Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-03-15
A MARTYR.

P. ~
mine host, has uoycr been known to go
ut-iJe tho sacred precincts Of the cashier 5
dosk The proprietor of the inn is fussy
lituc lrcnChman, personally attending to
tho comforts of Lis peculiar guests, fitting
from ONO table 10 another, saying Bon
s0ir mon AMI" to ono and drinking a
hearty "a votro santo' with another.
There IS no bar in the place, and the
only available liquor is winc-wino which
VI. X. imports himself from the only
country whore real vino is produced
Our littlc cato stands in side street
and if ono unacquaintcd with its charac-
ter should regard the Immediate neighbor-
hood as n criterion OF what it must be ho
Will bo likely 10 Leave 1t alone. a big
gloomy looking sign adorns the front Of
the house I'd Is lit up fplm within at
night Ivy bent and rusty gas jet.
Inside this queer establishment can be
found from o'clock in the evening I'M
til midnight, curious assemblago Of all
ages and types.
Night after night l have dinod there
and observed with curiosity an elderly
man sitting at one of the tables. He would
sit for hours with his head buried in his
hands, as though in the deepest revcrio.
10 WAS the head that attracted mc-not
the man, for he ncvcr conycrscd with any
onc not even noticing those who hap
pencil 10 sit 40 his table from time TO time
The head was remarkable one, covered
with snow white locks
bad made firm resolve that he and
should become acquainted. But how?
Many an evening l managed TO get seated
at the Same table with him, but TO my
friendly oyerturos he vouchsafed no rccip-
rooaGon lis answers were invariably
MUNICIPALITIES
once l asked NJ X. about his mystcri.
Gus guest
Mon Dicu Eo cc5 a queer main, " ho
responded re ecs Francois, mails &c no
wool talk
80 the responsibilities Of getting nc
quaiutcd with NY venerable but elusive
friend dcyolycd upon me altogether ono
evening, strolling into the cafe later than
usual, l found NY friend alone at his Ia
be I'm his ordinary attitudo OF detection
l went up to him, passed the compliments
ot the day and placed myself opposite him,
meantime ordering bottle of NJ Y s
best yinrcuEc, with two glasses
i started the conversation, as usual, and
this timo l chose for my theme tho recent
lyuching Of man out west who was aft
crward proved innocent Of the crime for
which be suffered My friend, much to
my surprise and delight, raised his head
and listened 10 me with such attention
that | was lcd 20 go further | denounced
circuw~tauual evidence with good deal
OF vchcmcncc H kept murmuring Yes
~ ~ Il, f,,,
head uud through the hands that covered
the face ! would hear a sigh
When We had drained the first glass
with a mutual though unspoken wish
for welfare, the man Of silent grief broke
the opprcssivcncss with, Il leave for
France in the morning"
This was said in pure French, but for
the reader sake | shall use the English.
Tho stranger had a clear rich voice, not
at all ga keeping with the brusquo, mill
ta:y bearing that his snow whito hair,
heavy mustacho and we'll trimmed impc-
rial, gave him.
"lou arc wondering at my being so
eya-iyo and apparently sullcn, my young
friend. ' continued Dc, and have tried TO
draw mo on; and get acquainted. l appre-
Ciatc the fact that you have never inquired
THAT / shall leave America forever you
shall knoH Yes, you-shall-know. Cir
cumstantal cyidoncc-oh, my Godr' And
again Ae buiiad his head in his hands.
Patiently / waited for him to resume,
understanding that some deep emotion
had overcome him. l had not long to
wait for after taking several glasses of
wine in succession and ordering another
bottle he began:
Ii was ga the year 1879. was then
Judge i'm the department Of the Seine.
Two young men, with whom / was PC
quaiutcd, lived at the same time in tho
Rae lEsplenol, Paris, where they had
rooms together, for they were great chums
With oac Of these young men l was on
very Intimate terms. l had great liking
for the boy, and he made my home entirely
his own whenever he chose to call there
He was about % years old at the time
and something Of n boulcvadicr Although !
past the twoscorc mark myself, / had mar
iicd young and beautiful woman, of
very luc family, and our home was tho |
tondczvous lcr many of Paris society peo-
plo
Young IL was at that timo attending
the College Of Bclux Arts and living on a |
allowance from his father II. |
and his friend Leo, as / have said, had |
apartments in the Rue 'Espagnol, and no |
moro devoted friends could be found if you !
searched Che world over. Leo was young /
lawyer whose talents had given him a |
steady progr, iu tho courts, and several |
important cascs were being at that time |
either prosecuted or defended by him
one case in particular where an i'm
mouse fortune hinged on the possession Of |
certain documents, was taking up great /
icai of the young lawyers attention Ho |
tho side thai had possession of |
.hc papers and had himself been made |
guardian Of tho documents, pending de-
3isi9n
On the night Of the 18th Of September
hc two young mon had been dsporting
themselves in a gaming saloon on l'Ay-
nuo da Opera. They loft shortly before
midnight, arm in arm
AT O'Clock tho next morning the old
concierge knocked at the door Of their
apartments with their usual morning cof-
Eco Receiving no response, he decided
lut ll diatutb them and Withdrew. But
he OLD man curiosity had been aroused.