davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Seen in the Water

From Gilbert they learned that the
Dauphiness was ahead of them and
were told of all that had taken place at
Taverpey.
Gilbert said that Marie Antoinette had
left Taverney rather before the time she
had set, after having had private in
sterview with Balsamo. who had shown
her a vision in carafe of water.
And she seemed much agitated by what
she had seen. This was a fact.
The baron having told Marie Antoinette
that Balsamo was a sorcerer, the Dauphi-
ness had. in fun. asked him to tell her
fortune.
The courtiers having withdrawn to a
distance, Balsamo had told the Dau-
phiness to look intently into the carafe.
She had looked, shrieked and almost
tainted.
1t was the crystal gazing trick SO
well known at the present day. Marie
Antoinetfe had seen in the globe of water
a scaffold and a guillotine. She had
seen her own head cut Off amid the howls
of the mob.
For years afterward that vision would,
from time to time, come to her mind and
make her slludder.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Balsamo, the Magician

At the supper table the night of Bal
samo's arrival the Connt charmed and
mystiied his host by recalling old scan
dals and old stories of duels and wars
and by pretending that he himself saw
and participated in affairs which took
PLACE centuries ago.
The baron jhorsht, at first, that the
man was joking, but gradually he be-
came nervous, did not know what to
think, and was relieved when the myste-
rious guest went to his room and the
castle was closed for the night
All the household was apparently abed
and asleep, except Andree, who, in the
drawing room, fingered over her harpsi-
chord
Now this Joseph Balsamo-that was
his real name-was he who subsequently
acquired such fame as Cagliostro, the
magician. He had studied hypnotism-
or mesmerism-as it was then called and
was an expert in that line
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Announcing the Dauphiness

When Nicole went to attend her mis-
tress in the morning she made several re-
marks, limiting at what she thought she
knew. But Andree, of course, failed to
understand what the girl was talking
about and closed her mouth by telling her
she was impairment.
Nicole sought Gilbert and told him
plainly what she had seen. Gilbert told
her she was a fool; and so sincere was
he in his denial of Nicoles suspicious
that she believed him, but was mystified
and perplexed
When. Balsamo met his host in the
morning he announced to him that in
two hours the Dauphiness would arrive
at Taverney and that Philippe would
be with her. The baron was thrown
into state of great agitation.
How can | receive a daughter of the
Caesars in this poverty stricken kennel?'
he cried.
The Dauphiness arrived with her gilt
tering train. and, through the instru-
mentality of Balsamo, who drew on what
the baron thought was his magic, but
was, in reality, only the resources of his
travelling carriage, a fitting breakfast was
laid out for her, served with marvellous
plate and beautiful china and glass. 1t
was served under an arbor.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
No Fishing Songs

Inc romance and tragedy of our ash
cries have not been ignored in American
literature, nor. in the view of lsiplings
Captains Courageous in the Literature
or England, either. But they have hec,
celebrated chiefly in prose. We have no
American song to compare In sInnplicit,
pathos and popular appeal with the
Caller Herrin." of Scotland. asavs the
Youths companion.
40 be sure our leading matketable
nsh' the cod. does not-not oven tho
s"creo Goldfish of Bostonl-lend Itself
readily, either by name or cstracteris.
'lcs' TO poetic use. "Fresh codashs
even were it ever cried through orr
streets would maks no such nelodions
appeal to the ear as the caller herrip +,
Wna II buy my caller herrin'?" Of thu
picturesque Scotch fshwlves
II was their crying of their wares on
George street Edinburgh, the voices
hilhsllhg with the bells of ST Andre,+,s
that inspired Lady Marine as size lean.d
rom her window, to eomuose ~. rstba.
lhproVlse the sweetly familiar sone "a
an old tune of Nell Cow. Lady Na{r,,o.
knew well the hardships of the MN an.
women of the fisheries. She knew tb,,
"eisht Oh the women's creels and the
eAh"ustns labors of the men. She
hneW now often the fishermen were too
desperately weary even to wade ,asho4e
Nhep their battered boats made nort
ana how their strong-armed wivas
splashlng fresh and vigorous To tbeir
ald, would lift and carry them bodil,,
TO the beach. in accordance with The OLD
Newhaven custom.
rms Is the day of the steam trav1er
ana the electric power boat. The fish,
ing fleet of Newhaven is reduced ia
dozen sail, and the fshwives are few
lndeed compared with The days in which
Lady Marine sung, and Charles Reada
wrote of his splendid hshwife heroine
OHrislie Johnstone' Nevertheless.
there are fshwives still. Very -ecent1,,
Mrs. King of Newhaven went to I.ondou
with a deputation of working women
ana with her fine shrewd old face. her
modest direct and admirable sneecb
ana her broad Scottish accent, made Il
deep impression upon the cabinet min
lsters with whom she pleaded Tor sur
frage
ihere Is living. too an old woman
called, half in jest. half in earnest. the
Queen of Newhayen.p She is now so
out at 50 "something-she didna ken
precisely what--a sort of eIoseness in
the chest'-aiIected her so that she has
not carried a creel since.
a lshWife's ereel which rests upon
the back below the waist and is steadied
by band around the forehead. holds a
hundred weight more Of large ones
Formerly the long procession OF sturdy
shoft-pettieoated women carrying each
her lull two hundred weight. and
marching up from the port over tie
steep hill to the city markets. was one
OF the notable sights of Edinburgh.
Heavy as the burdens were, they seldom,
seemed to oppress the bearers: that
which really weighed upon their lives
was the peril of the men.
Whall buy my caller herr.r'?
~ ye may ca them vulgar farm:
Wives and mithers maist lespairin,
ca them--lives o. men,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
The william Discovered

Balsamo came to Trianon and threw
Andree again into an hypnotic sleep. In
it she told all that had taken place after
Balsamo mad left her.
When the magician awolse her she had
no remembrance of what she had said,
and they did not tell her that the name
OF the criminal was Gilbert
Philippe and Andree disappeared and
sought the pavilion in the warden where
they had first established themselves in
Paris.
Gilbert, who had fed when Philippe
had returned, now tracked Andree. and
one day. when she was alone, he ap-
peared to her and begged her to marry
him. declaring that he was the father of
the child about to be born to her
She repulsed him with scorn and con
tempt. driving him from the house with
insult.
Gilbert sought Balsamo. The sorcerer
was in a detected state of mind. Althotas.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Their Fortunes Restored

Marie Antoinette, knowing the poverty
of the Taverneys, declared that she had
only stopped for a glass of milk and to
pay her respects to the baron and his
daughter.
She would not incommode- them by en-
tering the castle with her many attend
ants; she really much preferred the trees
and the flowers and the fine prospect out
Of doors. In short, she charmed all and
put all at their ease.
When she left the chateau she babe
the baron follow her with his daughter
in a royal carriage which she left behind
for his convenience. Andree should hence
forth be attached to her own person and
the baron re-establshed at court, while
the promotion of Philippe would be her
first care
Nicole, convinced that Andree was not
in love with Gilbert, and having been
roughly rejected by that youth when she
proposed to marry him out of hand was
taken back into the good graces of her
mistress and went with her to Paris.
while old La Brie was taken along as the
baron's attendant
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Du Barry's Family

This Viscount, from having been the
protector" of Mile. Lange, had,A now
that she had become the woman whom
the King delighted to honor, taken it
upon himself to bestow upon his former
protege the title of the Countess Du Barry
and to confer Upon himself the title of
the favorite's "brother'
Mile. Chon, the good natured young
lady who picked up the fallen Gilbert
and brought him to Versailles in her car
riage was sister to both the Viscount and
the Countess by grace of an edict of the
same. Jean. Du Barry, whose debauchery
noteworthy even in the reign of Louis
XIV, had won for him the name ''The
Rcue."
The Du Barry having been raised to
the shameful eminence formerly occu-
pied by Nine. de Pompadour, she and her
self-eonstituted family were pundering
the King and the nation with zest and In
dustry.
The Duke de Choiseul, the prime min
lister, who had governed through the
Pompadour, felt himself strong enough
to seorn the aid of the Du Barry, and
the. favorte, on her part hated the
Duke and vowed his overthrow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
"A Great Gulf Fixed

Except that now and then Andree
managed to get a little money to give
to Nicole. wages were never paid now
at the Chateau de Taverney--and at
times there was hardly enough to eat
In fact, had not Gilbert. discovering
that Andree liked game. made it his
chief business to poach upon the neigh
boring estates, the fare would have
been slim indeed at Taverney
Andree was 16 and radiantly beauti-
ful Her mother, whose memory she
worshiped, had died when she was n
young child.
She had been educated at convent
from which she had lately returned and
was most excellent musician. Her
harpsichord was her chief amusement
and delight.
There was a brother, older than An
dree, an officer in the army and now
stationed at Strasbourg.
Andree. though gracious to all, was
essentially an aristoerat. Between those
or noble birth and the common people
there seemed to be great gulf fixed
AT times she showed this by little
naughty turns of speech and manner.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21

what became of Gilbert or how he got
food; not sou did they leave him, not
a farewell was spoken to him.
Anger, passion, the sting Of hurt pride
tossed the soul of Gilbert into a tumult
and he set out to follow the travelling
carriage on foot to Parts.
And now suppose few weeks to have
passed and the baron's family and Gill
bert both established in the French cap
itals
Gilbert had fallen in with Jean
JACQUES Rosseau and was now a tenant
sof the attic of the philosophers squaid
house, while he earned his bread by copy
ing music for Jean Jasques.
He' had been through series of ad-
ventures Failing on the road from hun
ger and fatigue, he had been picked up
by woman who was travelling post haste
to Paris with her alleged brother, the
Viscount Jean Du Barry.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Punishment at Last


Ghoert accused Balsamo of being A
party to his crime. n that he had ben
the cause Of his temptation. and asked
money, that he might support the child
about to be born.
Balsamo gave him money, and later
Andree's newly born child was stolen by
Gilbert and carried to a remote village.
where it was placed at nurse and the
money given by Balsamo deposited with
notary for its bringing UP.
Andree retired to a convent and hecaroa
a nun. while Gilbert knowing that phil
ippe sought his life. took ship for Amer
lea.
But Philippe was a passenger on board
that same ship, and when the vessel put
in at the Azores for water and the pas
sengers went ashore, the two men met in
a lonely place and Philippe put his sword
through Gilbert's heart.
The fate of the other characters In This
story is matter of history. Balsamo died
in prison and the others, for the most
part, died upon the scaffold.
Next weeks one-page classic win ha
"Polyeucte," by Pierre Cornellle.
Copyright. 1913, by Irving King4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
A Half Baked PHILOSOPHER

sue moving as she believed in another
sphere, had no more idea that Gilbert
was in love with her than the moon has
that dogs bay at it. The idea was so
pfeposterous that, had she suspected Il,
veXation would probably have been swal-
lowed up in amusement at The very
ridlculousness Of the thing.
dreamer, an egotst, filled with an
overweening idea of his own intellect an
ambitious, half-baled philosopher with
a strong leaven OF sensualism and saw
asery In him, Gilbert waited and planned.
AS for Nicole, she fancied herself in
love with Gilbert and prosecuted the
boy with her attentions
All men are equal" Gilbert would
tell himself with eonviction-and then
think, 'Nicole IS young. Nicoe is pretty
but what have l, an Intellectual, to
do with common, uneducated serving
woman like her?r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
MEMOIRS OF a PHYSICIAN e-:.:55=-.

mind that the young man was in love
with her. but she dismissed the idea as
being too preposterous.
She did not know that Gilbert had at
the risk of his own life, saved er's-but
he had.
At the great exhibition of fireworks,
given at Paris in honor of the marriage
of the Dauphin, Andree, WHO had left
her carriage to get better view of the
affair, was caught in the wild mob of
terror stricken people who rushed tram
pling each other under foot, from the
Place Louis XIV when, by an accident,
the fireworks were prematurely dis
charged and sent hurtling among the
crowd
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
A Sacrifice Demanded

Andree had been so terrorized that
she had not known who it was that had
at first assisted her fight. In the night
and in her half-conscious state she had
not seen that it was Gilbert-she thought
only of Balsamo as the man who had
rescued her
Andree's ignoring of this incident was
set down by Gilbert to her scorn of
him and added a desperate rage against
her to his wild love.
In the house of the Balsamo old Altho-
tas, the seeker after the elixir of life,
was continually imploring the conjurer
to steal for him, a child.
The half-crazed old man said that he
had now all the necessary ingredients
of the elixir except one-that was the
last drops of the blood of an infant.
Balsamo told him that such a request
was preposterous and refused.
WELL said Althotas, the last drops
of the blood of a virgin will do as we'll
And | warn You that if YOU do not sup
ply my needs | viii supply them myself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Drawing Wrong Conclusions

When She awoke the next morning she
was surprised to find herself lying still
dressed and was oppressed by a languld
feeling and severe headache. OF what
had taken place the night before she,
of course, had no. remembrance.
But the evening before Gilbert had been
watching Andree and Nicoe had been
watching Gilbert.
Gilbert had seen Andree go to the
room of Balsamo, had waited and seen
her leave 1t and so TO her own. Nicole
had softly stole IN to the hail. just in
time to see the form of Andree disap-
pearing down the corridor in the direc-
tion of her chamber, and to see Gilbert
standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Ah,' Gilbert had thought 80 made
moselle keeps an appointment with this
strangerr'
And Nicole had thought; "Ah, so my
naughty mistress is in love with Gill
bertl'
Both drew their own conclusions-and
both, as we know. drew them wrong.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21

her sister" she had taken Gilbert to
Luciennss, proposing to make the young
philosopher a companion of the Du
Barrys negro dwarf, zamore-he might
be made vastly amusing.
But Gilbert fed in anger from the cha
teau, and walking toward Paris fell in
with Rousseau. He was taken into the
employment of Jean Jacques, as has
been said
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Once More a Courtier

When Nine. Du Barry saw Balsamo
at court she was startled.
Years before when she had been a
woman of the street, this man had fol-
lowed her into lonely garden and,
after looking at her sternly. had said to
her: .'You have a strange future-you
will, one day be Queen of France '-and
suddenly disappeared.
After the presentation Du Barry&ools
an opportunity to speak apart with Bal
samo and recalled the circumstance to
him.
And did I not speak truth, madame?''
he asked.
'Yes;- ! am Queen of France-practl-
caly-aImost, she answered, and told
him that, for his prophecy, she who was
now so powerful, would grant him the
first request he made of her.
The Dauphiness set up her court al
the Little Trianon and in that court An
dree took up the post of reader to her
royal highness.
The Baron, under the tutelage OF his
old friend, the Marshal Richelieu, became
once more courtier of Versailles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Dreaming of Social Equality

AS for Gilbert, the good for moth
ing the lazy bones,' as the baron
called him. he fancied himself young
philosopher.
IL was toward the end of the reign
oi Louis XIV. when the writings of
rousseau, voltaire and the other mill
osophers and encyclopedists were
troubling the French mind and wan
derlng pedlers occasionally brought to
the chateau of Taverney books which
'he young Gilbert managed, in one
way or another, to buy from them
hosseau was his idol He had read
the SOCIAL Contractp over and over
asain. He had saturated himself with
the idea of social equality, and had
dared to lift his eyes to Andree
lie w.orshipped her at distance. new
er' IN spite of his philosophy, daring to
maintain anything except the bearing
OF serf in her presence
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
4 CL A S SIC
IN A P A G E
Copyright. 1919 by Irving King. All ,
ri iohfs reeaf.ved 4

rights reserved)
1t needs an Introductory note to ex-
plain. why this story of the last years
of the long and disastrous reign of
Louis XIV was called by Dumas the
Memoirs of a Physician" The explain
alton is that the. tale is supposed to be
the memoirs of Balsamo, that char
latan who SO long and successfully
sulled Europe.
The story is filled with admirable
pictures of the celebrated men and
women of the times in which the ac-
tion takes place, and the morals of the
times were such as to allow fun scope
for the peculiar genius of Dumas,
which never rises higher than when
depicting the sensual and the horrible.
Dumas was great genius, no doubt,
and this is one of his masterpieces,
which, in many respects, especially in
the way in which he makes the court
of Louis XIV live again and the gilt
tering pageant pass before u.s.
But one cannot help thinking that
Gilbert should have been killed in the
first chapter. Also, Dumas gives Bal
Eamo and Lorenza characters utterly
at variance with historic facts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Employed by Rousseau

BY ''cutting cross lots " Chon got
ahead of the cortege of the Dauphiness.
and before the marriage festivities were
over at Compeigne and st. Cloud the
Countess de Bearn had presented the
Countess Du Barry TO the court OF ver-
saifles
And hard bargain did the shrewd old
woman make with the Du Barrys for
her compliance.
When Chon had arrived back from
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Seeking Refuge in the Castle

Finally, calming himself he exam
ined the stunned position and two
horses which remained and found that
they had not been seriously injured
The horses raised themselves from the
ground and the man soothed and
calmed them; the position soon recov-
cred.
Then the stranger asked the boy his
name. 1t was Gilbert-that was his
family name.
He was an inmate Of the household of
the Baron de Taverney. whose chateau
was not far away He was foster
brother to the barons daughter, Mile.
Andree.
In spite of the youths protestations
that the baron would not receive him
that he received nobody--the stran-
ger forced Gilbert to guide him to the
castle.
The baron received his self-invited
guest ungraciously at first. but when
the traveller announced himself as the
Count Joseph Balsamo he consented
to give him supper and nights lodg
ing, while the curious travelling car
riage with the ancient alchemist inside
of it-an old servant, the count said
was installed under such portion of the
roof of a ramshackle shed as remained.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Vague Fears

And the Marshal, at enmity with the
Du Barry, conceived the iniquitous
scheme of supplanting her with his
friends daughter He half revealed his
plan to the old Baron--and the Baron
seemed complaisant-provided he should
know nothing about the matter until it
was an accomplished fact.
Philippe was away with his regiment
the King had promised him cq1onelcy.
Andree felt a vague fear. She knew
she was surrounded by hidden dangers.
She felt alone and helpless. afraid of
she knew not what
When Gilbert saw the pavilion in the
garden deserted and learned that the
Taverneys had gone to Versailles, she.
through the Influence of Rosseau with
the Kings botanist, NJ. Jussieu, obtained
the post of under gardener at the Little
Trianon. where he spied continually upon
Andree and constantly put himself in
her way.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Her Unknown Rescuer

Address was amused at first, then con-
temptuous and then trifle disturbed
almost alarmed-at the manner in which
Gilbert haunted her. She could not inn
agine the cause of his actions aad treated
him with naughty contempt.
Once or twice the thought crossed her
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
An Unwilling Subject

He had watched Andree closely at sup
per-had even experimental upon her and
found that she Was a good sNbject''
AS Andree sat at her harpsichord lie
came to the door of the drawing room.
She saw his face in a mirrors which was
in front of her
He threw her into a mesmeric state
and caused her to arise in her hypnotic
sleep and go to his ROOM He ques-
toned her as 10 the young woman who
had escaped from him-of Lorenza Fell
ciana.
This poor> girl Balsamo had accident
ally met in Italy She was novitiate
in convent But he discovered that
she was easily hypnotized by him and
had wonderful power of clairvoyance in
her hypnotic state.
He hypnotized her and compelled her
to fly with hm-and now she had fled
from him. When hypnotized Lorenza
semed perfectly happy and was filled
with affection for Balsamo
But when not under his mesmeric IN
fiuence she hated and feared her alb
ductor and sought by every means 10
escape from him.
But the success of his plans and of
his pose as a magician required that he
should always have at hand a sub
ject' who could supply him., under the
mesmeric SPELL with information of
which he could make use.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21

waited upon Andree and.-often, per-
haps, with Andrees help--,lid the
cooking and other household work: and
besides Gilbert, who did as little as
he might--a man past the meridian of
life, born on the estate and called La
Brie
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Hate and Love

The attic window of the house of ths
philosopher looked upon garden
which lay between the houses in the
Rue Plastriere and the Rue Jussienne.
This garden belonged to a great house
in the latter street and in it was a
small house, or PAVILION, quite shut off
and retired.
There the Baron de Taverney had es-
tablished himself with his family until
such time as the Dauphiness should
make her court and summon himself and
daughter.
What was Gilbert's agitation when he
found that fate chance, destiny-what
you will-had thus brought him again
into the neighborhood of Andree
Many hours did he watch from his
garret window for a sight of her and,
by means of a rope. he even descended
into the gardens at night, watching
shamelessly at windows and behind doors
for the movements of the girl whom he
at times hated and execrated for her
pride, and at others worshipped with a
consuming fire
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
Cured of His Love

When the King found next day that
Andree was not dead he did not know
what to think But his terrible experience
had cured him of all love for her and he
hinted that she should leave court
Philippe returned from his post and
found his sister i'll. The physician told
him what he could not believe and that
which Andree declared with horror could
not be true.
In long talk with Philippe, Andree
told him of the strange influence which
Balsamo could exercise over her, and
that, on the night when Nicole had fled,
she had experienced the feeling that he
was near her, but remembered nothing
further.
Philippe sought Balsamo. who told him
the whole story up to the time he had
left Address In the garden.