Revenge.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 74, 1 December 1887, Page 4

Revenge.

I have served in the French army (m surgeon), and saerbleu ! I never yet suffered an insult from mortal being to pass unavenged. It was in the Tyrol last year. While wandering through that picturesque country, 1 frequently encjuntered two ladies—one elderly, the other a widow—charming, petite, spiriiuelle— Adrienne' At iq*t we found ourselves quartered at the same hotel, and I rapidly succumbed to the fair widow’s charms—she was so vivacious, yet with all that } avoir faire of experience which an elderly bachelor knows how to appreciate.

Her figure—bow delicious its lines I What masses of magnificent tresses! What perfect rows of ivory her corallipped smile permitted us to see I What healthful blootn the exercise and mountain air had lent to her cheek! Yes I would propose that evening. _ That night I went up to dress for dinner-an important business with me and one requiring time I had arranged in the morning with the maitre d'hotel to change my room for one with a more southerly aspect; but when 1 had climbed to the first floor (no slight exercise !) where my new apartment was located, I found I could not recollect the number. A little reflection however, made me decide it was No. 18, but to make certain, I listened a moment at the door - all was still within—turned the handle softly and entered. *Votn de Dieu ! who was this ? Asleep, on a fauteuil, lay the ghost of Adrienne 1 Adrienne ? Yes I but Adrienne transfigured. Haggard, nearly bald, with the cheeks falling in on the toothless gums, the outlines of her figure (she had laid aside her dress) showing scraggy and angular through her deshabille! A lay-figure waiting to be transformed by her maid into my Adrienne—waiting to be made into mv decoy—but I would be revenged I Not stopping to hunt up my room now, I decended hastily to the saloon where was most of the guests of the hotel waiting for the dinner gong, I caught a glance of astonishment at my own undress uniform, and a thought struck me—l smiled.

The house happened to be full just then of a very fashionable company ; the ladies vied with one another in the magnificence of their toilets, and I knew there was a certain countess who was especially Adrienne's rival in this respect. Ah ! I would shame her before them all; I would give her a lesson under her rival’s eyes—she should learn not to trifle with honest affection —Mon Dieu ! yes ! lam a mesmerist. My will is iron. I sat apart, and, turning my eyes from those present, put all my will-force into action. One—two—three—four minutes, and there was a footstep outside the door—the handle was gently turned and Adrienne appeared—yes! precisely as I had seen her a few minutes before! The whole roomful of listless guests rose as if simultaneously galvanised—the ladies shrieked “ a ghost”—but Adrienne advanced quietly toward me in her magnetic trance. Under cover of offering her a chair, I made the releasing passes with my hand—she awoke—gave one round at the staring company and the scornful eyes of her rival, another at her figure reflected in the mirror opposite, and, with a wild scream, sank—a fainting heap—on the floor 1 I was revenged. That same night I thought I heard some one moving about my room, and found, the following morning, my glass eye, my cork leg, my wig and my new patent springfltting set of teeth had been stolen from my room. As my valet was in Paris 1 had to publish my loss before I could move out of bed. Adrienne had left the house that night but not without retaliating.—San Francisco News Letter,