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Show I A STRANGE STOItY. One (jirinij twilight, In tlie ycnr 17M, ft linn, j-uunn; nnd handsome", sat writing writ-ing In die cliimbcr of n serin led licniso not far from tlio old Electoral )lnco n( Htiddciilj- lio ilnrml his pen villi n stiullod cry, Tlio fan of a woinnn, dim nnd j ct licri-clly dlsllnct, had npiwanil bctnccnliim nnd liU nor.. Ho looked up. Itlmnz llowcrllkt) lu tlio nlr nlnlo Mm lio rushed toward llio open win flow It was there, amlllng Milly in tlio fading light, Adnm Lux strrt lied out Ilia nnna passionately to tlio lsloti. "Ah, joucotno tonio again" lio Mid "Who nro J ou? Why do J oil puraiio inu? llonutifnl shadow, whither shall 1 go to find jour atibstAnco? Do yuu exist In . . tho llcsh, or iiro you only n tpirlt le- B'i lnilroivs maddening" H . i "Adam Uouain Adam," n Rirl'a volco Ml cnllcd from tho court lioluwi ' Icarojutir i I ntnpld writing and tomo down toluol j It la l-.Margarether j Adam Lux passed bis hands across hla H ejes. Thololcsof Margarctlm dissolved i j tlio spell which held him. Vj t Ilia dream maiden anlshfd. Ho tie H ccended a corkscrew stair to n court full B of shad iws, where ft gitl dressed na for M 9 n fete at'iotl tlAbhlliig her plump hands B W In the fountain B VI "You lata forgotten my birthday, B fl' cousin," alio pontod "Of Into you think j ft of nothing but liberty, f rati mil), mnl- K lly, 111.0 thou mad folks In furls who K hare cut ( II tho bond of their king," B ; I "l'nrdon me, 1 did forgot! lumbuta H "i sorry loicr, Margarotho." H d Bha alghed deeply. B B "You ore no lover of lnlno, Adam. BJ a Oars la a betrothal of handa, not of HJ ' hearts. You cam nothing for lol o." m Ho took n turn ncrnu tho court. IIo , had a Una fnco, with dark broira nrcli- HJfjl log over Tioltt ejes, unl llllin lialr Hm alightly powdered. A atrnngo amilo np- HJ T pennd on his lips. t'; "1 Ioto not llcsli nnd blond, Margn- ( relho, but a phantom, n shadow," ho I answered, u ith his eyes full or droaini. HJ i," "Llatcnl It enmo to me ouo night ns 1 HI J was walking In tho gardens of tho F-lcc- Hi j i toral palaco, a woman's fnco, whito ns ( raarblo w hito as ono of tho garden Hi i lilies Just blown; In tho chin n deep ' i dlmplo, nbout tho perfect mouth an ox presalon of sidness nnd irra lty t u fnco HJ j with great cyoa of uufathouuiblo dirk HJ j new, fringed with lashes ns blnck as Hi -t night, and hair dark also and lustrous, Bin tho full rich curia, tipped with nuhiirn, BJI falling ugalu.t a neck llkoa tolumuof Bl I peurl." i, "Oh," cried Mnrgarctho in dlsmny, Ba'BJ "how very lieautlful she mint bet BJf Bnrelythcro Is no woman llko that In Bl ollMnyoncol' Bm W i "Truo," ho answered, "nor In tho BS u i world, I car. It Is the ghoat of aonio Bl Ureek goddru that has entered my B)J brain and will not bo dislodged. To- Bjltj night alio camo to mo again In tho ch im BjJj ber nboTO etalrs. Itwaajour olco that BB H f rlthtoned her qits) ." R liars stood In JMargnrotho r; cs. faho Bu tau Jealoua and porjuexeil. A V "It was wrong of mo lo tell yon theso M i things," ho continued. "You nro n luoro m i child, Margarcthe, with tho heart of a mW child. Como, lot us talk of other mnt- B ) ten. A great honor has licen confirm! Vl 1 nponmobytho jieoplo of Mn)tnco. 1 B Vl liavo been chosen n dej nty lo go to 1'nrla M fli nnd rrqutU tho Annexation of this city jfCl to Trance " Kyfi' "I'nrlr sobbeil Jlargarclho. "That HiJ is a long way om When will )ou go?" 'fx "Tomorrow by diligence." ji "You will neur, never como lack, Bif Adaml" M m "Heaven only knows," ho nnswcrctl qulstl). fv Lux was an ardent ltcptibllcaii. Tho MM mission to Tarls suited him veil. His fK handiomo head wus full of other mid Bt luoro dangerous phantoms than drt im B tnaldeus. On tho following day ho U hiasod poor, wcepingMnrgnrothoiroodliy Vih in tlio old court, nnd Mnrtod for tho B Trench capltnl, wberojenu Tnul Ularnt B was then at tho height of his tcrrlblo ssssh lower. Hl'. Lux took lodging In tho lttio St. H j Honoro nnd hurried to tlio convention to f, solicit, In tho nuiiio of Uoriuiu npub- S'. llcans, tho annexation of his until o city I to l'rauoo. The chamber on th it day I was full of tumult. Alarut hideous, j loud uiouthod I renchlug tuinfuicro nud auurcliy, was tlio lo idor of La Montngno. I As ho ranted In tho tril uue, Adam Lux i looked lit Klin In disgust Ills head won ' too large for hla ld) ; his lean, sickly faco was tmspeakuhl) repulsive. Ho woro n patched uud dirt) waistcoat, cotton cot-ton VLhot troimrn stilned with Ink, shoes full of nulls mid tied with pack tliruud, n rngcd shirt, nnd (.reiuy hair ci ufluod with a thong On his detply cleft mouth a tnidoula grin ttpinarod continually. His look wus full of lino lsnco nnd power "A monster in body and In (OulP thuunht Adam Lux. who found tho ox ternal nipccta of liberty In 1'uris tar from pleasant. Bw 'll'r came. Ono hot and Imnlhloss H'. night Lux left tho comiutlon in n do HIU jectcd framo of mind. Ho felt mocked, iWAwj If deluded, dlneourugi 1. A scoro of high IBm and haughty liuuli had fallen elnco Bf morning Into tho sack of Muduit nt tho BBfli foot of thogulllotiue. Ilostuiped on the BBJ 1'ont ISetif tnlook nt tho sunset behind I tho trees of the Champs 1'!) htos. 1 hat. too, seemed n vast streak of blood ith ft shudder ho turned nnd walked l(VM ftwny to the kardens of tho ralats Uo nl. K There the j otiug deuty bi gau luteiug IB aimlessly ubutit, ubsorlied in unhappy My; tin uht rresentl) ho henrd n llglit ItH!; B. i. A woman wus advancing tow nnl IBJr him under the galleries. Adam Lux Hj eaw a f nro ) ni'ng and of nuinzing lie iu- IHltj ti, tho skin llko nlubastor, tho splendid IH j c ci uufatiiomabl) dark, a muss of IHitj clii'tnut curls, with nnhuru tliw. chin- IBl t liiu ngalnf t n dazxllng neck It ira.1 IH, hi dreaiii miiiden in tho llih tho suit- IHi ttlancoof that in) bteilousKhudnw which H h 1 tvMCO npiienrcd to him in hts own IBJ c ly of In euco. With mi ulisorued uir IBlli , io glided by Her whltediess I rushoil B& him reullv. Hisheurt gavo it furiom IB? bound. Ho turned nnd followed her. IMH'i Mm nt, ri 1 the bhop of u cutler, tho B' y ung d pmy entered also, tiho ntl R V ni I to the counter and said some. IBM tiling to the mull behind It Lux fulled IBM to ratch tho words, but tho cullhuted IBi vol o wasthatof a gi ntlon oinau IBji, '1 ho cutler pro lueed n tray of knives B In tlio idiodow of tho shop door Ailitti B'u Lnx saw her .rnlr t ono u poulird Bff.f In f with nil ebony haft. M I "The I rh ' alio uski d IBl' "Three francs, cllojenuo," answered ! tho cutler, Blio tut tho money on the counter, conceolcd tho hnifo under her silk ki r chief and returned to tho ftirden As sho stnloil herself on ono of tho stone liencliM Abutting on tlio arcade Ailatn Lux iKinsed at her side. "Kor pity's sake," he entreated, "toll me who you are. I bare known you for n long time, but your name whit Is jour mmer" Bho started nnd looktfl up, "Yon have known mo for a long time, cltoyenl' she echoed grniely "1 do not understand ni " "I am the detaity from .Mayence," he said, trtlng to pieaV cnlml). "It was nt Mnvenoothat )ou twice npiioarnl to me. 1'or dnys and weeks my alecjrfng nnd waking dreams lisle ljcen full of you 1 recognised im the Inatnnt that 1 saw you, It was Just before )ou cu tered tho culler's shop " A alight nlarm dawned in her oye. Her hand went up to In r silk fichu, under un-der which she had hidden the knlfo. Did sho think him n madman? 1 Ono should not dream In these perilous peril-ous davs, cltoycn," she said sternly) ' there is littlo prollt In dreams. IIo who loves lllicrty must act." "1 perceive that jou Are an nrlstocrnt yon belong to tho nobles, but jour mi mo your n.iiiii'" ho Insisted. Bho smiled sadly "l'nrdon, 1 cannot tell It now, cltoycn, but before many hours It will 1 in cury mouth." She nrcwo from tlio lx nch Ho ut out n hand to detain her. "btayl Btnyf" he entreated "Do not loaremo llovojou ardently, btruugf, lncompn hensibla ns this passion iiiuy ff-em to you.it will either snvo or destroy de-stroy me Iclitm )oul Whoever jou are, kuow tint yuu ltlong to inc, cr why Wtro von reveaM lo mo In tla rpirlt before my eyes could look on vour living, breathing beaut)? If joiigoliko this, leaving me no clow to ) our whuro-nlioiils, whuro-nlioiils, I may novi r seo ) on ngaiu " (Irively, coldly sho miaucrudi "Do not talk to me of lovo, clto)en) Icanuot coinircheml )ou I belong only to rraucol Iiefore tho revolution I won n llepubllcan You will sunly seo mo again, and then," Willi n strange nil 1 solemn cirta!on, "0U wilt tinier-stand tinier-stand everything Now, cltoycn, ndlim " "l'roinlse," lie urged wildly, "tint it shall bo so that 1 shall hoo ouagilu " "1 promise," sho unsworcd, mil moved raj Idly away Another day dawned nnd dwindled. It was the IStliof July, tho nnnliersnry oveot tho fall of tho LUatille. Ilia heat vi an Intenso nud tho streets of l'irls suarmed with ioplo. Adam Lux lift tho convention nt twilight. Marat the horrlhlo was 111; ho hail not npp'nrcd in tho chamber that day I'ligrossed with Ms in)sUrlous lovo rather than the affairs af-fairs of the public, Ad im Lux dlneil nt a rnfo with other deputies. In tho midst of tuHr meal, Harriot, tho ccuunamtnnt of tho nation il f;uard, nl pcared in tlio dour of tho cufe. "Look to )ounwhes, deputies!" ho shouted "Marat 1 dcadl Ho 1ms just lie n ussaislnutcd, nud b) tho hand cf a young girl " The deputies Willi ono accord rushed Into thostruot. Atertitlomobwassurg-Ing Atertitlomobwassurg-Ing by, filling tho nlr w ith cries mi 1 Im-prccntlons. Im-prccntlons. Lux found hlmlf swept u way with It to tho Ituo des Cordeliers, wheroMnrat lived It was n small, dl lapidated hoitso nud about Ha door that raging, roaring mnltltudo surged llko n sea. Yes, the leader of Li Montngnu hiil been stablicd to death by tho hand of a w oiuan. Adam Lnx, pressing up to the threshold, looked mid siw the murderess mur-deress coming down the stair, hernruis pinioned, ba)uuetssnrrounding her, tho llamlieaux of tlio ge iidariiies glaring upon Iter face, which had in It tho sublimity of supremo sacrifice. It woa hts dream innidcii "It is tho faco of an angel," said n woman near Adam Lux. "Who Is slier" Another voice answered, "An aristocrat aristo-crat w ho lins jourue) ed from Caen to do this deed Charlotte Corda) " A squid of fiurilcvrs rushed up nud cleared n jmssago for the rlsoner. "l'oor itooplel' liiuruiureil Cliarlotts Cordiy, looking with pit)ing c)es upon tho hoivllng mob, "jou wish in) death, when jou uwo mo an nltur for freeing j on from a moiivtcr." It was H o clock of a Jul) morning w hen up tho dark, deep stair In tho b iho-mcutwall iho-mcutwall of tho Palais do Justice tho iMiidnrmcs conducted Ch irlotto Curdny to her trial before tho revolutionary tilbunal. bho look her placo on tho bench of tho prhoners tho inuledtctlous of tho peoj le tiled nwuy In murmurs of admiration. Nover before had murdor worn such an anpect. Her beauty vina marveluiiai her firmness nnd Intrepidity amazed oven her Judges. "Details aro needless," sho (old caluil) I "it was I who killed Muratl" " hat did jou tlitnL to effect 1 y Itr "ltestoro pence to in) cuuntrj. 1 took Ms llfo to save Prance " "Wh) dll jou Into Mini" "Por his crimes " "Do) oil, then, think that jou have cssnasluntttl nil tho Murutsr' 'Since ho Is deiidothcrswllltremble " Adam Lnx was seated near tho prls-mur. prls-mur. Ills ores never left her face When tho president of tho tribunal pissed senlenco of dtath tlioMa)fiico deputy leaped f rot i hU clnlr oud ex teudod his uruis In jkinsIuuiiUj jirotest. "No, nor1 ho e rlod w Udlj "f or the Jove of lieiaveii, no! ' It was the only volco raised ugnlnst ber fato nud Mhoiecognlzodtliomnn who liad conceived for her such n strange nud !i!)stlup.ission,howna fiilthftil in this terriblo hour ho dared to Hjwiik lu the Taco of her judges. Hlio turncl ami thanked hliu with an tUipient look. Although Al-though n sword had pieiced his hiart Adiim Luxieohdund went down In u swoon to the floor of tho tribunal. Tho gendu-iiuos conducted Liintl tte Corday back to the prist n. Willi pi feet coiuiiosuro alio made ready ft r tli scnffold As tiausoii, tho cxecuinmr entered topi eiKire her for deatli sli t il from his hand tho scissors, cut a 1 ng curl of her chestnut hair no 1 c,a It p Unit) Itlchard, the wife of tho juihr 'Bond this with in) ferunt lhuuki rhevuld, ' to the deputy from Mimiuc Sanson arrn) ihI her In tho red rob. of n miirdi reus, cut her uiagiillueiit lull and then bound her slender wrists "1hls,"hasaid, "Is the toilet of dialli, nrrangoil b) t tide bunds, but It leuds to luimortallt) " As the doatli cart left the prln n a ter rille kluriii burt ov r Pnrn, but tho countlchs swarms of 1 1 oj lo In Uio squares nnd atrietareni iliud unulmiu I hod The furioi s lUhwives shrl k 1 nronud the tumbril C linrlotto C onlay did it i. iju ti Ur tluui, jniicJiJfj to resent their instills II, r faro wore on unearthly beauty nnl serenity There was no shadow of fenr nimii It At tho entrance of the Run bt Honore A limn atvfllteil the denth cart lb ir rlcl his hat In his hand-the rain pell, I on hla fair hair It was Adam Lnx haggard, pale si ashes. He Iwwel deeply lo the Iirleotwr bho startid slightly, and n smile of pensive aw, t ness Appeared for an Instant on her lips. Ho etpif liehlnd the tnmbril, nnd with ttnociverud IicimI followcil It to thefootof the scaffold Attended by this ui)slerIous lorn, Charlotte Conlnr went to tho guillotine As sho mounted the scaffol 1 her eyes fell tiiNiti Adam Lux, who atool at Its foot Sho smiled and looked quickly up to the summer sk) , win ro tho clouds were now breaking It wasnf iruwell and also prouilse of future meeting The next moment sho had placed herself under the knlfo Tho next day a man entered the convention, con-vention, so haggard, so changed tint bo w ns hardly recognized ns tho hnndsomo young deputy from Mai once. With tho recklessness of ono who had no more to lnqioortofcar henacoiided the tribune, nnd begun lo linpoach nnd attack Marat s associates. In vain his friends warned Mm to de-slat. de-slat. Hotly, fiercely bo vindicated tho young Norman lady who had sacrificed iter own life to rldPnnireof a wholesale whole-sale nssftsslii. Ho published tho ' Apol-ogy Apol-ogy of Charlotte Corday," aad was tin mcdintel) urrusled and sent to the Al-lsi) Al-lsi) e rlson As ho entered Its slnlsti r dour ho Hung up his hat nnd crle 1 joy-rully, joy-rully, ' I tliall ill'., then, for her!" He was brought before tho rovolu tlonary tribunal 1k.ii tho nccusatlun wus read to him ho said, with ft scornful, scorn-ful, curling lip "I nm n stranger to )otir lawa ns w ell as to yonr crimes If 1 hnvo dem rved punishment It la not among Prcnchuicn that I should suffer " Piom his prison lio w roto u farewell letter to little ?largnrellie, far nwuy In the secluded house ut Ma)cnco. "I illu for tho woman I love," ho said. "On the scufful I her spirit nnaits mine Death will unite lis I go w Ith a glad lu art, for I no long r dcelre life." Ita dressed himself for tho scaffold llko a brl logroom fur the prest ncouf his bride Ills Mao coat wiu i mbrol lered with gull Hire id. His )owdcrel hnlr, his V nee breti hen and w nlslcii.it of while satin, und frills of finest lice gavolilui Ihonlrof ncuiirtler. "At last 1 shall see her again," ho raid, I rowing to bis lips the chestnut curl the jailer's wife hud i'Klii tn Mm. He mounted tho pilllotlno with a smile on Ms llw, and a ta t, upllftetl look In his v) as. "At 1 nil ' ho related, nnd thu knife fell Burndeil ono of the strangest attach ineuts the world ovor knew or was this only Its beginning? .Short Storied. |
