Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-09-12
AN ADVENTURE IN PARIS.
BY sYLvANus COBB, JR.

4
1t had been arranged between
George Barton and myself that we
would visit Europe together, but
when the time came a matter of i'm
portant business kept me at home.
George offered TO wait until / could
| go, but as / knew he had friends in
Italy whom he was anxious to see,
| urged him to go, and he finally
concluded 70 do so. But before be
went | obtained from him a promise
that he would write to me as often
as be could, and be sure to give me
a faithful account of all his adven-
lures. / accompanied him to Bos-
ton, and saw him safely off in one of
the Cunard steamers for Liverpool.
In due time / received letter
from my friend. He had reached
London in safety. Six weeks we're
spent in England, and though his
letters were interesting enough to
me, yet they contained little calcu-
lated to interest others. At length
| received package from him, con-
tanning letter occupying ten pages,
of closely written fools-cap, and four
newspapers. The letter was dated
at Paris, and gave the particulars of
an adventure so strange and start
ling that | have deemed it worthy
Of print. The first page OF the doc
ument was devoted to an account OF
his passage from England to France,
and having informed me of his safe
arrival in Paris, he proceeds:
GAS soon as / reached the city, I
made my way to the Hotel DIES
Princes, where l hoped to find some
Americans who had been stopping
there; but was disappointed. They
had left the day before, and I was
the only American in the house but
l knew there were plenty of my
countrymen at other places, and l
resolved 10 hunt them up the next
day, and change my quarters. 1t
was too late now to think of moving
that day, and as l was perfect
stranger, and cared not to trust
strangers, l concluded to remain in
doors for the night, and employ my
time in writing.
Accordingly l went to my room
and arranged my escritoire, and sat
down to my work. | had written
an hour when some one raped up
on my door, and as | supposed it
must be some servant or attache of
the hotel, l simply said, Come in
and upon this boy entered, closing
the door after him. He was quite
young-not over fifteen or sixteen
and had a bright, intelligent look,
though he evidently belonged to the
lower grade Of society. He glanced
about the room with an easy, uncon-
cerned look, and then approached
my desk.
"'Is this Mr.. Barton?' he asked,
in French.
81 told him that was my name
You know can speak French al
most like native.
"'Do you know Mr.. Edgar Bun
nell He is countryman Of yours,
pursued the boy.
81 did know such man, having
seen him frequently in our own city;
and l furthermore knew that he had
been stopping in Paris, as I had
seen his name registered. So I re-
piled that l had seen such man.
well, sir, the youngster contin.
ued, 'he is very anxious to see you.
He was taken suddenly sick while
walking alone in the Rue st. Victor,
and is now in the house of perfect
stranger. He said that he had heard
that there were Americans stopping
here, and be hired me to come and
see.'
"'And what then p asked.
'Why-does not monsieur see ?
The poor man is sick abed. and he
would see a friend-a countryman.
l asked him if he was sure l could
succeed, and he SAID if I found an
American he would not fail to come.
You are the only American I can
find here. Will you go?'
"'But where is the Rue Saint
Victor?'
"Only few steps from the river
lit leads direct to the Halle aux
Wins
"sBut how far from here =
"'Perhaps fifteen minutes walk,
if you can walk as quickly as can.
'When was Mr.. Bunnell taken
sick 2
"'This very afternoon
"How could refuse to go ? There
was a countryman, in a strange
land, suddenly stricken down, and
| he needed a friend. OF course
must 90. l looked at the boy, and
was sure he was honest. Yet ]
would not venture out in such city
unarmed, and | went to my dress