They Were Even,

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 78

They Were Even,

At one time Dumas was publishing in a Paris daily paper a serial in which the heroine, a prosperous and happy girl, was attacked by tuberculosis. He had described the slow, wasting symptoms touehingly and vividly, and had excited thereby great in- . tereTt in the heroine. '

One day the Marquis Dalomiou waited upon him, and said: "Dumas, have you composed the final chapter of your serial now being published?" "To be sure."

"Does your heroine die?" "Why, of course she does — dies of consumption. How could she live ; after such symptoms as I have described?" "But, man, you must; make ncr live — the catastrophe must be changed 1" "That is impossible." "It cannot be impossible. It must be changed, for upon your heroine's life depends my daughter's!" "Your daughter's?" "Alas, yes! She has all the various conditions and symptoms which you have so feelingly described in your story, and watches mournfully for every paper, reading her own fate in that of your heroine. If you make your heroine live, my daughter, whose imagination ha? been so deeply impressed, will al?o live ; but if you insist upon killing your young lady I am confident that my daughter's life cannot be saved."

"Well! Strange, indeed f But —a life' to save is a temptation not to be resisted." Dumas altered the last chapter of his story to fit the occasion. His heroine experienced a miraculous recovery, and lived happily ever after. Several years afterwards Dumas and trc Marquis met one evening at a party. "Dumas," exclaimed the delighted Marquis, "let me present my daughter, who owes her life to you 1" "What! This fine-looking woman who looks like Jeanne d'Arc?" "Yes, indeed. She is married, and has four children." "Well, we are even —my story has passed through four editions !"