The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-11-30
N ACT OF PROVIDENCE.

RyTES.. cried my friend Amory. as
he rose to 60, "the whole world
/ { rau BY chance, and no one can make
/ s. think differently
n had been spending an evening at
.hist and now that the game was over,
:, four had enjoyed social cigar pc
kitre separating.
me talk had turned upon serious
eaters. and Amory, an agnostic, had
.sy.nced his favorite theory that
verrthing was governed by chance
aIuat.
i..rk. who had studied for the min
NM. but was now in business, had
nubated with him for vigorous half
hour, and as the night was old, and we
xere about to part, it was evident from
imory's last remark that he had not
IN convinced.
sFor myself" said I, also rising. Il
nTc listened to you both, and have
I'D nothing; but if you will come to
d rooms tomorrow night, I agree to
III you story that bears upon the
after, and then you can better decide
shich theory is the right one."
Il was agreed, and the next night,
sites little supper, my three friends
nttled themselves about my open fire
"a told me to begin.
You will remember my brother-in-
m Merriam, of the navy? Well, 13
ysan ago, he was in Paris, on leave. He
ID ! good looking, smart valet, for he
hew but little of the customs of the
sluntry, and needed some one to as
IT him, and he thought he had most
d1irable servant, until one night he
Nuke to see the fellow at his cash-box,
Nifk Z dark-lantern at one side.
Ned did not wait, but springing
non his bed he seized the man, and
Aey had hand-to-hand struggle in
tle dark, for the lantern was over
tuTned the first thing.
Merriam was of good size, and it
~ evident that he was about overpow-
dIag the valet when the fellow stabbed
~, and slipped from his grasp out OF
AZ door and escaped. The wound was
nota bad one, and as he had in turn
sivea the thief good pounding he did
lot tollow.
Upon examining his cash-box, he
hand that the man had only taker
sae 200 francs and handsome meer.
sthaum pipe that he had recently
ssasht, and. feeling himself stranger
e strange land, lie concluded to cal
as matter square and not to go to the
ehce at all, which conclusion he fol.
0ed, and he never saw his valet in
nance again.
When he returned home, naturall,
5 aoh of the experience and described
PIPE to me, as it was curious one
a seemed to be the thing that he mes
esretted losing.
Was q Turks head, small, anl
va howing hair and beard, with tn,
stn open. as if laughing, and in tn,
g of the mouth the artist had in
.sed one small gold tooth that coult
pc seen if you knew where to lool
y was just the sort of thing naya
er would fancy and spend his mon
mr and ,as l say, it was the on,
s,cle that Ned most seemed to miss b,
= robbery.
lse years after the occurrence tha
- related, an old client of mine in
me to a gentleman one day b,
"a aeme OF Dupray. He was a French
mo had come to England to en-
q business, and in some way ha,
ae acquainted with Mr.. Leroy.
Leroy was merchant. rich, quee,
an NO family but his daughter
aas daughter, strangely enough
snarely opposite to her father.
SIS vas homely, she was beautiful
e queer and rough; she was one Q
setest women that ever had tn
~: s. ol1nne to meet: he wanted every
ss als way, and she was willing to d
\ li u every particular but one, an
upheld her against her father
= = his disgust.
wanted to marry young ma
2 doctor In a neighborin
nale her father desired that sh
make q grand match with som
~ should raise her from the lev,
h she was born.
~ days after my first meetin
ay, Leroy came to my Off,
merry frame cf mind, and
aents anncrrsed to me til,
saanan was IN love with b