Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-09-23

plaguing me, are youS'
"Woufl You tell two lies to get back to
France and be ridhH20 tlTi hAW
"Two llesr repeated the boy, in aston.
ishment will they hurt any onef?" Iy.
"No," said Chabussal, mot in the least
merely for forms sake"
ih" We'll" rejoinod the boy, after long
pause =" for FORMS sake, 1 think would.
| What are they, monsieur?"
~ will tell you tomorrow, Ernest"
replied he, smoothing the boys hair with
his enormous palm, land tomorrow you
must not stir out of this room. was
wrong to strike you; l thought you were
impertinent That wretch that you saw
go out of the shop a moment ago, is the
tax collectorN ugl 4t. a % O.. 20
"Ah," replied the lad quietly, his head
| filed with the visions of home "I
thought he looked like M Viol"
| Wary Chabussall Wary madame I
Could the tax-collector have looked in
upon you and overheard your council,
where an ingenious network of false
hoods was agreed upon, by which the boy
was TO be turned over TO him for fright
ful sum, much doubt if he would have
thought you far removed from a pair of
knaves. A mythical friend, an acquaiht-
ance, was to appear upon the scene in
| udluCS OudDUosdl was tO IeCdu lO DIS
memory that this parsonage knew of the
whereabouts of just such a triumvirate as
M. Viol described. He was to agree to
put himself in Communication with this
party, and, after many terrible risks and
frightful troubles, was to produce the boy
upon the payment of the stipulated sum.
Early on the morrow, long before the
customary throng began, M. Viol present
ed himself. Madame precipitately re-
tired behind the screen, and her worthy
husband, fat, good.natured, and in i'm
maculate white, lied for twenty good
minutes Eaccording TO the plan. NJ. Viol
became much excited, and leaned upon
the counter with pair OF eyes fixed upon
Chabussal, in manner which made it ex-
tremely difficult for him to retain his
presence of mind. Again, in the after
noon, NJ. Viol came this time, of course,
alter the throng had disappeared. He
naturally grew more familiar with Cha.
bussal, and began to ask questions which
were very annoying and displeasing, so
much so, indeed, that Chabussal fatty de-
clined to answer some of them, 1t would
never do for either to quarrel, and SO they
begged each others pardon, and became
civil again. a..f I -ra..
NJ. Viors refrain was, "The boy the
boy, at any price !" Chabussars was,
1.-THE difficulty, the distance, my friend r
Madame and he had agreed that the
already tremendous price might possibly
be increased by dallying, and therefore
they resolved to avoid closing the con-
tract until they had reached the very end
of the rope; as it was, however, they
shook hands and embraced in their cham.
Der, and concocted more falsehoods. The
more eager NJ. Viol became, the more OBJ
stacles they pretended to find in the way
OF producing the lad. If NJ. Viol became
vexed, Chabussal became sad at his want
OF confidence, and assured him, with his
hand upon his heart, that he was
moving heaven and earth. 8, Hi.t
On the next day an incident occurred
which nearly sent Chabussal into convul-
sions. M. Vtol was present in the shop
in the evening, and was looked upon with
about as much complaisance as would be
bestowed upon royal tiger. He said he
was very tired, and wished to know if
Chabussal would loan him his boy for
moment to fetch pair of shoes from
neighboring shop.
81 regret to say l have no boy, mon
sieur," responded Chabussal, promptly
and politely.
"Why," spoke up an old woman, who
was purchasing some rolls, "hsve you
discharged that pretty little Ernest ?"
Hist" whispered Chabussal, saw
agely. .
have you boy named Ernest ?"
81 once had an ugly lout of that name,
but dismissed him for Drunkenness
Here, wretch, is your bread. Get alongp
Chabussal reported this to madame with
chattering teeth, and she advised him to
tall ha Ind n h,Nt
the next day, an d becontent with the sum
he was Ewilling to give for the service.
For, she urged, an accident might reveal
Ernest at any moment, and it were better
to be sure OF a generous amount than try
for larger one, and run the risk of losing
the whole by delay After much discus.
sion, Chsbussal, with sigh, assented, say
ing that he had but one wish-and that
was to get the old woman in his kitchen
for ten minutes. and he would teach her
to hold her tongue by giving it to her in
her hand. ...
The next day was one of great events,
and NJ ViOl again presented himselfat the
usual hour in the morning, as civil and
pleasant as ever. Nearly the first thing
he did, after talking incessantly about
Ernest for fifteen minutes, was to. pro.
duee another tumultin Uhsbussars breast,
and make nearly another rupture. Cha.
bussal determined to wait until the after
noon, before offering to produce the boy,
as it was barely possible that M. Viol, in
his despair, might be tempted to go deeper
into his purse. But M. Viob apparently,
had no such intention; and, after chatting
and signing for while, he asked for
glass OF water, and Immediately jumped to
his feet, saying that he would not think
of troubling Chabussal, bat would get it
himself and proceeded toward the rear
apartment, to Chabussals CONSERVATION
AS soon as he could master his tongue,
he begged him TO stop; but NJ. Viol kept
on. FH.rr5
"I order you not to touch that door ~
thundered Chabuasal making toward him.
" My wife is there; she is en- diSha5slle."
NJ. Viol instantly apologized, and sat
down with an unconceTned air, which
contrasted strongly with Ohabussal's 3 heat
and rage.
9 A word here about NJ. Viol's impertur.
liability. He had been some sort of a
diplomat, in a large way, in his own coun.
try, and was well used, therefore, to con-
cealment, whenever II was expedient to
use the valuable power. TWAS afLerward
found that, by all reason and probability,
such an occasion presented itself at the
exact moment when he was prevented
from rushing into Chahussal's back cham
ber, and that, despite his calm Scounte-
nance, Nj, Yiol was on fire internally.
This was the result of a habit he had of
wearing his eyes, open, according TO his
education, and of reversing the usual or
der of things by considering every human
being a plotting scoundrel until he proved
to be otherwise inclined.
The particular impulse which put his
soul and suspicious In arms in this little
entanglement was the accidental sight of
a stray napkin, which lay upon the counter
during 0ne Of his Visiia and OF which
there is more said further ON. y -allIu
This affair Of the glass of water threw
both the baker and his wife into feYer of
anxiety, and they wished heartily that
the incubus was off their shoulders. It so
happened that the day was stormy, and,
although the crowd which came to buy
ChabussaPs dessert was immense, and
seemed larger than usual, such was really
not the fact, and for the first time in his