Passsraud tookadeclded step;.
no dressed himself as woil as possible,
went down to the apartments Of Valen-
tines father. who was no less a person.
ago than NJ. Iamantin. owner Of tho
large and imposing building. and said.
to him: 'Eir, have tho honor to ask
FOR your daughters band.
"ilv daughters hand" aattl tho as
tonished old gentleman, cycling Posse.
raud from hoad TO foot. For whom, Il
you p,ease2"
"For myself, cir"
''For yourself! Why, aro Won mot
my little tenant Of tho garrett. up there
urdor tho rootf"
"YeS, cir"
"Thon what do you meant My
daughter has $500, 600. l ON willing to
Inform you OF tina. fact. Do you tako II
In? Eight hundred Thousand. And
you, what have your"
! Tho engineer answered frankly; then
he added:
~ nm nos actually rich, but II you
g!vo mo Mademoisello Valentine. be-
licvc that my work, my humble acquire.
ments-"
stop talking! Your convorsatlon is
OF no intcres. 10 mo VIII you pl0agO
to take your departure Mt oncof II
makes mo die OF laughing to havo you
como to nsk mo for my daughter. 1
havo only to add. Good ovcI,inG" <
"But, sir, II ! do not present my au!t
until nfter my automatic brake has
made mo q millionaire, / risk finding
Madomoiselle Valentino married 10 Gn-
othor Now. sir, do not vish to run
my auch risk" ,,l5sE
80 much tho worgo."
II -
This visit which Ind such m unfa-
vorablo result rs rogards our friond,
left very slight tracoa on the mind Of
N. Lamantih. What brought, aoyoral
days later, nn anxious look to tho lat.
ter's faco was simply tho fact that bis
pnrlor chimney smoltod. 4
In tho middle OF tho month OF Do
cerRber and Just az no was preparing to
arrange reception In honor Of his
dnuciltor'n ninetoonth birthday hiu par.
Tor chimney began to smoke. A houaa-
holder could scarcely i)ave had n moro,
disasreoable thing haphcn TO him. n!
NJ. Iamnntin sont f@rnrchitGct afters
architect, mud bricklavcr after .brick-