The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-08-28
A ViCit to the
 MetropoliE
IorlgInall

tl.e buildings which forty years ago were occupied for dwellings. arc Q number of shops of different kinds. One morning Howard Dyson, who had recently struck gold in Colorado and was visiting New York to see tue sights. emerged from the hotel, walked n few steps on Thirty-thlrd street. crossed Fifth avenue and proceeded lelsurcly southwnrd. Suddenly he stopped and faced a shop window.
 The main feature for display was-a wax figure of a woman fin 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 arlstocrauc mien about It which could only have been mod eled from woman of noble lineage. Dyson stood spellbound.
 'It beats all," he muttered to him. self. what marvellous things are to be seen in tlhs wonderful city. Who would ever suppose that lovely crea- ture could be made of wax, stuffed with straw2 I don't believe it's wax at all. The bosom rises and falls just like that of 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 1t did not seem SO lifcllke. The flesh was waxy, and the hair grew out of a waxy scalp. He wondered how be could have seen anything in it to make him think that lt 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 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 doyoumake the thing breather he asked.
 "Ah. m'sleu. when was young l vis- tied Mme. Tussauds waxwork show in Paris, where l saw the reclining hg- ure of woman made to appear to breathe. was not content till had 'Snade machinery for like purpose. That machinery ls now in the figure"
 "whcn I first locked at lt, there was more appearance of life about 1t than there Is now"
 "Oul? When you first saw lt, the sun was In the east, the figure In shadow Now the sun ls on it."
 That evening Dyson spoke to one or the clerks in 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 a llv- Ing opened shop"
 Dyson spent e 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' pression 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 12 o'clock In the morning and between 8 and In the afternoon it looked like life, while at ail other times lt was waXy. One day he came to 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 woman and the woman I want. am a bachelor and rich. This woman is some relative of yours who has followed you fin your misfortune. I desire to propose Tor her hand"
 A cunning smile broke over the Frenchman's face.
 "You are right, m'sieur."
 The count admitted that the woman was hls relative. He promised to spenk to her about Dyson's proposi- ton. inviting him to call the next day, shortly before o'clock, when the flesh and blood would be relieved from duty by the wax image.
 "Arsieur," said the count when by son called the next day, If you like we will proceed to make the settle ments." And he produced a contract making over SlOO.OO0 in case of mar rlage and forfeit of S10,0O0 in case Dyson should change his mind. The lover did not like the Si0OOO clause but hls mind was made up that the possession of this beautiful flower of French nobility must be hls, and be signed. A few minutes after the ex' ecution of the paper the count went to the window and under pretense Of rearranging 1t held up a curtain be- hind which the transfer was effected and the woman stepped into the shop
 "Ah. msleur," she said, bending her eyes to the floor. 'T have heard how you have honored me-" then passed tC n 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.