The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-21

reproach my conscience. chanced on
a sale where there was n tremendous
show of ancient. curious furniture and
fabrics Of many degrees of value.
Among them ! saw a large roll of
brown stuff, and I went closer to with
with my sample. as usual, in my hand.
/ looked at 1t n long time, but only
to find more perfects points of resem-
blance, until at last II was impossible
to believe IL was not the identical fa-
brio l sought. The broker put 1t up
at twenty francs yard and / was
outbid up to forty francs, at which
price II was knocked down to me. The
same day took my sample andmy pre-
clous burden to the chateau de la Ray
onne. where the marquis and his wife
received me as If l were a veritable
worker of miracles. Their kindness
was even warmer, when, accompany
ing me to the famous brown chamber,
where l placed the open roll by the
side of the velvet hangings Of the
room.
1T was a perfect match.
"They were so pleased that l believe
had | charged them seven hundred
francs a yard they would have willing
ly paid IT..
Il asked them only forty francs, ex-
actly what l had paid. They seemed
satisfied. but made me no offer of a
reward for my success.
II should be departing from the truth
If | did not confes that this bitterly
disappointed me. | had thought from
the manner of Madame IN Marquisa
that she would have presented me with
"A few hundred francs. after my desper-
ate persistent hunt. though it is true
she had paid me what she agreed for
my labor. But equally, I knew that
any one of the men with whom her
business had brought me in contact
would have charged her quite five hun
dred francs the yard for the ancient
fabric. However. the interesting incl
dent had happily ended, and l went
back to my old work.
About three months after this oc-
currence ! received a summons from
the Marquis de la Rayonne de Cluny,
desiring me 10 call upon him at once at
his residence. Champs Elysec, Paris,
where the family had arrived for the
winter season. | went, l need hardly
say. without delay.
MY IIleIl, Sdll the HODlellldn' al"
ter some preliminary conversation,
what think you, if I advance you the
capital to start you in business as a
tapestry dealer in one of the best quar-
ters in Paris, where you will have a
large clientele. l can give you many
recommendations
"I should be deeply grateful, mon
sieur le marquis, and l would prove to
You that your generosity and conf
dence had not been misplaced
within ten days the marquis ar
ranged for me to draw upon him for
| fifty thousand francs at long credit,
with not sou of interest to pay.
and now, my friend, you have heard
| my story. 1t is true that fortune helped
me, rs the gossips say but l owed that
| fortune to industry and fidelity, which
| gave me the patronage of the man who
started me. as it were. in life, and but
for whom I should still most probably
be an ordinary workman. instead of a
retired merchant.
Il may add, in conclusion, that
was enabled within ten years to repay
my kind benefactor the fifty thousand
| francs he so generously advanced and
during that period he gave me many
commissions that yielded handsome
| profits. 7 was then q free man. Is not
| that infinitely better than accidentally
I finding a fortune in a miser'S old writ
| ing dcsk?"