The herald., 1895-04-03

Roebuck told me this story one day as I
sat in his studio in the Rue Notre Dame
des Champs.
He was tall, cadaverous American
from one of the far western states and was
totally uneducated except for the most
elementary branches taught in the district
school of his native village
The students at the academy liked Roc
buck we'll enough, though they used to
play good many jokes on him. They de-
cided that his name did not suit him, so
they translated it into De Chevreuil. One
Of them painted the De Chevreuil arms on
the chair where Roebuck usually sat, and
we ell took to calling him De Chevreuil. I
say all, but I ought to except myself, for,
being his fellow cOuntryman, l declined
to take any share in casting ridicule on
tho man.
~ went down to Havver last week" he
said, ''to SEQ Weatherby off in the Nor
mandic, and on the way back 1 stopped
overnight at Rolong, for they told me
that there was some swell architecture
there, and, II painting doesn't turn out as
well as I think it will, l may take to
architecture myself. ! took hack at the
churches and such, and in the evening I
started out for walk through the town.
Nov, there is a dream that l have had
ever since / can remember. l dream that
I'm in an old European city, though
never seem to know the name of 1t. Some
where in that city there is a small open
square, with two streets leading out of
one end of it. They start pretty close to-
gether and then widen apart like the sides
of V.
lone of these streets-the one to the
left-is wide, modern street, pretty we'll
Lighted and with a good many people in
It, but the other street is narrow and dark.
The houses have sharp gabled roofs, and
the upper stories project over the lower.
There are no street lamps in it except one
or two that are long way apart and give
mighty little light. The street hasn't any
sidewalks, and there is a gutter down the
middle of it and moro smells to the square
inch than there are in Chicago I've
looked up this street hundred times in
my Dreams and I'm always afraid to go
up it. 1t looks as If there couldn' IT be any
ono in that street except robbers and mur-
derers, and it's my belief that most all
the houses are empty.
Now, when l was in Rouong this time
that I'm telling You about resumed Roe
buck, II walked along down one street
and up another without paying any atten-
tion to the direction was taking. BY and
by got into part Of the town where the
houses were particularly old, and where
there didn't seem to be but very few in
habitants. All of sudden came to an
open square that was as familiar to me as
Lincoln avenue in Indianapolis.
1t was the very place had dreamed
about so often. There were the two streets
I Ixt ..,<.@
was lighted up, and there were people here
and there in it, but the small street was
just as dark and deserted as had always
seen it. There wasn't soul in it, and
the blackness and silence Of it frightened
me.
Just then woman came toward me,
though I didn't notice where she came
from. She was middling well dressed,
and, to my mind, looked like lady,
though I know / amt much judge of la
dies. I was standing looking at the mar
row street and wondering If was awake
or dreaming, when the woman walked
straight up to mo and says, You are an
Englishman, are you not?'
Now knew we'll enough that wasn't
an Englishman, but couldn't see that |
was called upon to set the womans mis-
take right, so just said, WELL supposing !
am, what then?'
why, said she, then you will help !
me. / am an English woman in terrible /
distress and danger. My sister is here,
lying very i'll In house where believe ,
the people are thieves and murderers. I !
implore you, come with me and help me to 1
take her away!'
Why don't you get policeman 1
replied. That what you want. If you !
say so, will find one for you.'
g For heavens sake moi said the
woman. There are reasons why that
would ruin everything. If you are the
brave man you look to be, you will come
with me- If not, we are lost.
''I'll como. ,na'am, If you insist upon
It,, said l, though l tell you in advance
that If thoro is any fighting to be done
you'll have to count me out, for haven't
got my revolver and I'm not fighting
man anyway.
She said thero wouldn't be any call for
me to Fight, and that as soon ns it was seen
that she had man with her she and her
sister would DO allowed to 60. She said it
would be better i; were to follow short
way beh ind hor, instead Of walking by her