Year: 1869

than lear, and the lady stood before me like
q lioness at bay. Even then | could not
help but note the splendid beauty Of this
grand lady, Tall and slender, eyes black
and flashing almost lurid now, the specta-
Gle she presented, standing there in the
middle Of the apartment, was more the
appearance of queen than haunted crimi-
nal.


Il must, l replied; Il do not doubt
your Innocence. Looking into your face,
it is strange that any one could couple it
With guilt; but am constrained to do my
duty Madame, however inimical it may be
to my feelings


"Will you allow me to change my dress?'
she said, in tone almost pleasant. The
hard lines around her mouth had relaxed,
and tie passionate glow on the face gave way
to pleasant smile


Certainly, ] will wait for you here.


i wish also to send message for a
friend will you permit him to pass p


Certainly"


This was my first interview with Eugenia
Cornille. | had seen her here for months.
the leader Of our gayest and most fashiona.
Jle society. In her splendid mansion she
dispensed with the most profuse and ele-
gait hospitality.


A Spanish Lady-a widow she had repre-
sented herself, and had been resident here
almost year. No one ever suspected her
of being aught than what she seemed, until
one day / was ordered to arrest her as
murderess.


1t was now alleged, said Mr. f., that this
beauty was no other than the woman who
had poisoned her husband in Havana, and
fled with all his wealth. An immense re-
ward was offered for her apprehension, and
the circumstances that had come to our
knowledge pointed her out beyond all doubt
as the person we were in search of. Yet
the person who recognized her the evening
before at the theatre advised us to be care
ful lest she should escape us. l laughed at
the idea. Mr.. /. and myself we're surely
sufficient to arrest lady. We were old
enough in the ways Of cunning to defeat any
such attempt. When the lady left me
stepped to the window, and said to Mr.. L,
who was waiting at the door


THE lady desires to send messenger for
a friend suffer him to pass.


Almost at the same instant, the door o.
the apartment opened, and youth, appa-
rently mulatto boy, came out and passed
hurriedly through the room into the hall,
and from thence into the street. 1t was, nc
doubt, the messenger, l thought, and
picked up book and commenced reading.
Nearly an hour passed, and still the lady
lid not make her appearance, nor did The
boy return The friend she sent for must
live at some distance, l thought, or the lady
is unusually careful about her toilet, and so
another hour went By. At last / grew i'm
patient. and knocked at the door.


Madame, can wait no longer"


There was no reply, / Knocked repeat
", and at last determined to force an en-
trance. Strange fears harrassed me- / be-
gan to suspect, know not what. 1t took
but moment to drive in the door, and,
once in the room, the mystery was revealed.
The robes Of the lady lay upon the floor;
scattered over the floor were suits of boys
wearing apparel, similar to that worn by the
mulatto boy On the table was a cosmetic
that would stain the skin TO light delicate
brown. was foiled, for surety. The
lady escaped in the disguise of the messen
ger. | should have detected the ruse; l
felt humihated, and determined to redress
my error. | knew she would not remain in
the city an instant longer than she coald get
away. hurried to her bankers, but found
that she had drawn the amount due her an
hour before.


"Whe presented the check ~ asked of
The clerk.


"A mulatto boy. 1t was made payable
to bearer"


There was yet chance The French
steamer left within an hour. 1t was posi-
bic she would seek that means of escape.
| jumped in a cab and arrived there ten
minutes before she left tho wharf-just in
time to assist an aged, decrepit gentleman
into the cabin There were few passen-
gers; none of them answered the description
of the person | sought. l stood on the
wharf watching the receding vessel until it
disappeared l was in the act of turning
away when hackman approached me with
the remark:


"Mr. F., did you see that old man on
board Ho had a long white beard, and
hair that fell on his shoulders


YES"


"Wel, there's something curious about
him.


''Why2p


"Why, sir, when he got into my carriage
be was mulatto boy, and when he got out
he was an old man -


| will not repeat the expression used
then-it was neither refined nor polite, for
| knew the vessel would be far out to sea
before she could be overtaken. / was foiled
Icy woman. Nor could / help rejoicing,
nov that the chase was over, that she bad
escaped.


Innocent or guilty, there was a charm
about er none could resist The <ps'ndor
of her wondrous beauty affected all who ap
preached her 1t fingers in my memory
yet, and / could not have the sin of her
blood upon my conscience.


~-G@-


The LITTLE ONES. DO you ever think
what work a child does in day? Hew,
from sunrise TO sunset, the dear little feet