Griggs courier., 1897-10-01
II Cragedy 90.
... BY Celepbolle.
BY cHAs. FOLEY.


II "a NAAkASs AVAeAe u
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WE HAPPENED to come out of the
w club together. and so I walked
along the boulevard with NJ. Maroux,
a man with kindly face but marked
with an infinite melancholy.
"Will you wait minute for me?"
said I, as we reached the post Office.
'I wish to go in and telephone"
He started at the last word, and saw
his grip tighten on his cane. When l
returned, he still seemed nervous. and
to break an uncomfortable silence
made some commonplace remark about
what a marvellous invention the tele-
phone was and what inestimable service
the progress of science is doing us
every day.
do you think 500" replied Mr..
Maroux, in a tone of bitter irony. ''It
seems to me, on the contrary, that sci
ence, far from aiding us, only empha-
sizes our human weakness and cruelty
multiplies the means that can cause us
suffering. But you will understand me
better if give you an example of what
I mean from my own experience:
I was spending my autumn vacation
with Louise, my wife, and Marcel, my
little son, at my country place at Mo-
rande, which had just bought. 1t
was in the country, about three leagues
out of Marseilles. Nanette, our old
servant, was both housekeeper and
cook. Blaise, who was devoted to me,
delighted at being once more near the
city where his worthy old mother lived,
fulfilled the functions Of gardener and
had his quarters in detached out
house.
With my gun on my arm and my two
dogs at my heels, I used to wander
about all day with my wife and baby
in that delightful solitude. To make
amends for our isolation, had tele-
phone line put up to connect with the
central office at Marseilles, and by it
every evening, as sat in my bed
chamber, could learn what had been
done during the day at my factory in
Paris.
Our peaceful life was interrupted by
a notice from my superintendent; by
making personal application I could
probably obtain an important govern
ment order. The weather was so fine
and Marcel seemed so we'll that Louise
decided to wait for me at Morande. But
on the evening of my departure for
Paris, the rain fell in torrents. When
the hired vehicle arrived before my
door, at sight of the immense black
ness of the fields and woods I felt a
sudden gripping at my heart.
"You will be away only two nights"
Louise reassured me. "Nanette will
sleep near my room; Blaise has your
gun, and from the house where he sleeps
he could hear us call; and the dogs are
an excellent guard. What could hap
pen to us?"
1 kissed Louise and Marcel, and start
ed on my journey. On the train passed
@ most uneasy night, and had no soon
er reached Paris than jumped out of
the carriage and hastened to tele-
phone Office. Communication being es-
tablished, heard, nasal and muffaed,
but stin very sweet to me, the voice of
my wife.
"Hello!" called. "How did you pass
tie night, Louise? Were you very
frightened?"
'Yes, a little-Nanettee especially. We
did not get to sleep until almost day
break, because Nanette thought she
heard steps in the garden. The dogs.
which we had forgotten to unite, had
been barking long time. At last we
opened the window and called Blaise.
He took the gun, loosed the dogs, and
mede q tour Of the house, but he did
not find anything suspicious. Baby.
who did not suspect anything, the fine
little fellow, has walked up and is call
ing me. Good-by. If you have mo-
ment before dinner, call me up again."
Only half reassured, plunged into
the business in hand, and was not able
to go to the telephone again until after
eight o'clock. had to call long time.
"Hello, hello!" called. "Why don't
you answer, Louise? What is the mat
ter?"
Something we did not expect this
afternoon. The shutters had been fas-
tened, the dogs united, and Nanette
had put up bed for Blaise in the hall,
in order to save us the terrors Of last
night, when q boy from the village
brought note for Blaise. His mother
hes suddenly been taken very ill, and
she wanted him to come to her imme-