The Opelousas courier., 1894-02-10

ing accomplished the principal object
of her residence in Parlp-the educa-
ton of her family -Sssented with
pleasure to q return, an I in little more
than a year they found themselves
again in the chateau of their an
cestors.
About eight years after their return
from Paris, the family mansion de-
maaling repairs, they found it neces-
sary to relnov for some time to Mar
settles, where they resided in the
house of NJ. Danville, the father of
Nine. Valette.
Time lad etfaced the impression of
his dream from the mind of Valette.
Sitting one night alter cuprer III the
midst Of his family, q loud md sud
den knocking rs heard at the gate;
but when the ser Want went to open it,
he found nobody without. After a
short interval the same loud knocking
was aesin heard, and one of Valette's
sons accompanied the servant to tho
gate to see who demanded admittance
at so unreasonable an hour. To their
establishment no one WAS to be seen
there. A third time the knocking was
repeated, still louder and louder, and
q sudden thought darted across the
mind of Valette.
II will go 70 the gate myself" said
he; 81 believe l know who it is that
knocks"
HIS presentiment was too truly re-
allied. AS he opened the gate LIE
Brun appeared, and whispered to him
that next night at the same time-for
it was now the twelfth hour-he must
prepare himself to leave the world.
Then, waving his hand, as if to bid
adieu, lie Brun disappeared.
M. Valette returned, CHASTITY as the
phantom he had seen, to the family
circle; and, upon their anxious and
urgent inquiries as to the cause of his
uneasiness, related for the first time
the incident Of the dream and the
promised warning he had just received.
A sudden gloom and melancholy was
spread over the faces of 81 present.
MDlC. Nd1StlV tlIcW uCl ulluo july
the neck of her husband and embraced
him with tears. NJ. Danville, how
eve obstinately declared his incred-
nifty, and considered the whole as one
of those unaccountable illusions to
which even the strongest minds are
sometimes liable. He declared his
son-in-law must be the victim of
some delusion, and, although he could
not account for his dream, said that
this last vision must be mere imayina.
ton.
No sooner had NJ. Valette retired to
his apartment than NJ. Danville en-.
deavored to impress the same opinion
on the family of his son-in-law. APP.
prehensive lest the very presentiment
of the event might occasion it, OF al
least be attended by disagreeable con.
sequence, he thought of q device
which; as Mayor of the city, it was in
his power easily to accomplish. This
was to cause all the clocks of Mar.
settles 10 be put forward one hour,
that they might strike the predicted
hour of twelve next night when it
should be only eleven; SO that when
the time set by the ghost should be
believed by Valette to have passed
owe without any event supervening,
he might be persuaded to give up the
fancies with which he was SO deeply
impressed.
Next day the unhappy Valette made
every effort to arrange his worldly af-
fairs, had his will executed in due
legal form, received the sacrament,
and prepared himself for the awful
event he anticipated. The evening ap-
preached. From a large open window
which looked into a beautiful garden,
he saw the sun go down, as he believed,
for the last time.
The lamps we're nov lighted in the
hall, and he sat in the midst of his
family and partook of the last supper
which, he believed, he was to eat upon
earth. The clocks of Marseilles tolled
the eleventh hour.
"My dearest Marie, said he to Nine.
Valette, IT have now only n hour
to live. There is but one hour be-
twixt me and eternity"
It approached. There vas an un-
usual silence in the company. The
twelfth hour struck, when, rising up,
he exclaimed:
"Heaven have mercy on mel My
time is come"
He heard the hour distinctly rung
out by all the bells in Marseilles.
"The Angel of DEATH" said he, ode
lays his coming. Gould all have been
q delusion? No, it is impossible!'
ssThe ghost" said M. Danville, in a
tone Of irony, ''has deceived you. He
is a lying prophet. Are you not yet
safe? The whole thing is the illusion
of an unhealthy imagination. You
should Danish, my friend, a thought
which so completely overwhelms you
SWELL" rejoined Valette, Goods
will be done! I shall retire to my
chamber and spend the night in CRATE
full prayer for SO signal a deliver
ance."
After having been nearly an hour in
his chamber M. Valette remembered
that he had left unsigned in his library
a document of Importance to his
family, to which it was necessary his
name should be affixed. In passing
from his bed-chamber to the library
he had to cross by the head of a flight
of stairs which led Immediately down
to the wheeler. At this spot he
heard a faint murmur of voices below,
and instantly ran down to the bottom
of the stairs to ascertain the cause.
No sooner had be descended than an
unseen hand stabbed him to the heart.
At this moment the clocks in Mar.
eeilles struck n in the morning. or.