Year: 1872

alarm, and anxious to efface the impress
sion OF 1t, and to appear at ease.


So the marquis began the story, telling
it very much as have told it to you, no
doubt adding an account of his own per-
sonal feelings, which have spared the
reader, and the company tried to recover
themselves and be amused. Meantime
the noise went on overhead; every time
the piano was touched, it sounded forth
with new fury, until the thing ceased to
be good joke, or to be bearable with the
elegant Inconsistencies suited to the po-
sitions of high-born people. The best
and the guests begant to show premonitory
symptoms of leave-taking The mar
chioness tried to appear calmly inditfer-
ent-but secretly there boiled such wrath
within her as BODIED ill to the daring dis
turber of her dignity.


Meantime the excellent Mrs. Cutie
went was relieving her injured feelings in
her occupation up stairs. Having had
the carpet removed from the floor, the
musical box, or, as we would call it, the
hand-organ, was placed fiat on the bare
boards of the flooring, Immediately over
the spot where the DeESaintville's grand
piano stood in the room below. 1t was
rather uncomfortable, squatting on the
llOOI 81 DIS w UC dCdl W tllC HlU-
die to grind effectively; but Mrs. Cutie
went had a soul above difficulties, and
was equal to the emergency. She stopped
to conquer! Having arranged her organ
to her liking, she had refrained even from
trying it, that not sound might disturb
the perfection of the surprise she had pre-
pared with such care.


The first note of the piano below was
the signal, and she had time to settle her.
self in an attitude as comfortable as cir
cumstances would permit, take breath,
and wait for a sufficiently touching point
in the music-at which she Joined in with
startling effect, as l have described, and
which must have delighted the old lady's
heart to witness.


Encouraged by the sounds of surprise
and alarm, and the cessation of the music
below, which she rightly interpreted as
signs of the sensation she was creating,
she began afresh after one single pause of
intense enjoyment. So she kept it up.
When she became exhausted, as was soon
the case, for she was fat and short of
wind, the two maids, the man-servant,
and the boy, took their turns; and, with
such efficient helps, she was able to con-
tinue the melodious howl until the de-
parture of the guests below told her she
might give up the fray, and retire to her
peaceful couch, with the consciousness of
having done her duty with all her might.


But the De Saintvilles were not dis
posed to peaceful slumber.


"You must complain to the police !'
the ladies were exclaiming. 'It is past
endurance Are we to put up with such
downright insolence-or even the freaks
of crazy woman ?''


"The complaint shall be made the first
~. > ~
determination. cit is very well to
make funny story of her absurdities
but when she disturbs our quiet, and in
suits our guests, and makes our very lives
a burden to us, it is time to take measures
to put stop to her annoyances."


81 wish we had taken severe measures
before this occurred" said the marchion-
ess, whose feelings were sadly tried.
"The duchess seemed to feel it a personal
insult offered to her the more so, be-
cause your excellent wit sought to give it
an amusing turn she was positively rude
in her manner when she said, just as she
was going away, THAT horrid woman's
music has given me such fright and such
a headache, that / shall not get over it in
an age"


"Do not mind it, madame; it is very
provoking, but past rectifying now. Sc
we're measures shall be taken tomorrow,
and we will have the old nuisance out of
the house before she is a day older-or
she shall give bonds to walk on her tip
toes, and not to speak word above a
whisper for the rest of her mortal life
trust me ="


AS to the amount of slumber enjoyed
by the noble family of De Saintville on
this particular night, am not competent
to testify; but this know that an early
hour found the marquis stirring, the con-
templated errand to the police-office still
uppermost in his mind.


While waiting for servant to bring
his surtout, for the morning was cool, the
marquis sauntered through the rooms,
and passing by the grand piano, which
had been carelessly left open in the eX-
citement of the last nights events, he sat
down before it, and began running his fin
gers idly along the keys after the manner
Of musicians. AS if to arouse him to a
sense of his duty-and it certainly had
that effect-Mrs. Cuttlewent's organ sud
denly began to fill his ears with its awful
discords. Springing to his feet, the in
censed gentleman rushed to the door and
down into the street, entirely oblivious of
the chill air and the comfortable surtout
for which he had been waiting.
And all this commotion because Mrs.
Cuttlewent chose to perform her morning
song upon the organ at that particular mo-
ment! All, that excellent lady was not to
be caught mapping! To be sure she had
been lying on the peaceful couch before
referred to, at the moment when the mar
quis' finger sounded the first note ON the
piano; but the second note saw her up
and running across the floor to the room
devoted to the hand-organ; and the third,
or fourth, at any rate, the halt -dozenh note,
| found her sitting on the floor in her night
dress, the ruffie on her nightcap still
tremblingly testifying to the speed of her
movements, and the deafening shrieks of
the distressed organ to the energy of her
hand.


The marchioness, aroused from he1
morning nap, lay rejoicing in the utter
rOut and confusion she had prepared for
the belligerent old woman, and impatient
for the return of her son with the strong
arm of the law to protect them.
At length he came with his report; he
had been heard and promised redress; the
old woman was to be silenced, and theiI
family peace restored. The gendarmes
would visit their enemy and bring her to
| terms in the course of the day.
| A noise on the stairs-they are coming
nC LIZ CdllbNlllSo NCIC CACllCNl, IOh
could they help it at such a crisis of fate:
regret to say, though justice demands the
truth, our noble friends were guilty OF
listening, with the door on crack, to the
conversation going on above. In common
people like ourselves this little weakness
Were nothing, but only the greatest inter
est and excitement could excuse it on the
part of representatives of the French no
bility.


"What does the man want?" inquired
the voice of Mrs. Cuttlewent.


Are you Mrs. Aurelia Cuttlewent, wife
OF Montgomery Cutt1ewent, a native OF
England, resident of Paris, and occupant


of this apartments"


"4es, yes; what do you want of me:
Have you come to search the apartment,
/ never meddle with politics. | do moi
receive stolen goods. What is the occa
sion of this visit9"


''It is misunderstanding, doubtless
was the polite reply MADAME has bee |
| cnmy1ainod f,f hv the OccupaDfs of tb,