Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-03-22
la dame A Ia CLEF."
By Walter Littlefeld.

There were three of us one evening
In the reading room Of the Press club
M. Paul Blouet, better known as
MAX O'RelP' through his sketches Of
French and English life and character;
M. Charles p. Lebon, instructor Of
French, who, by the way, is a littera-
teur Of some little note, and myself
The conversation, after various fiuctu-
atoms, had assumed a story telling
drift. M. Blouet had just related an
amusing anecdote of his Boston so
journ, and we were silently putting in
that agreeable languor that arises from
a good weed and 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 1t with rather undue haste;
with so much haste, in fact, that he
called our attention to a movement that
otherwise would have passed I'M
noticed.
What is itT' inquired NJ. Blouet.
Without n word Lebon handed him
the object he had dropped, but eyed
him carefully as it was examined.
"a key" remarked NJ. Blouet; "a key
and evidently Of gold" And he passed
1T to me.
held in my hand a key of perhaps
an inch In length and half as wide.
There was nothing particularly re-
markable about 1t unless 1t were the
material OF which 1T 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, 184S. Memento moriI'
"a curious key" suggested as 1 re-
turned 1t to NJ. Lebon. "Tell us about
it,
The one addressed pulled assiduously
for moment or two as he twIrled the
mysterious key between his forefinger
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 a key
like that. Why not let us have itY'
"You are right, gentlemen. There Is a
curious story concerning this key, and
since you desire it will tell 1t to you,
for truly, gentlemen, without exaggera-
ton, this little bit of metal that / hold
markable Of histories"
''Tell It! Tell it," we both exclaimed
in breath.
Fresh cigarettes were lighted. and,
still holding the key in his hand as II
to bear witness to what he said, NJ.
Lebon began his story. ~
at was in 1871, just after the s.rren-
der of Paris. The second empire had
fallen. M. Theirs and his party held
the government. Evidences OF the ter
riDle commune were on every hand.
still the city was beginning to look like
the habitation Of a civilized people.
One morning lie Journal des Debats
announced the death at Versailles of n
Russian lady who for more than 20
years had kept all the gossips Of the
Paris salons busy concerning a mystery
that seemed to surround her. For rea-
sons that 1 shall presently explain she
became known as La Dame a In Cleft
Now, a nickname in Paris means q
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 a Ia Clef est
morte.' 1t did not give her own name.
That would have signified nothing. The
paper concluded by saying that she
died, aged As, In complete solitude. 1t
AANms that her husband who was much