e.
Cherchez
By O.
(Copyright by Alnslee
I OBDIN8, reporter Tor the I
R ncayuno, ana uumars, or
1 L'Abelllo the old French
R tinmanntuMi that hoO
buzzed for nearly a cen
tury were good friends,
well proven by years of
ups and downs together.
They wero seated where
they had a habit of meet
ing In the little, Creole
haunted cafe of Madame
Tlbault, In Dumalne
street. If you know the place, you
will experience a thrill of pleasure In
recalling It to mind. It Is small and
dark, with six little pollBhed tables,
at which you may sit and drink the
best coffee In Now OrleanB, and con
coctions of absinthe equal to Saze
rac'fl best. Madame Tlbault, fat and
Indulgent, presides at the desk, and
takes your money. Nlcolletto and
Memo, madame's nelces, In charming
bib aprons, bring the desirable bev
erages. Dumars, with true Creole luxury,
was sipping his absinthe, with half
closed eyes, In a swirl of cigarette
smoke. Robblns was looking over the
morning Pic, detecting, as young re
porters will, the gross blunders in
the make-up, and the envious blue
penciling his own stuff had received.
This item, in the advertising columns,
caught his eye, and with an exclama
tion of sudden interest he read it
aloud to his friend:
"PUBLIC AUCTION At 8 o'clock
this afternoon there wllPbo sold to
too highest bidder all the common
property of the Little Sisters of Sa
maria, at the homo of the Sisterhood,
in Bonhommo street. The sale will
dispose of the building, ground and
the complete furnishings of the house
and chapel, without reserve."
This notice stirred the two friends
to a reminiscent talk concerning an
eplsodo In their Journalistic career
that had occurrod about two years
before. They recalled the Incidents,
went over the old theories, and dis
cussed it anew, from the different
perspective time had brought.
, There wore no other customers in
the cafe. Madame's fine ear had
caught the lino of their talk, and she
came over to their table for had it
not been her lost money her van
ished twenty thousand dollars that
had set the whole matter going?
The threo took up the long-abandoned
mystery, threshing over the
old, dry chaff of it. It was In the
chapel of this houso of the Little
Sisters of Samaria that Robbing and
Dumars had stood during that eager,
fruitless news search of theirs, and
looked upon the gilded Btatue of' the
Virgin.
"Thass so, boys," said madams,
summing up. "Thass ver' wicked
man, M'sleur Morln. Everybody shall
be cert' he steal those money I plazo
In hia hand for keep safe. Yes. He's
boun' spend that money, somehow."
Madame turned a broad and compre
hensive smile upon Dumars. "I ond
stand you, M'sleur Dumars, those day
you come ask me fo' tell ev'ything I
know 'bout M'sleur Morln. Ah! yes,
I know most time when those men
lose money you say, 'Cherchez la
femme' there is somowhere the wo
man. But not for M'sleur Morln. No,
boys. Before he shall die, he is like
one saint. You might's well, M'sleur
Dumars, go try find those money In
those statue of Virgin Mary that
M'sleur Morin present at those p'tite
soeurs, as try find one femme."
At Madame Tlbault's last words,
Hobbles started slightly and cast a
keen, sidelong glance at Dumars.
The Creole sat, unmoved, dreamily
watching the spirals of his cigarette
smoke.
It was then 9 o'clock In the morn
ing, and, a few minutes later, the
two friends separated, going different
ways to their day's duties. And now
follows the brief story of Madame
Tlbault's vanished thousands.
New Orleans will readily recall to
mind the circumstances attendant
upon the death of Mr. Gaspard Morln,
In that city. Mr. Morln was an ar
tistic goldsmith and jeweler, In the
old French quarter, and a man held
In the highest esteem. He belonged
to one ol the oldest French families,
and was of some distinction bb an
antiquary and historian. He was a
bachelor, about fifty years of age.
He lived In quiet comfort, at one of
those rare old hostelrles In Itoyal
street. He was found in his rooms
one morning, dead from unknown
causes.
When his affairs came to be looked
into, it was found that he was prac
tically insolvent, his stock of goods
and personal property barely but
nearly enough to free him from cen
sure covering his liabilities. Fol
lowing, camo the disclosure that he
had been intrusted with the sum of
twenty thousand dollars by a former
servant In the Morln family, one Ma
dame Tlbault, which she had received
as a legacy from relatives In France.
The most searching scrutiny by
friends and the legal authorities
failed to reveal the disposition of the
money. It had vanished, and left no
trace. Some weeks before his death,
Mr, Morln had drawn the entire
amount, In gold coin, from the bank
where It had been placed while he
looked about (be told Madame Tl
bault) fo ? Mrfe Investment. There
fore, Mr. Morln's memory seemed
loomed to bear the cloud of dishon
La Femme
HENRY
Magaxlno Co.)
esty, while Madame was, of course,
disconsolate.
Then It was that Robblns and Du
mars, repreesntlng their respective
journals, began one of tnoso pertina
cious private investigations which, of
late years, the press has adopted as a
means to glory and the satisfaction of
public curiosity.
"Cherchez la femme," said Dumars.
"That's the ticket!" agreed Rob-
bins. "All roads lead to the eternal
feminine. Wo will find the woman."
They exhausted tho knowledge of
the Btaff of Mr. Morln's hotel, from
tho bell-boy down to the xproprletor.
They gently, but inflexibly, pumped
the family of the deceased as far as
his cousins twice removed. They art
fully sounded the employes of the
late Jeweler, and dogged his custom
ers for Information concerning his
habits. Llko bloodhounds, they traced
every step of the supposed defaulter,
as nearly as might be.xfor years along
the limited and monotonous paths he
had trodden.
At the end of their labors, Mr.
Morln stood, an Immaculate man.
Not one weakness that might be
served up as a criminal tendency, not
one deviation from the path of recti
tude, not even a 'hint of a predilection
for the opposite sex, was found to bo
placed to his debit. His life had
been as regular and austere as a
monk's; his habits, simple and uncon
cealed. Generous, , charitable, and a
model In propriety, was the verdict
of all who knew him.
"What nowT" asked Robblns, finger
ing his empty notebook.
"Cherchez la femme. Bald Dumars,
lighting a cigarette. "Try Lady Boll
airs." This piece of femininity was the
racetrack favorite of the season. Be
ing feminine, she was erratic In her
gaits, and there were a few heavy
losers about town who had believed
she could be true. The reporters ap
plied for information.
Mr. Morin? Certainly not. He was
never been a spectator at the. races.
Not that kind of a man. Surprised
the gentlemen should ask.
"Shall we throw it up?" suggested
Robblns, "and let tho puzzle depart
ment have a try?"
"Cherchez la femme," hummed Du
mars, reaching for a match. "Try tho
Little Sisters of What-d'you-call-'em."
It had developed, during the inves
tigation, that Mr. Morln had held this
benevolent order In particular favor.
He had contributed liberally toward
Its support, and had chosen its chapel
as his favorite place of private wor
ship. It was said that he went there
daily to make his devotions at the
altar. Indeed, toward the last of his
life his whole mind seemed to have
fixed Itself upon religious matters,
perhaps to the detriment of his world
ly affairs.
Thither went Robblns and Dumars,
and were admitted through the nar
row doorway in tho blank stone wall
that frowned upon Bonhomme street.
An old woman was sweeping the
chapel. She told them that Sister
Feliclte, the head of the order, was
then at prayer at the altar in the al
cove. In a few moments she would
emerge. Heavy, black curtains
screened tho alcove. They waited.
Soon the curtains were disturbed,
and Sister Fellcito came forth. She
waB tall, tragic, bony and plain-featured,
dreBsed In the black gown and
severe bonnet of the sisterhood.
Robblns, a good rough-and-tumble
reporter, but lacking the delicate
touch, began to speak.
They represented the press. The
lady had, no doubt, heard of the
Morln affair. It was necessary, in
Justice to that gentleman's memory,
to probe the mystery of the lost
money. It was known that he had
eomo often to this chapel. Any in
formation, now, concerning Mr.
Morln's habits, tastes, the friends he
had, and so on, "would be of value
ingoing him posthumous Justice.
Sister Feliclte had heard. What-
Lew she knew would be willingly
told, but it was very little. Monsieur
Morln had been a good friend to the
order, sometimes contributing as
much as a hundred dollars. The sis
terhood was an independent one, de
pending entirely upon private contri
butions for the iReans to carry on
its charitable work. Mr. Morin bad
presented the chapel with sHver can
dlesticks and an altar cloth. He came
every day to worship In the chapel,
sometimes remaining for an hour. He
was a devout Catholic, consecrated
to holiness. Yes, and also In the al
cove was a statue of the Virgin that
he had, himself, modeled, cast, and
presented to the order. Oh, it was
cruel to cast a doubt upon so good a
man!
Robblns was also profoundly
grieved at tho Imputation. But, until
It was found what Mr, Morln had
done with Madame Tlbault's money,
he feared the tongue of slander would
not bo stilled. Sometimes in fact,
very often In affairs of this kind
there was er aa the saying goes
or a lady In the case. In absolute
confidence, now If perhaps
Sister Fellclte's largo eyes regard
ed him solemnly.
"There was one woman," she said,
slowly, "to whom he bowed to whom
he gave his heart."
Robblns fumbled rapturously for
his pencil.
"Behold the woman!" said Sister
Feliclte, suddenly, In deep tones.
She reached a long arm and swept
aside tho curtain of tho alcove. In
there was a shrine, lit to a glow of
soft color by the light pouring
through a stained glass window.
Within a deep niche In the bare stone
wall stood an imago of the Virgin
Mary, tho color of pure gold.
Dumars, a conventional Catholic,
succumbed to tho dramatic in the
act. He knelt for an Instant upon the
stono flags, and made tho sign of the
cross. The somowhat abashed Rob
blns, murmuring an indistinct apolo
gy, backed awkwardly away. Sister
Fellcito drow back the curtain, and
tho reporters departed.
On the narrow stono sidewalk of
Bonhomme street, Robblns turned to
Dumars, with unworthy sarcasm.
"Well, what next? Churchy law
fern?"
"Absinthe," said Dumars.
With the i history of the missing
money thuB' partially related, some
conjecturo may b'o formed of the
sudden idea that Madame Tlbault's
words seemed to have suggested to
Robblns' brain.
Was it so wild a surmise that the
religious fanatic had offered up his
wealth or, rather, Madame Tlbault's
in the shape of a material symbol
of his consuming devotion? Stranger
things have been dono in tho name
of worship. Was it not possible that
tho lost thousands wero molded into
that lustrous image? That the gold
smith had formed It of the pure and
precious metal, and set it thoro,
through some hopo of a perhaps dls-
"Is This a
ordered brain to propitiate the saints,
and pave the way to his own selfish
glory?
That afternoon, at five minutes to
threo, Robblns entered the chapel
door of the Little Sisters of Samaria.
He saw, in tho dim light, a crowd of
perhaps a hundred people gathered
to attend tho sale. Most of them
were members of various religious or
ders, priests and churchmen, come to
purchase the paraphernalia of the
chapel, lest they fall Into desecrating
hands. Others were business men
and agents come to bid upon the real
ty. A clerical-looking brother had
volunteered to wield the hammer,
bringing to the office of auctioneer
the anomaly of choice diction and dig
nity of manner.
A few of the minor articles were
sold, and then two assistants brought
forward the image of the Virgin.
Robblns started the bidding at ten
dollars. A stout man, In an ecclesias
tical garb, went to fifteen. A voice
from another part of the crowd raised
to twenty. The three bid alternately,
raising by bids of five, until the offer
was fifty dollars. Then the stout man
dropped out, and Robblns, as a sort
of coup de main, went to a hundred.
"Ono hundred and fifty," said the
other voice.
"Two" hundred," bid Robblns, boldly.
"Two-fifty," called his competitor,
promptly.
Tho reporter hesitated for the
space of a lightning flash, estimating
how much he could borrow from the
boys in the office, and screw from the
business manager from his next
month's salary.
"Three hundred," he offered.
"Three-fifty," "spoke up the other,
In a louder voice a voice that sent
Robblns diving suddenly through the
crowd In its direction, to catch Du
mars, its owner, ferociously by tho
collar. N
"You unconverted idiot!" hissed
Robblns, close to his ear "pool!"
"Agreed!" said Dumars, coolly. "I
couldn't raise three hundred and fifty
dollars with a search warrant, but I
can stand half, Whatyou come bid
ding against me for?"
"I thought I was the only fool in
the crowd," explained Robblns.
No one else bidding, the statuo was
knocked down to ' tho syndicate at
their last offer. Dumars rematned
with the prize, while Robblns hurried
forth to wring from tho resources and
credit of both the price. He soon
returned with the money, and tho two
musketeers loaded their precious
package Into a carriage and drove
with it to Dumars' room, in old Char
tres street,, nearby. They lugged it,
covered with a cloth, up the stairs,
and deposited it on a table. A hun
dred pounds It weighed, If an ounce,
and at that estimate, according to
their calculation, if their daring
theory was correct, It stood there,
worth twenty thousand golden dol
lars. Robblns removed the covering, and
opened hlB pocketknlfe.
"Sacre!" muttered Dumars, shudder
ing. "It is the Mother of Christ. What
would you do?"
"Shut up, Judas!" said Robblns,
coldly. "It's too late for you to bo
saved now.
With a firm hand, he chipped a slice
from the shoulder of the Image. The
cut showed a dull, grayish metal, with
a thing coating of gold leaf.
"Lead!" announced Robblns, hurling
his knife to the floor "gilded!"
"To the devil with it!" said Dumars,
forgetting his scruples. "I must have
a drink."
Together they walked moodily to the
cafe of Madame Tlbault, two squares
away.
It seemed that madame's mind hod
been stirred that day to fresh recollec-
Grimm's Fairy Tale, or Should I Consult
tlons of the past services of the two
young men in her behalf.
"You musn' sit by thoso table," she
Interposed, as they were about to drop
into their accustomed seats. "Thass
so, boys. But, no. I mek you come at
this room, like my tres bons amis. Yes.
I goln' mek for you myself ono ani
sette and one cafe royale ver' fine. Ah!
I lak treat my fen' nlzo. Yes. Plls
come In this way."
Madame led them Into the little back
room, Into which she sometimes In
vited the especially favored'of her cus
tomers. In two comfortable arm
chairs, by a big window that opened
upon tho courtyard, she placed them,
with a low table between. Bustling
hospitably about, sho began to pre
pare the promised refreshments.
It was the first time the reporters
had been honored with admission to
the sacred precinct's. The room was
In dusky twilight, flecked with gleams
of the polished, fine woods and bur
nished glass and metal that the Cre
oles love. From the little courtyard
a tiny fountain sent in an insinuat
ing sound of trickling waters, to which
a banana plant by the window kept
time with its tremulous leaves.
RobblnB, an investigator by nature,
sent a curious glance roving about the
room. From somo barbaric ancestor.
madame had inherited a penchant for
the crude in decoration.
The walls were adorned with cheap
lithographs florid libels upon nature,
addressed to the taste of the bour
geoise birthday cards, garnish news
paper supplements and specimens of
art-advertising calculated to reduce
the optlo nerve to stunned submis
sion, A patch of something unintelli
gible in the midst of the more candid
display puzzled Robblns and he rose
and took a step nearer, to Interrogate
it at closer range. Then ho leaned
weakly against tho wall, and called
out:
"Madame Tlbault! O, madame!
Since when oh! since when have
you been In the habit of papering
your walls with five thousand dollar
United States four per cent gold
bond? Toll me is this n Grimm's
fair tale, or should I consult an ocu
list?" At his words, Madame Tlbault and
Dumars approached.
"H'what you say?" said, madame,
cheerily, "H'what you, say, M'Bleur
Robbin?' Bon? Ahl those ntze U'l
peezos papier I One tnm I think those
Wat you call calendalr, wlz ll'l day
of mont' below. But, no. Thoso wall
Is broke in thoso plazo, M'sleur Rob
bin,' and I plazo those U'l peezes pa
pier to conceal zo crack. I did think
tho couleur harm'nlzo so well with the
wall papier. Where I get them from?
Ah, yes, I remom' ver' well. One day
M'sleur Morin, ho come at my houze
thass 'bout one mont' before he shall
die thass 'long 'bout tam he promise
fo' Invest' thoso money fo' me. M-steur
Morln, ho leave thoze ll'l peczes papier
In those tablo, and say ver' much 'bout
money thass hard for me to ond-stan.
Mais I never see thoso money again.
Thass ver wicked man. M'sleur Mo
rin. H'what you call thoso peezes pa
pier, M'sleur Robbin' bon?"
Robblns explained.
"There's your twenty thousand dol
lars, with coupons attached," he said,
running his thumb around the edge
of the four bonds. "Better get an ex
pert to peel them off for you. Mister
Morln was all right. I'm going out to
get my ears trimmed.
He dragged Dumars by the arm Into
the outer room. Madame was scream
ing for Nlcolette and Meme to come
observo tho fortune returned to her by
M'sleur Morin, that best of men, that
saint in glory.
"Marsy," said Robblns, "I'm going
nn Oculist?"
on a Jamboree. For three days the es
teemed Pic will have to get along
without my valuable services. I ad
vise you to Join me. Now, that green
stuff you drink 1b no good. It stimu
lates thought. What we want to do is
to forget to remember. I'll introduce
you to the only lady In this case that
Is guaranteed to produce the desired
results. Her name Is Belle of Ken
tucky, twelve-year-old Bourbon. In
quarts. How does the Idea strike
you?"
"Allans!" said Dumars. "Cherchez
la femme."
ELECTRIC LIGHTS ON FARMS
Morning Chores Are Done In Kansas
by the Aid of Electricity An
Up-to-Date Sod House.
Within ten years electricity will
light a majority of the farm homes
and country schools and churches of
Kansls, it Is predicted. Farm homes
lighted with electricity are now num
bered by hundreds.
With the general use of the traso
line engine this has been made pos
sible. Electric light and power com
panies in several of the cities are also
making plans by which they can sup
ply farmers with current from their
trunk lines.
A notable case of this sort 1b found
at Manhattan, where the power for
electric generation is furnished by a
dam on the Big Blue river, four miles
from the city.
The current generated Is used for
electric lighting and street car pur
poses in tho city of Manhattan, and
farmers living near the trunk line are
using It in their residences, barns and
feed lots. In the early morning hours,
when the farmers feed and care for
their stock' and do the milking, elec
tric lights are found to be very useful
In a rich farming community ten
miles north of Atchison tho farmers
have decided to have an electrlo light
plant of their own. They will build a
Diuuii yuwer uuubu woero current wu
ue Kcneraieu ana iram wmon it wu
fnmtllpn will nhnra In Ma mnnm.
tern of lighting.
n i 1 1 i . . ..
. i . . -1. 1 i ,, .
fv-.i . i i in u u.uviuimk aicuLLiu ill: 1 1
xui uicu uuiiicst uaiuo UliU UUiry
1 i . . .
buildings.
II . 1- . 1 -1. I I I , .
light from tho Atchison plant. A
1. il .l ..U.J 1.
fnrmBra nlnnf. 4-rin fnut n nrn nnnnn.
lng their homes with this trunk line.
v.. 1 - "II. 1. 1 1. .
MIIJ U U
...... 1 . 1 1 . 1
t 1 I 1 1 1 11.1
it . i i i.i- i .,.. .
iiitukDu n,tu cic.ui.ikj KGueiumu
a gasoline engine on tho place.
The early pioneer way of living and
. i i . .
WU 1UUUC1U DJDlUili U1U UICUUCU UU Ull
i e i .m . i , i
houso built a ouartcr of a centurv urn
dato home In which he has installed
erate electricity for lighting.
nnt.nn . .villi ll.ut. . . ....... 1 1 .
warmth and comfort In winter, but he
la emovinK electric imniH in mat nnm
has been lighted by electricity.
In the natural gas regions of south
cheaper than gas. Now York Sun.
IN THE MATTER OF DREAMS
Affttr 3Umm Anilunt lHt..aH.nl nU
turn That They Must Never Be
Related.
1U IUU UUUDO 1U WUIUU A WUH LUUUUfl
Should not bo told at tho hrenkfnnl
Hons which I desired particularly to
share. Tho table was a larse nnp
seating threo generations, and I
gained the Idea It was on account of
the prophetic character of the dreams
nf o rnrtnfn frrnat.anrtt Vi i Ya ntnhl
T ITTiniV hot for rt rnr WTa nrora f rlA
ucu iaj luii uui in t;tiiiH nHnaiiNH nrpnin
u I uiui t-i I L11C HlkM 111 IV lllln
nrft nm finer (ha InnnmmiinliaMn
taught not to portray a luminary on
vuurua, dif u 1,111111 uiudl uu liluliul. iiu
bUV UUIICilL Li UU DLUl V Lllflll Llltl
L J. .If X A . A II .1
thrllllnp- rlrnnm Ta If !
ii. 1 11111 1 rm lunni 1 inn nr n fifinm romn
may neither be shared nor re-acted
vv uui. nuun . uul til, Litu iiiei a wui uh
"i arearat," you may see your auditor
anenuon dissolve neuner at nis wu
sun.
consider how deeply dreams color the
ilnvn A? nfnM T nn.n4. 0 .... 1 l
ureums we commune wiin me aeaa
love stranerers. marrv our prmmlpn
n J 1 i. .11 0. 1. .
UUVQUIUIGO Ul ill 1LH IlltifiL JlJltIItill
and dearest will lend us their ears.
XJU HO Ilicl ClJ 11CUU IliUIH HI L I H1UK
liiul niHKOivinir nrrRTiTinTi iinrii rna riii
"ftlrninhnA nnf ? Cv mitet nm nil I m
nrnwA In o enrt rf navAViAlnoHinl Imnrv
imkuuu 1 ui id 11, ao 1 uui luuniieu l
Vi In V flint n -v m nUInn . I
but. u,a no uiudl UlU ttiuitu, BU WU Uluo
J l a n it-r 1
View," in Scrlbner's,
Killed Limit of Deer on One Shot.
In TVflnhl f n n nf loa of f Virn TTnriAi Dn
nltiDiiln man wcrii anntaoafiil All
lng their Uconses as the result of
Y d tl 1111101111111 lU.tllllCI . 1 1 M HIIHI
nreu an one. me nnu nnBRinir rnrnup
ilh Doav ana Killing inn mnar flnimn
also.
T1...1 T 1 n 1 1 ... 1
. i . 1 . 1 .
. V.lll. A V. . r 1. 1 1 n
1 . 1 1 1 .1 . . 11 l i .1 . 1
It expired as soon as released,
schools at Crystal Falls, is the thlrq
man who bagged two deer with on
shot. One of his trophies was a deac
itru iiii'ii 11 11 11 1 1 1 11. 1 1 1 1 1 iiii' w 1 1 1 f
their antlers had become lnterlnr-VAri
and one of tho combatants was rieari
Professor Hill shot the llvine- nnlmnl
St. Louts Globe-Democrat.
Rather Qood to Have Around.
.i' n 1 1 1 ii .1 1. a vmianriMa V n n .
wumau wuu iiouL a. uuwaer dox. a com
V.1 J 11. UHU 1. wWkblD Ui ViUlUb WAVU1
on ner ansa, among me typewriter sup-
n 1 ( n o n n il pniTTiln it Inlr wfaa nn nU.. Iv
IY.1II1 . l. - . . . 1. . 1 t
n Cl vv, . v vi 1. 1111 1 mum ,ucuiUl JUL
aoM (tin Knlrni-'n i1n..n V.
" - ' - H ' . VI . U1V11 11 11 V-
uuvo uuu muir own way in mat ouice
ior nve years; Dut when, with the
lira 1. iiboziok 01 mo steam pipes cones
stucit into giue o inK ana mucilage
bottles every tlmo they happened to
be corked up and the young woman
came to the rescue by simply smear
ing some of her cold cream over every
cork so It would stand In the bottle
for a month without sticking, the men
said maybe a woman who knew prac
tical little hints like that wasn't cuch
a bad person to have around attei
ell.