The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-05-22
DHN Ii QD
BIZ Walter Littlefeld


There were three Of US one evening
IN tile reading room Of the Press club
M. Paul Blouet. better known al
Max O'Rell'' through, his sketches OF:
French and English life and character;
NJ Charles p Lebon, instructor of
French, who, by the wa is q Httera-
teur Of some little note. and nayself.
che converse ton, after various fuctu-
ations. had assumed story telling
drift. Nj Blouet had just related an
amusing anecdote Of his Boston So
Journ and we were silently putting in
that agreeable langr1or that arises from
good weed and a good story.
On drawing his cardcase from his.
pocket NJ Lebon brought forth q small
bright object that glistened a second in
the lamplight as 1t fell to the floor. He
stopped for It with rather undue haste;
with SO much haste, in fact. that he
called our attention to a movement that
otherwise would have passed un-
noticed.
What is it r. inquired NJ. Blouet
Without d word Lebon handed him
the object he had dropped. but eyed
him carefully as II was examined.
.. q key. remarked NJ Blouet;; "a key
and evidently Of gold. s And he passed
& it to me.
held IN my hand key Of perhaps
an inch IN length and half as wide.
There was nothing particularly re-.
markable about it unless it were the
material Of which it was composed,
that appeared to be gold. Suddenly
my eye caught sight Of a date and an
Inscription upon the ring Of the key
Ter JUN, 1913. Memento mort!
:. a curious key" & suggested as ] re-
turned it to NJ. Lebon. Tell us about
il itt.',..
The one addressed pulled assiduously
for a moment or two as he tWirled the
mysterious key between his forefnger
and thumb. but he made no reply.
Come. come said NJ Blouet as he.
leaned forward with interest, there
must be something to tell about key
like that Why not let US have it r
You are right, gentle men. There is a
curious story concerning this key, and
since you desire it / will tell it to you,
for truly. gentlemen. without exaggera-
ton. this little bit Of metal that hold
in my hand has one of the most re-
markable of histories z
TELL it! Tell it!,' we both exclaimed
in a breath.
Fresh cigarettes were lighted. and.
still holding the key in his hand as If
to bear, witness to what be said. NJ
Lebon began his story.
It was in 1871, just after the surren-
der Of Paris. The second empire had
fallen NJ. Theirs and his party held
the government. Evidences Of the ter
rible commune were on every hand.
still the city was beginning to look like
the habitation of a civilized people.
One morning lie Journal DIES Debats
announced the death at Versailles OF a
Russian lady who FOR more than 20
years had kept all the gossips Of the
Paris salons busy concerning mystery
that seemed to surround her For rear
sons that shall presently explain she
became known as La Dame a la Clef'
Now, nickname In Paris means O.
great deal more than it does here
When one is nicknamed there. one car
ries that name to the grave
The notice in lie Journal des Debats
mentioned La Dame Ia Clef est
morte. It did not give her own name.
! That would have signifed nothing The
paper concluded by saying that she
died. aged 45 in complete solitude. It
seems that her husband, who was much
| older than She had visited her regular
~ every six months during the past ten
years and then had disappeared, no one
knew where. All was mysterious about
this Lady OF the Key. One day came
! to her the news Of her husbands death.
She survived him but a short time, and
| it was whispered that she had allowed
| herself to die from hunger. That was
all the notice Of her death had to say
about the matter. The mystery still
Remained unexp planned, and the interest
concerning her grew less and less and
gradually died away altogethe s
NJ. Lebon paused to reli ght his ciga-
/ rette, which he had allowed to go out.
After doing this. he settled back In his
chair, puffed once or twice. but did not
seem at all inclined to continue the
story.
Well, Z calculated, $50 on. That is
no story. Why. you haven't even said
what the mystery was. or why she was
called La Dame q Ia Clef. - -
"A d. YES. & he replied pensively.
quite right had forgotten. Gentle
men. have not said that she was
beautiful, vet such was the case. Her
face was one Of the loveliest that +
have ever seen. her figure was perfect.
and
Well y Interrupted N. Blouet some
what impa tiently
Gentlemen. viii not bore you Z
continued NJ. Lebol, smiling. Simply
imagine her beautiful in face and form;
then, gentlemen, around her neck.
which was OF the pureSt mold was