Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-09
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Visit to the Metropolis.
IOriginaL1


number of shops of different kinds.
One morning Howard Dyson, who had
recently struck gold in Colorado and
was visiting New York to see the
sights, emerged from the hotel, walked
n few steps on Thirty-third street,
crossed Fifth avenue and proceeded
leisurely southwark. Suddenly he
stopped and faced a shop window.
The main feature for display was
wax figure of woman in costly attire
of the very latest pattern. Never were
face and shoulders more true to life.
The image was not only beautiful, but
there was an aristocratic mien about
it which could only have been mod
eled from woman of noble lineage.
Dyson stood spellbound.
at beats ALL he muttered to him
self. 'what marvellous things are to be
seen in this wonderful city. Who
would ever suppose that lovely crea-
ture could be made of wax, stuffed
with straw? l don't believe it's wax
at all. The bosom rises and falls just
like that of a human being"
Dyson watched the figure as long as
he could without attracting attention,
then walked down TO the Fifth Avenue
hotel and back, stopping and standing
again before the wonderful figure;
then, calling an automobile cab. he
rode through Central park, returned to
his hotel, lunched and, lighting cigar,
strolled out TO take another view of the
wax figure. This time it did not seem
so lifelike. The flesh was waXy, and
the hair grew out of a waXy scalp.
He wondered how he could have seen
anything in it to make him think that
it might be living being. He deter
mined to enter the store, look over the
goods and ask some questions. He
found an old man who spoke with
strong French accent. After being
shown a number of articles for which
he had no use whatever he began to
talk TO the old man about the figure in
the window.
How doyou make the thing breathe?"
he asked.
"Ah, m'sieu. when was young Wis
tied Nine. Tussaud's waXwork show
in Paris, where 1 saw the reclining fig
ure of woman made to appear to
breathe. l was not content till l had
made machinery for a like purpose.
That machinery is now in the figure
when first looked at ii, there was
more appearance of life about it than
there is now"
''Oui? When you first saw it, the sun
was in the east. the figure in shadow.
Now the sun is on it,"
That evening Dyson spoke to one of
the clerks i'm his hotel and asked him
about the old Frenchman.
"The Count de Guronne? He is a
ruined French spendthrift who came
over here recently and to make liv-
ing opened shop"
Dyson spent month in New York,
every day passing the wax figure half
a dozen times at least and always
stopping to look at it. Whether it was
the arrangement of the hair or the eX-
preston on the face or the attitude. or
all of these, the thing seemed to have
been modelled after some one who had
lived long ago. Dyson finally noticed
that between II and - O'Clock in the
morning and between 3 and in the
afternoon it looked like life, while at
all other times ii was waxy. One day
he came to Il sudden determination.
Walking resolutely into the store. he
faced the count.
"Mr. Count" he said. you can't fool
me any longer. The image is only in
the window two hours each day and is
no image at ALL It's a woman. and
the woman l want. l am Il bachelor
and rich. This woman is some relative
of yours who has followed you in your
misfortune l desire to propose for
her hand"
A cunning smile broke over the
Frenchman's face.
''You are right, m'sieur.'
The count admitted that the woman
was his relative. He promised to
speak to her about Dyson's PROPOSE
ton, inviting him to call the next day,
shortly before 3 o'clock, when the flesh
and blood would be relieved from duty
by the wax image.
"M'sieur," said the count when Dy-
son called the next day, eff you like
we will proceed to make the settle
ments" And he produced a contract
making over 100000 in case of mar
rage and n forfeit of $4,000 in case
Dyson should change his mind. The
lover did not like the $4,000 clause,
but his mind was made up that the
possession of this beautiful flower of
French nobility must be his, and he
signed. a few minutes after the eX-
ecution of the paper the count went
to the window and under pretense of
rearranging it held up a curtain be-
hind which the transfer was effected,
and the woman stepped into the shop.
"Ah, m'sieur," she said bending her
eyes to the floor. 81 have heard how
you have honored me-" then passed to
room at the back of the shop.
Half an hour later the door through
which she had emerged was opened,
and an old woman shriveled to the
bone entered the shop.
Permit me. m'sieur," said the count.
ito present my sister She has been
II IL sI-r1