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


gence in calling him by any other name
than idiot.
AS soon as Chabussal could recover from
his surprise and indignation, he leaneC
over the counter and shook his fist at him
"No, sir If you are not here on your
time, I'll cut your head ofTl"
Gall right, sir" rejoined the boy, meek
ly, but with touch of deep disappoint
ment,
ado you mean that It will be all righ
for me to cut your head of, or that yor
will be hackf"
al shall certainly be back"
Chabussal then nodded significantly
and the boy shut the door behind him and
went away. There being nothing par
| ticu,ar to do, Chabussal fell to musing,
which employment also engaged his wife
and they both gazed at the door through
which the lad had passed, 1t being the last
thing which attracted their attention. ~
Chabussal originally might have been
a very delicate and refined child in his
feelings and spirit, but, as he quilted that
stage of his growth and became boy, he
also Quilted his innocence; while the in.
nocence and the proportional fneness OF
his character at that age were duly ex-
changed for coarser grades as his bulk
and stature increased and, therefore
when he finally lost the poetry of his
form, and became the giant that he was
at present, he also exchanged all the
poetry of his soul for manner common
among swine and brutes.
Annette" growled he, presently, "what
mess we made of bringing that young
rubbish from France !
Nparhano if had rivnn him tho 6po
clothes aud horses, and chambers VIC
promised, he would not look 80 longingly
back at those which he left, replied she,
sturdily.
But the speculation looked fair, did il
not? True, he was no great favorite, but
public opinion ought to have made them
offer decent reward but, just think oi
it-only five thousand francs for their
own flesh and bloodl the inhuman brutes p
His wife gave him sidelong glance
while smile crossed her face /; but he
was perfectly honest.
{" He is weak one," observed Chabus.
sal, redectively.
eyes; but he is growing, and will soon
be strong. And, mind you, l love him, if
you do not; only he ought to have been
a girl, and not be obliged to become a
great monster like YOURSELF .t.t.
"You are complimentary" returned
the other, with grunt ike pig. He
then looked vacantly before him for some
noticed that he asked me favor to-
night?" .......
She nodded. ...-.
"That has given me hint that the boy
is growing, as you say. Now, what du
you think of sending him back to France,
if they will pay us for the trouble of find.
ing himl For, you see, if we do not, he
will be starting off on his own account,
one Of these fine days, and so prevent us
from turning an honest penny"
The idea was a new one to both, and
they looked at one another, a little startled
Before either could again speak, a man en-.
tered the shop, and, approaching the coun-
ter, made a purchase of some Jelly. He
was as stout and as heavy as Chabussal
himself, but appeared to be gentleman
He was f1orid and wore glasses, and had
an extremely gentle voice, which induced
madame to look at him twice, Whereupon
she went and hastily concealed herself
behind the screen of her desk, trembling
like leaf He turned to depart, but re-
turned to Chabussal, with a smile.
Excuse me-" said he, "but l should
like to ask you three questions, which 1
invariably ask all Frenchmen. Did you
ever hear OF a person whose true name
was Jean Vernet," (Chabussal nearly
sank upon the floor, "a woman named
Annette Noir, or a young boy named
Ernest Nardin ?"
Chabussel stealthily glanced towards
the desk, shaking his head thoughtfully.
No, he never had, ,yr
"Pardon me for asking" said the
stranger; "but have an excellent rea.
son. am at this moment engaged in
searching for the boy, who was abducted
or seduced from home by the other two,
and who has become extremely rich by
the death of his father by over eating, or,
more politely, by apoplexy, and the de-
cease of the remaining children by indi.
gestion, induced by the habit of trying
impossible dishes invented by the parent.
I AM about despairing, for the wretchcs
have hidden him. 1t would be q fortune
for his restorer." -...---..-.-
Chabussal moistened his dry lips WIN
his tongue, and when he could trust b i'm
self to speak, asked, with the least posi-
bic interest in the world, how much that
might be.
almost anything" replied the other,
opening the door "snything the lucky
fellow would mind asking. Adieu l
will come tomorrow"
"Annettel Annette |" roared Chabussal,
"who the devil was that?" .-a-
Pale as ghost she came from behind
her hiding place, wringing her hands.
ooh, that is our masters bosom friend,
NJ. Yiol, and he is coming again to-mor
row"
They looked at one another in aston
ishment. Avarice burst into Ohabussal's
face in the shape of smile, and he clap.
ped his hands with sounding blow upon
his hips, which resulted in enveloping
him in cloud of -four. Before he could
speak, the boy returned from his errand,
entering a little more hurrledly than usual,
which fact was by no means lost upon
the other two, and he was ordered oelose
the shop instantly, while they retired to
the back parlor-a couple of conspirs-
tors.
The boy sprang to his work with the
air of one who had something to c6nmu.
nicate or ask, on its completion. His
flew into their places with, an
rapidity, his wrapping pa
pers were quickly arranged against the
morrow, his door locked, his gas extin.
guished, all in half his usual time, and he
presented himself to his two friends.
Madame" he asked, ''who was that
gentleman who just left here~
His question was answered by Chabus.
sal, who turned upon him savagely, and
gave him a blow upon. the head which
sent him flying half senseless into cor.
ner among some dust pans and brushes.
"Why did you do that ?" demanded
madame, tlercely, Of Chabussal. "Oan't
You see how small ne is2 how thin his
legs and arms are? that his head is no
bigger than your two fists? l wish the
rats had youI"
Ohabussal, standing over the PROSTATE
boy, did see it apparently for the first
time In his life |; and STOPPING, he raised
him to his arms by the collar, and went
aud sat down by the fire. tC3
One of the subtlest powers which Ma
ture bestows upon us is that of touch and
contact. Chabussal never felt its irhu.
ences until the moment he placed the
lads head upon his shoulder, and put his
huge arm about him. 1t reduced him TO
silence, and, in gazing over the boys
head at the fire, his lips slowly sank upon
his smooth hair, and there they rested,
a IL Il. Il :