Connecticut western news., 1897-04-01
AN AUTOGRAPH.

AN AUTOGRAPH. Scarcely had the postman gone out of the house, after having left the morning letters, when Jules Dupre, who was watching from his sixth story window, descended hurriedly to the porter's of flee.
 Any letters for me?' he asked The porter put on his spectacles, gathered up the letters which had just come in, looked them over one by one and replied laconically: "None.
 "Thank you" said the young man, and he slowly remounted the stairs, where his friend Armand was waiting for him.
 Through economy the two young men lived in the same room. There were to be seen all their furniture, all their books and all their papers. There were more papers than anything else, because both of them ran manuscript mills. We regret to say that while the two young men turned out a great deal of manu- cript they succeeded in placing very little. Once in awhile one of them would get an article inserted in one of he papers, but they scarcely made though to live on, even by making partnership of their assets-and liabili- ies.
 "Well?' said Armand seeing his companion enter.
 Nothing, as I told you. We shall lave to wait until the end of the month. My uncle is a man who is believer in fixed dates. D
 ''The devill We have five days yet to vait Still, I would not object to break lasting today instead of five days from low.''
 I've needn't breakfast. In that way we can save taking cocktail. "Oh, could spare that. l am as hungry as wolf. You know we had 'ather light supper yesterday" "Yes, it is true that a smoked herring | for two is scarcely gluttony." Armand, his hands in his pockets, ! walked up and down the room reflect | vely.
 "See here, " said he, "don't you know anybody who could loan us hundred | 'rancs?''
 "Yes, l know lots who could, but l know no one who would. Armand suddenly cried out, 1T have III idea. ''
 | ''Is it good one?" Listen. Have you not often spoken ! 70 me of an old collector of autographs yho lives in this house?
 "Yes He lives on the first floor, a man named Bridoux
 "What sort of man is he?'
 Well, I don't know. have scarcely cen him more than couple of times
 Suppose we try to sell him some- lhing?'
 ''That is q good idea. It is true we nave plenty of autographs, but they are mostly our own. He wants historic ones.
 Are you sure that no celebrity ever wrote to us?''
 II don't think so, but there is the correspondence coffer. Look through It :"
 Armand seated himself at the table, implied the box upon the table and be- gan to go through the letters. For at east half an hour he carefully turned over the sheets of paper.
 Suddenly he cried out: "EurekAi I have found it-a letter from the Empress Marie Louise" "
 Feverishly he waved in the air a vel lowing sheet of paper almost cut in two by the folds.
 Jules looked at it. "Why, recognize that'' said he. "It is a note from little Marie Louise, who used to be sales woman at the lace counter in the Louvre. got that letter from her when 1 was serving my volunteer term of year, with the grade of corporal :"
 II tell you, old man, that it is from the Empress Marie Louise, and 1t is ad- dressed to the great Napoleon"
 And dated 1873?"
 "1813, my dear fellow. The seven looks exactly like one. It is after the victorious battle of Lutzen, and this is what the empress wrote:
 MY LITTLE CORPORAL - You have won enough of laurels for the moment. Leave your army and come to me at the Louvre, where nm yawning in the midst of pillows of lace. |, MARIE LOUISE" f And yon think you can sell that to our neighbor Bridoux? Why, you are z joking. It would be swindle. "
 You can aid me. Have you that talse beard that you wore at the mas querade last year?" Yes, I think it is around some where"
 D Listen, then, and will teach you your role. "
 In few words Armand instructed his friend what he had to do, and then, putting the precious autograph ill his pocketbook, said: Do not forget. ' Knock i'll quarter of an hour. " y Armand repaired at once to the apart. 1T ment of Bridoux. The autograph col. t lector lived alone. He was a man oi
 about 60 years of age. Armand looked
 at him critically. e II wish to speak to M. Bridoux. ssi That's my name, sir. ' T, "I wish to see you on a serious af e fair
 h "Come in, ,'' said Bridoux se, Armand entered, and Bridoux offere E him a chair. e ''Sir,'' said Armand, 1T have hear C. of you as Icing one of the most erudit n autograph collectors ill Paris. and le wish to show you something very rare ,t an autograph of the Empress Mari d. Louise. ''
 So saying. Armand unbuttoned hi
 coat, carefully took out his lank pocke' & book, and from 1t took the letter. whic
 he placed under the eyes of the Ante