The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-02-07

Tie Iean61 B2lc6 In ms GaaIr ana STnua
his forehead. | glanced round st the M
dicnce and Immediately felt a grin nrI my
shoulders, while Francesca Astarira whis-
pered, almost Kissed, into my ear:
''She is dead"
turned and looked him in the face.
Then try to forget it all" l said
Let the past be buried
The curtain descended.
Give me the programmed" he said
quickly.
He held it in f1Snt of me, with the lon.
thumb nail Of his right hand cutting
through point in the middle of the page
Look there! The next itcm-'A MIR
Christopher Quincy, vcnuiloquist.' Thu
Is the stage name of the scoundrel, Her
bert Ross''
LET us 60 away" urged. you are
excited and unwell. 1t will do you no
good to see him. Come away"
No, no; not yetr' he answered. ''Prcs-
emily"
The bell rang, and the curtain rose.
discovering row of grotesque and grin
ming figures waiting to receive animation
from the magic powers of the ventrila-
quist. Christopher Quincy appeared and
made his bow. Taking his stand in the
midst of his puppets, he began his enter
tainment. His dialogues and jests were
bright and up to date, and peals of laugh
ter were frequent from the audience
l looked round at Astarita. He wis
standing behind me, leaning against the
side of the box, half concealed by "A long
curtain. I couIG see his face and noticed
a wild madness in his eyes.
''Shall we go?' l said again.
"PreSently, - was all the reDlv
The ventriloquist was now making one
of his figures sing u comic song. 1t wa
accompanied by the band and had Il re
frain that l have never forgotten, and
that never comes into my head vii huuu
bringing back that night at tho Jollity
The song came to an end and loud ap-
plause rang through the building. In the
midst of the clamor the performer bowed
his head, and, to the alarm of cvCrybodr
fell face downward in front of the foot
lights. There he lay motionless, with his
row of uncanny puppets grinning upon
him.
Attendants now rushed on from the
wings, and as they lifted tho inanimatc
body 1 saw n red stream flowing from his
head and dark stain on the floor If the
stage The curtain was Immediately run
down, and the audience was stunned by
the terrible scene they had witnessed.
turned instinctively to Astarita. He
was pale and excited.
This did TT he said
He held in his hand an airgun, which,
till now. he had concealed from my sight
was transiiXcd with horror at his crime
sat like one dazcd, looking into space,
and just conscious that some one was
standing before the curtain addressing tie
I TO. full Of
my position, and, determined to secure the
criminal, 1 rose to go.
He had gone!
went out into the noisy streets. There
was fine driZzle, and the roads and pave
ments were slippery, but l walked along
like one in dream. Where l went l can
not remember, but l know that l did moi
enter my chambers until nearly 2 O'Clock
in the morning l was wet through SsgSt.
covered with mud. As l crcpt into DID,
resolved to tell the police all that l X sieHc
on the following day. f91sl
Next morning l rose calmer, but Wifllj)ss''
no appetite for breakfast l took up nv
newspaper to see if there was any account
OF the tragedy at the .Jollity, when my eye
fell first ON the following paragraph:
Late last night u man was seen to
throw himself into the Thames from Wat
erloo bridge. Attempts were made to save
his life, but without success. The rive
police, however recovered the dead body.
From articles found on the deceased it
would appear that no WAS an Italian.
named Francesca Astarita, but Mt present
nothing is known of him nor of his mo-
tive for committing the crime
But at the end of the account of the
scene at the Jollity l was relieved 10 read:
"On making inquiries ut the hospita!
we were informed that the iniuriy, 70 Mr.,
Quincy are not so serious as was ut first
feared, and there is every hope Of his com
plotc recovery. There is ut present no 1clew
whatever to the criminal" ~ Y !, q ]
l have, therefore, rightly ort WrongfV
held my peace.-London Tit BitSsla il' tff