Year: 1875

Some years since, two wealthy bachelors
lived in the vicinity of Paris. They had
young maid of-ai. work named Maria De La
Font. Maria was a sweet, pretty girl, aud
lively and piqnant in her manners, although
modest in the extreme, and this was the reason
that the two brothers kept her in their employ
They knew that she was frugal, economical,
and dressed in the most moderate manner
imaginable. One day, Maria surprised her
employers By Informing. them that young
artisan residing in Paris had asked her hand.
They strove to dissuade her from accepting
the offer of marriage, but shc told them that
she could not be happy unless she became the
vile of her dear Henri. So it was arranged
that she should quit the service of the two
brothers at tho end of the coming month


One day during this interval the two
brothers sold some valuable real estate which
they owned jointly, and the sum realized,
amounted to 106,000 francs 1t was all in
bills on the Bank Of France. and was paid too
late for deposit the same afternoon.


Night came, and as the old bachelors sell
dom had such large amount in the house,
they were considerably concerned lest robbers
should attempt to rob them. Their fears were
strengthened by the numerous burrlarios that
had recently taken place in that vicinity.


The residence of the old men was some dis
tance from the main road, and stood near the
river Seine. It was lonely, gloomy location,
and on the night in question the wind swept
through the tall arches surrounding the man
sion with doleful aud moaning cadence.


About midnight, the old men retired, but
scarcely had they fallen asleep, when Maria
raped at their door and informed them that
robbers were at work below.


Both the bachelors ware farrib1u. r;ohton.
ed, and while one commenced to bar tho door,
the other began removing q tile from the
hearth to hide the bills.


'YOu have euu," said Maria, "take it
and shoot the Williams"


But the two trembling men paid no lead
to her advice


"Cowards !" said the brave girl, scornfully;
81 wish that were man for FIVE minutes" !"


Just then there came heavy crash from
the apartments below.


The brothers crept beneath the bed, where
they shivered and criDgcd, unable to speak
from terror.


eve shall all be murdered IN our beds, :"
said the girl ave will be found by the
police in the morning with our thrOats cut
from ear to ear. Peste! fools give me the
gun"


She seized the double. bsrrelled gun that
laid upon the shelf, and started down stairs,
while the two frightened men watched her
without saying word. Presently bang
went the gun and groan was heard Bang
went the second barrel, and a screech of pain
rosouuded through the house that caused the
blood of the brothers to run cold


y A brief pause eusued, and then Maria came
tripping up stairs, but her face wore a deter
mined, satisfied look She asked for powder
and ball, to reload, which we're furnished /;
but before she finished loading, footsteps were
heard retreating from the house.


No one slept in the house that night. nor
were they again molested. But At early dawn,
on going down stairs, pool of blood on the
hall floor showed that one robber at least had
been seriously, II not mortaiIy Wounded
And it was plain to see by the bloody path in
the earth that the victim had been dragged
to the river. Gore marked the whole dis
tauce, and the police were at once put on the
alert for the arrest of the living thieves and
the recovery of the body oft dead one.


But all efforts proved vain. and the bravery
of the young girl was discussed far and near.


The grestful bachelors were so overpoWet>
ed, that they offered to give Maria dover.
..Ahl moesiepr," replied she affection
stely, chow can ! leave you? You msy