Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-13
The Remarkable Disappearance Of an.
American Woman. :
SHOWING TIE POWER OF TEE POLICE
Taken Sick During the Progress
of the Exposition
SHE WAS SPIRITED AWAY

lied in the attractive catch-all offered Them
and. except for a continuous shifting of her
contents. in this state Paris was to remain
FOR months until the end of the exposition
came TO Strengthen her disorder and empty
her out
Among the many who arrived in Paris at
an early period of the exposition was a
party of three Americans-a mother and her
Two daughters. Ii was evident that they
had been accustomed to travel much ana
Independently, which might be accounted
Tor by the fact that they had scarcely a re.
lation to bind them to one place and not a
| relative to offer them a protecting hand,
They came after dark and registered at
a hotel.
There were only two rooms left but
| they were on the same corridor Madame
might like the front room, and the two
mademoiselles would perhaps be suited
with the other. a few doors away" Thus
said the clerk, and after some inspection
the travellers agreed with him.
| 1t is a very good ROOM" the matron re-
| marked, leaning back in her chair and
| watching her daughters, who were busy
| with the contents of her satchel Il think.
| though, that 1 might enjoy IL more If \ did
not feel so wretched.''
The young ladies treasured her with the
| reminder that she was tired; she had not
yet become accustomed to the climate: as
| for calling in physician, she had done
| That her first night in every new city: sup
pose she try the cure of long sleep this
| time. In fact. they fully persuaded her OF
| her foolishness before they left her for the
| night. In spite of their convincing argu-
ments' speculation as to their mothers
| health was the first word uttered by the
| two girls next morning, and they made
| haste to go to her ROOM
The Mysterious Room.
light knock brought no response With
! satisfied nod to her sister, the younger
| girl opened the door softly and tiptoed into
| the room. The elder started to follow. but
stopped with a little cry. 1--WE are in the
| wrong place." she said.
impossible" her sister replied. This is
| the only front room there can be on this
| side of the corridor"
But the room was certainly not their
mothers. Last night the hangings and pa
| pering had been green, this morning they
| were red; last night the furniture had been
| of oak now il was some dark stained wood.
| last night the floor had been carpeted this
| morning ii was bare except for few rugs:
| suaneest OF all, last night they had left
| their mother here, but now she was gone
| and the room empty
| Inc Two girls surveyed it in silence One
OF them went into the hall again and
| she asserted, Just as We counted last
night" They looked out of the window.
| ne sun was shining down on the same
| great tree through which they mad seen
| the street lights the night before
| A trim little maid was sweeping the cor
| ridor. and of her they inquired anxiousy:
| can you tell where the lady is who
| occupied that room last night?"
| On, ma mselle," the maid replied, cross
| ing herself mo one was in that room,'
1 II left my mother there last night" was
| the rejoinder.
Ma'mselIe must be mistaken" the maid
| INSISTED; NO person has slept there for
| years. Ii is the order of lie proprietaire"
| The two girls sent her to summon the
| proprietor to the spot, waited for him inn
| patiently, and interrupted his polite greet
| ing with the question if this was not the
! night before.
The proprietor surveyed them curiously.
our MOTHER! he repeated. when did
The sisters stared at him. He had seen
! them last night
| You arrived alone" he continued. Did
you mean she is to cine today and Won
| want the room for tonight?"
An impatient explanation came from the
elder sister. I'VE three, my mother, my
| sister and 1. came last night
The man interrupted her with a gesture
| Pardon, mademoiselle,' he corrected, you
| and your sister were the only ones who
| came"
Her Name Had Disappeared.
The girl smiled an annoyed smile and
| suggested that the hotel lists would cor
|
when the clerk repeated what the propri-
etor had said, and she ran her finger I'M
steadily down the line. Her name her sis
| ter's, yes-her mothers was not there,
With growing sense of dread, the two
girls demanded the inspector of police As
| they waited for him in the reception room.
| they caught the angry tones of an old
| mans voice. The elder sister stopped pac-
ing the floor to listen.
he
publish it to ever foreigner in the city, and
then where is the reputation of your
The soothing murmur of another voice
followed.
Second story front" was the old mans
reply, but I'll not stay there tonight il I
nave to be awaked up by all sorts of noises
from the room above me. They might have
been tearing the house dcwn,'
Stlll grumbling, he passed the girl to go
upstairs. Seized with a sudden idea, she
ran lightly up after him and watched him
enter his room. Then she came down
again. He went into the room under
mothers" she said, grasping her sisters
arm tightly. 1--WE were not mistaken!
Merciful heavens, what does it mean?"
Even the inspector of police, the omnis-
Gent of Paris. could not tell them that. He
TOOK their evidence gravely. promised them
all possible help, and advised them to wait
patiently in the same hotel for further de-
xelopments. With little calmness of mind
they finally accepted his advice.
1t was long, anxious wait for the girls
Weeks passed without bringing any trace
or their mother. The exposition was over,
ana Paris was almost emptied Of her
crowds before the inspector came to them
with any definite news.
Then, ore day, the look on his face told
them that at last they were to hear. and
they listened breathlessly for his explana-
ton.
The Problem Solved.
He began at the beginning. He told them
that after they had left their mother that
night she felt worse, and, to avoid disturb
Ing her daughters. summoned a physician
by messenger. By the time he arrived
she was unconscious and the doctor an
nounced that she had a case of black
smallpox. Without any delay she was put
into an ambulance and carried to a hos
pital, and there-the inspector told II as
gently as he could-she died a few days
afterward.
But all was not yet explained The room
the maids story the lfsfs9