The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-03-01


/ at Dou1evant until the next day. and
then, not wishing to come across Jean
and Antoine again, he took another
course and reached Brienne.
While he was enjoying his supper at an
inn two officers entered, and a crowd
gathered around them. One of them re
lated how old Farmer Coumartin Of La
marche had been robbed and murdered a
| few days before, and how it had been
discovered that a short slim man had
been seen to enter an old stable just
about dark and quit it early the next
day, and how, on searching the stable,
the police found in a hole in the wall a
handkerchief belonging to the murdered
farmer.
The officer narrated how the short,
slim man was traced to a village, where
he bought clothes and other things
though everybody said he was not a
man, but a boy. Then he was traced
along the river, and the old clothes he
had worn were found in a ditch. At an
other village the officers found he had
bought a cap, and farther ON they saw
two men come out of a wood and cap
tured the short, slim man, and tall man
with him. The small man wore the
clothes described by the tailor and also
the hat and other things, and, though he
might be taken for a boy until you look
ed closely at him, yet he was beardless
man of about 80. The officer said that
he and his companion had lodged both of
the prisoners in the Jail at Brienne and
would take them to Lamarche the next
LAY.
1t was wonderful thing to Charles
that he had had such an escape, and he
4 resolved to leave Brienne early in the
morning and take the railroad to Paris.
The nearest station was six miles away,
and Charles set out to walk. When he
had been on the road over an hour, gen
tleman came out of a villa, carrying a
valise Charles got ahead of him and
was hurrying on when the gentleman
called to him:
boy, are you going to the railroad
station?'' he asked.
Eyes, SIR the boy said politely, rails
ing his cap.
Garry my valise for me and I'll pay
you," said the gentleman.
Charles willingly consented and the
gentleman questioned him as to his bust
ness, and so forth. Charles said he was
going to Paris to look for work. When
they reached the station, he was sur
prised to find that the stranger had
bought ticket for him and expected him
to sit beside him in the car. Having
found that Charles knew a good deal
about horses and driving, the gentleman
| wrote on a card which he gave to the
boy, saying:
"Take this card to the address l have
written on it when you reach Paris.
General f., who is a relative, told me
last week that he wanted boy like you
to act as groom to his daughter, who is
an invalid"
The day he reached Paris Charles call
ed at General F.'s address and delivered
the card. After questioning him as to
what he knew about horses the general
sent him to his country residence at
Dreux, with letter explaining the mat
ter. Mile. F. was a lady of 81 or 3d.
suffering from nervous prostration
Charles answered all the requirements
and things went on very pleasantly fol-
five years, by which time he was about
20 and a we'll favored youth. For some
days Charles was relieved from his heav-
lest duties, as his mistress was confined
to the house with severe cold. One
morning he was walking along the road
reading a book, when a man In clerical
garb approached him, walking with his
head down and his hands behind him
AS they drew near Charles looked Ut
and the man did the same.
MY God!' Charles exclaimed. my
fatherr'
The man started and gazed at Charles
with wonder and amazement.
Charles" he said in suppressed tone
'Is it possible?"
Eyes, sir; l am Charles Guerin," was
the answer.
"How came you hither? How strange
it all seemsr' Guerin said.
II have been for five years in the EN-
ploy of General f. at his villa, attending
upon Mile. +. as her groom" was the
answer.
ut is wonderful" Guerin said. II
can scarcely believe my senses. But LEI
me tell you my story. My real name is
Noiraigne and you are not my son. l and
my wife were in General F.'s employ for
years. Mademoiselle was at school in
England and eloped with an officer in the
British army, named Ramsay. General
II. and myself went to England and dis
covered their whereabouts. General +.
carried off his daughter and brought her
to France. She was taken to Fresnay,
and there enid was born. InaI cIlllu
is yourself. My wife and | were paid to
take you away and provide for you.
became dissipated, as you know and de-
manded more money from General f. 1t
was refused, and | used threats. | was
arrested falsely as an escaped convict.
General +. had immense power, and
was convicted and sent to prison without
a chance to open my mouth. One month
ago l escaped. | found a man who had
been convict along with me and is now
prosperous. He gave me shelter and
money. | assumed this disguise and
came hither in hopes of seeing Mile. f..
or more properly Mrs. Ramsay, and hay-
ing this great wrong righted."
In the presence of Guerin and Charles
Mile. f. admitted the truth of Guerin'
statement She was very wealthy, hay
ing inherited a large estate from her
mother. She confessed that she had ex'
ecuted will leaving all her property to
her son, if he should ever be discovered
AS a result of the disclosure, she received
Il severe shock and died within a week.
General f. denounced Guerin and
Charles as imposters, but a trial fully
established the right Of the young man
to his mothers estate and to the name OF
Ramsay Not the least important Incl
dent of the trail was the production Of
the men who arrested Guerin and remov-
ed the box containing his jewelry, the
purpose being to secure letters in Guerin' 5
possession which fully disclosed the re.