The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-06-12
.o,,cr of harmonic.

travelled great Gcai' I'LL" NV ~ - +L,n, the
lures but rs he never st" ION nothing good
towns people thought DC ''''''
10 tell. .,,+ ,,o ,os ot all cordial
u. an old soldier named irapl"
~ s,ycd his life in battle. ih m,n;t sus
,rnai .alkcr and hoastcr, nn"' NV h,rhpr,s I
,,cr,ed. a knarc. He had SCI VI oyenino he
Ih,n in a street near by. Si'o ., dr;nt
Slni' ~ ',~on Bcnoit. TO ask hun TO at''.h
'''. .,' ~ wine AT the chcUdt nor WIN WV
n , ~ who had served IN inc sasllc
osn 49, ST first Bcuoit refused nu'
Ie ~, Tr.nnc told him It was the anh',si-
.s,n, Of the battle in which he f'au saNeu us
nc, ~, accepted and insisted upon pa.,n
nc NC II. When lie reached the carharct
IN, IL, ",,,a two Unlocking fellows whom he
hsj never seen before. They SAT or'hh",S
t"..r,hcr in The public room until nearly Ii
o'clock. ,>,,,,. t,,.,
Erunit. after spending more money tnan
~ nan .,,cr -ncnt nj an inn in Marmonte |
hrfnre. babe them good night ana went
home. followed by Trappc. who was tax
ing loudly mp 10 the room where MAGAZINE
Bcnoit and her son We're. lrappS iansn.
inrly forced them to drink two glasses oil
~. WITH him. Hcuoit, annoyed, walked
+, the window and when he turned around
was aStonished to lind Trappe gone. nc
remembered this atlerward, but lhouSht
little of il ut the time, he was so SieciH
with the wine. lie then fastened his uoois
and windows and went to bed.
The next morning he was astonished 10
find his shop door ajar, and. on gong uPto
his lumber loft. that the window was open.
Vie soid nothing, for il was not his custom
"a talk about what he did not undcrstaad.
On Going 10 his work. he found The whole
town in excitement and talking about u
Great robbery committed during the ni"ni.
Nc soon perceived. too. that he was atolu-
ed and many cast strange glantes AZ nm.
Then he overheard 4 ncighbor say:
II noticed Benoit'S shop door open
last night after II O'Clock, most unusual
thing; no lightS-pollce---.
He passed on; 50 Bcnolt heard no more.
but his suspicious were aroused, aic , ,'i,
sure Trappc did not leave his house The
night before till all were asleep. and that
ne had opcrcd the door 10 the robbers. lie
remembered the wine, too. lie went 10 Tue
"Trappe,* said he. "thou hast saved
nv life shall say nothing
The next day Trappc disappeared.
From this time proofs seemed To acc'!mu-
late arainst Beuoii. The police found the
tracks of the robbers from his rocl 10 the
rampartS. 4 silver spoon belonging 10 4
family W no had been robbed OF their plate
was found under the window OF the luln-
her loft. Benoit was arrested ana brought
before the court. The Judge asked him
If he left the door and window opcn:|
He answered, " No..
"rhcn." said the judge. "do you know
who did open them:'
No." said Benoit-for he did not Eno'r
that Trappe had done it.
"Do you suspect any onc:"
Ono. monsieur. a. | am suspected I'M.
Justly. have no right to suspect others.
In short he answered every question hon
cstlv, without inculpatin@ Traplc. he
iud-c, finding no proof against hllll, WAS
Obliged to set him free. 1t was evident T."
him, however. from the manner OF his as
charge, and the talk of the people about the
court. that he was still suspected. lie
showed no emotion, but went quietly home.
After embracing his wife and SOP, who were
transported with JOY to see him again, nc
said to the latter:
"SyIve>trr. You will hear everywhere
that although | am acquitted, am no les
thought knayc. Re not di>quicted; this
will not last forever
His wiz. was frightened ut what he said,
hut did not believe it. She went out TO talk
with her neighhor-. Some turned their
backs and would have nothing 10 Say 10 her:
Others looked at her with pity and shrugged
their shoulders. IL ifto say
Poor woman, it is not her fault.
Others declared TO her what they thought. |
After defending her husband warmly she !
returned hnmc weeping, and saying that |
she would live no longer in Marm"ntc.S
"lf | 90 AWAY said Brnot, . shall |
leave I'ad nalne hchind me.
But what good will 1t do Tor YOU 10 re- |
MAIN" asked Madame Bcnoit.
:. mean TO recover my good reputatiOn,|
answered he.
But you will lose al your customers !"
No." said Benot. "for | will he the
best carpenter in town.
"Ihere are others quite us good rs YOU
what will YOU do TO make yourself better
than they said his wife.
by takin- The most difficult work and
trying to make it perfect
Ecnoit had work on hand when he was
arrested. He fastened TO finish ii. He did
il 50 well, so promptly, and 50 reasonably,
that the firm continued to employ him in
spite OF their bad opinion of him. He arose
two hours earlier than usual every MORN
Ing, and retired later; he laborcd dili"ent-
", 80 IL to hire fewer wurkmcn, and be |
able to work cheaper, although he iurn-
i>lled the best material and Workmanship.
Thus he not only kept his own customers,
but acquired new ones.
He knew people thought i'll Of him, and
were often afraid TO trust him alone in a
room but Ii" took no notice. and quietly
SMILED To himself. But if any one spoke
rudrly to him i'll the street while passing
along he gave such 4 look that the insult
was never repeated. He saw, too, how his
accounts were examined, but he took care
10 make them so clear, so detailed, and
supported them with such proofs, that his
customers sometimes finished by saving:
you take more pains than Won need to
take"
No., said he; s. know your opinion
OF me. III Is necessary that you should see
clearly that do not deceive you"
About tins time Il house took fire ana
threatened the one next to 1t. SeYerai
Worhmcn tried to prevent the fire from
reaching II, but soon dcsistcd on account %
The danger. Bcnoit arrived ut the door o.
The threatened house. The servants darea
not allow him TO enter without leave rom
Their master, whom they could not hIu.
lie pushed through them, ana ehterco the
q 'or, saying:
IF happen to save the house, you can
see ;iterward If have stolen any tliuS'
Tie mounted alone 10 tne ~ VI tle
house, where no one dareo W ioiioh nm.
Passing through chamoer, le saw Matcil
Wing on the nlantelpiece. He put 1t IN his
nnrkc, tn prevent It's being stolen; then
ihinkino If he were to perish i'll the flames,
and hi. watch found on him, 1t would prove |
him :, rohher. he concealed it III \ vase near
hv ,1;mhed to the spot nearest the fire,
.inod Ixt'ere the flames had already reached.
and with n few blows OF his hatchct, cut off
ali Communication between the two houses.
Coming down, he met the master Of the
house. He showed him The watch.
- mt it there" said he, .'because
thought if it were stolen you would think l
took it."