Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-01-24
A STUDY IN SMOKE.

In the highest part OF a large and i'm
posing building, situated on the street
Chanssee-d 'Antin, young man of the
name of Passeraud perched like spar
row on the topmost br9nch of Il poplar
trees The manners of this young man
were peaceful and orderly: his temper
was gentle: his bearing modest; his
clothes were patched. The janitor had
expressly forbidden this insignificant
tenant to have in his possession a dog,
violin, Il sewing machine anything,
no matter what, which was cumbersome
or noisy He was enjoined to come in
very early at night. 1t was a question
| in the neighborhood how he managed
| to keep his hands clean, for the janitor
had forbidden him to take up any wa
| ter, because this liquid, carried care
| lessly in jugs by his youthful hands,
might dampen the stairs. However, by
| good will and good humor, Passeraud
| had succeeded in making his presence
supportable, although only poor devil
| in house inhabited by bankers, favor
ite tenors, diplomats and commissioners
| of accounts.
He had recently left the Ecole Cen
| trale with an honorable standing, and
almost Immediately the Calcium Min
ing company of the upper Peloponnesus
had offered him position-$100 a
month to begin with-which would
have put him out of the reach of want,
but as he dreamed of inventing an au-
tomato brake, which would prevent
locomotives from coming into collision
| on the railroad or at least would re-
| duce the force of the shock, he had re-
| fused the offers of the mining company,
to give himself night and day to the
drawing of innumerable diagrams of
| the brake in question. Therefore he
| looked forward to glory and fortune,
| but while he waited he was dying of
| hunger. That mattered not to him; his
| invention-he was absolutely sure of
| that-his invention was on the point of
succeeding.
| One day on the first flight of the stair
case he encountered a young girl, blond
and exquisitely dressed and so graceful
that scholar would Immediately have
called her goddess-as shown by her
bearing She went forward and disap-
peared, light and supple, leaving be-
hind her subtitle odor of lemon ver-
ibena, and Passeraud, astonished, re-
mained motionless in the middle Of the
landing for five minutes with his mouth
open, as though he expected that the
vision of his peerless neighbor would
present itself to him anew.
The next day, by coincidence
which we would like to believe quite
fortuitous, Passeraud was on the same
landing exactly at the same hour again.
The young girl passed, and as it seemed
! blushed in passing Fearing that he
had wounded her, Passe1aud resolved
never to come down the staircase at
that hour again.
| The following day, however, he re-
membered that urgent business COM
PEELED him to go out at moment ex-
jactly identical with that when leaving
the house was quite forbidden him by
his decision OF the day before He took
'up his hat, annoyed at this business
(which exposed him to the danger of
embarrassing with his presence a per-
son whom he would not have troubled
for the world. What he dreaded hap
pened; new meeting took place, and
Passeraud was inconsolable, the fair
maid having blushed more than before.
He was accordingly enraged against
himself; the unknown one, scandal1zed
lat being thus followed, would very
probably take steps to keep herself out
of his way. In order to convince him
self of this misfortune, Passeraud sought
the same place every day at the same
hour, and every day drew aside on the
staircase to let his neighbor pass.
Brought up politely by his mother, he
bowed at each meeting. At the end OF
lsome time it seemed to him that the
slight inclination of the head which he
received in return took on an aspect al
most friendly.
Having noticed this, he went to look
at himself in the mirror of a shop-ir
ibis room there was nothing of the sort
in order to know if his person was
such that it might please SO accom-
plished a young girl. Then he saw
, THAT, even though the cut of his over
coat was bad, there was nothing repul
lsiye about his looks. Next he inquired
: with caution concerning the first name
Iof the pretty young lady of the frs
floor. He did not know why, but ht
had strong desire to know her frs
name. When he had learned that i
was Valentine, he was quite enchanted
These comings and goings were no
of advantage to the automatic brake
the diagrams were neglected.
AT last Passeraud took a decides
step; he dressed himself as well as pos
sible, went down to the apartments O
Valentines father, who was no less
parsonage than M. Lamantin, owner O
the large and imposing building, an
said to him, Sir, have the honor t
ask for your daughters hand
MY daughters hand!'' said the as
tonished old gentleman, eying Passe
raud from head to foot. For whom, j
you please?'
= For myself, sir.
Fov yourselfl Why, are you not m
little tenant of the garret, up there un
der the roof?''
Yes, sir.
"Then what do you mean? M
daughter has $780, 600. | am willin
to inform you of that fact. Do 70
take it in? Eight hundred thousand
And you. what have you?''
The engineer answered frankly; the
be added
Il am not actually rich, but if 20
give me Mile Valentine believe IL
that my work my humble acquire
ments' -
''Stop talking Your conversation
of no interest to me. Will you pleas
to take your departure at once?
makes me die of laughing to have yo
come to ask me for my daughter.
have only to add. Good evening.
But. sir. ii do not present my su
until alter NV automatic brake b;
made me millionaire. I risk tind11