The Sauk Centre herald., 1897-12-16
A TRAGEDY BY EAR.

We happened to come out of the club
together, and so I walked along the
boulevard with NJ. Maroux, a man with
kindly face, but marked with an in
finite melancholy.
"Will you wait minute for me?''
said I as we reached the postoffice 81
wish to go in and telephone.
He started at the last word, and I
saw his grip tighten on his cane. When
/ returned, he still seemed nervous and
to break an uncomfortable silence I
made some commonplace remark about
what marvellous invention the tele-
phone was and what inestimable serv-
ices the progress Of science was doing
US every day. f..
"Do you think so?'' replied M. Ma
roux in tone of bitter irony. "It seems
to me, on the contrary, that science,
far from aiding u.s. only emphasizes our
human weakness and cruelty multiplies
the means that can cause us suffering.
But you will understand me better if I
give you an example Of what mean
from my own experience:
II 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 be-
nj txyx h.
worthy old mother lived, fulfilled the
functions of gardener and had his quar-
ters in a detached clubhouse.
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 a tele-
phone line put up to connect with the
central office at Marseilles, and by it ev-
cry evening, as sat in my bedchamber,
1 could learn what had been done dur
ing 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 well that Louise
decided to wait for me at Morande. But
ON the eve of my departure for Paris
the rain fell in torrents. When the
hired vehicle arrived before my door, at
sight of the immense blackness Of the
fields and woods I felt sudden grip
ping at my heart r
"'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 happen to us?'
II kissed Louise and Marcel and start
ed on my Journey. On the train passed
a most uneasy night, and had no soon
er reached Paris than I jumped out of
the carriage and hastened to telephone
Office. Communication being establish
ed, heard, nasal and muffled, but still
very sweet to me, the voice of my wife.
60 'Hello!' I called How did you
pass the night, Louise? Were you very
frightened?'
g Yes, little-Nanette especially.
We did not get to sleep until ALMOST
daybreak 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
made 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- Goodby. If you have moment
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
8 clock. had to call long time.
Hello! Hellop called why don't
you answer, Louise? What is the mat
-ter?'
s. 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 bog from the village brought
note for Blaise His mother has sudden
~ been taken very ill, and she wanted
him to come to her Immediately. The
boy, whom we had never seen before,
went away again as soon as he had de-
livered the note, without giving us any
further information. Blaise, who adores
his mother, was quite rpset He did