The Forrest City times., 1899-10-20
AN ACT OF PROVIDENCE.

IVES" cried my friend Amory, as
 he rose to go, 'the whole world is run by chance, and no one can make me think differently"
 We had been spending an evening at whist, and now that the game was over, we four had enjoyed social cigar be- fore separating.
 The talk had turned upon serious matters, and Amory, an agnostic, had advanced his favorite theory that everything was governed by chance alone.
 Clark, who had studied for the min istry, but was now in business, had combated with him fer a vigorous half hour, and as the night was old, and we were about to part, it was evident from Amory's last remark that he had not been convinced.
 For myself" said I, also rising, 'I have listened to you both, and have said nothing; but if you will come to my rooms tomorrow night, agree to tell you story that bears upon the matter, and then you can better decide which theory is the right one"
 It was agreed, and the next night, after q little supper, my three friends settled themselves about my open fire and told me to begin.
 You will remember my brother-in- law, Merriam, of the navy? Well, 13 years ago, he was in Paris, on leave. He had a good-looking, smart valet, for he knew but little of the customs of the country, and needed some one to as- sist him, and he thought he had a most desirable servant, until one night he woke to see the fellow at his cash-box, with dark-lantern at one side.
 Med did not wait, but springing from his bed he seized the man, and they had hand-to-hand struggle in the dark, for the lantern was over turned the first thing.
 Merriam was of good size, and it was evident that he was about overpow- ering the valet when the fellow stabbed him, and slipped from his grasp out of the door and escaped. The wound was not bad one, and as he had in turn given the thief good pounding he did not follow.
 Upon examining his cash-box, he found that the man had only taken some 200 francs and handsome meer- schaum pipe that he had recently bought, and, feeling himself stranger in strange land, he concluded to call the matter square and not to go to the police at all, which conclusion he fol- lowed, and he never saw his valet in France again.
 When he returned home, naturally he told of the experience and described the pipe to me, as it was curious one, and seemed to be the thing that he most regretted losing.
 Tt was Turks head, small, and with flowing hair and beard, with the mouth open, as if laughing. and in the back of the mouth the artist had in- serted one small gold tooth that could only be seen if you knew where to look for it.
 Tt was just the sort of thing a naval officer would fancy and spend his mon- ey for, and ,as say, it was the one article that Ned most seemed to miss by the robbery.
 Five years after the occurrence that I have related, an old client of mine in- troduced me to gentleman one day by the name of Dupray. He was French man who had come to England to en- gage in business, and in some way had become acquainted with Mr. Leroy.
 Leroy was merchant, rich, queer. and with no family but his daughter. Now this daughter, strangely enough, was entirely opposite to her father.
 "He was homely, she was beautiful: he was queer and rough; she was one of the sweetest women that ever had the good fortune to meet; he wanted every- thing his way, and she was willing to do his will in every particular but one, and in that 1 upheld her against her father. and to his disgust.
 "She wanted to marry a young man who was doctor in neighboring town, while her father desired that she should make grand match with some one who should raise her from the level on which she was born.
 "A few days after my first meeting with Dupray, Leroy came to my office in most merry frame of mind, and in a few moments announced to me that the Frsuchman was in love with his