The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1898-03-09

even Wu6u ne entertu my rOOu. WAS
Obliged to recall to him the gravity of
the accusation. He was kind of smooth
dandy of 20 or 20. with brown mus
tache and the conquering eye.
Pardon me, sir +" he said. Its so
funny can't help it, "
lyon call poisoning funny?" de-
manded.
"A poisoning He, he. no. hol All,
If you knew you'd laugh with mep'
"Go on speak, said sternly.
well, the story is queer. Mme x. is
pretty, amiable. and, my faith, 1 was
very happy. But such an imagination
she had You understand. she'd say to
me, pointing to her husband, reading a
picture paper there in his own house.
that man must disappear can't bear
IL year after year. He must die 1t
seemed funny TO me-for I'm not trag-
ic lover-so l replied in hollow
voice: You wish poison? You shall
have it.. Three times a week sent a
little package of bicarbonate of soda.
with which she dosed him, supposing
he was dying by inches, when really he
was getting fat on it. If you only knew
how jolly it was to feel like conspirators
and take double toll of kisses! How
you must love me, she'd say, throwing
herself into my arms; you who are so
honest, yet have committed crime for
mel Believe me or not, chief, she loved
me too much, and I'm not sorry to be
released by this denouement.
OF course the gay cavalier might be
lying We took no chances and sent TO
bureau in his room and found a lot of
little packets carefully folded. They
were taken to the municipal laboratory,
where, sure enough they turned out to
be bicarbonate of soda.
Then came the other agents who had
been watching M. X. They said that
they had learned at his restaurant that
the poor victim of poisoning was as
fresh as a rose and enjoyed great APP
petite. perhaps due to the bicarbonate,
which assists digestion.
Before bringing the conspirators to-
gether the Judge and 1 scolded the lover.
He had such an air of having done no
wrong that he certainly deserved wig
ging.
Before we had finished he had lost all
desire to laugh and was wondering how
it would all turn out. went into Mime.
X. 8 room and told her the whole story.
She was silent, but her attitude said :
Heavens, what stupids these police
are, and how clever is my lover He
has fooled them, and we shall be freed !"
Then the lover came i'll and made his
confession. AS he spoke Nine. X. chang
ed expression. Her lip curled con-
temptuously, her eye flashed. At last
she interrupted:
the truth! I'd rather go to prison than
bear this shame"
BE reasonable, dear, said Leon.
"Do you suppose I'd risk the guillotine
for your beautiful eyes?'
"Wretch!'' she cried, menacing him
with "a gesture of such fury that he re-
coiled to the door. Idiot And be-
mel Beast Beast But 1 hope you'll go
to prison, just the samel Mustn't he,
sir?''
We separated the lovers, but there
was no reason for OBTAINING them. In
law intention does not constitute crime.
And the "poisoned" man had swallow
ed nothing worse than digestive remedy.
1t was like woman who one day
bought a revolver to shoot her lover.
The armorer, suspecting her purpose,
loaded it with blank cartridges all of
which she dutifully discharged at the
offender without harming him.
We set the lovers free with sound
talking to. Leon went away less jol-
ly than he came. To the woman, weep
ing like Magdalen, but calm, said
Madame, you wished to commit crime,
and it is not your fault that you failed.
The law does not permit us TO punish
you as you deserve. But take care You
shall be watched, and if any accident
befalls your husband we shall know
how TO explain it. Fl"
With this result: We learned that
she never saw the pretty Leon again.
Nine or ten months later the agent who
kept an eye Oh the X. s closed his last
report in these words, 1.-The family is
more united than ever. New York
World.
til. n