The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-05-17
NUMBER A.


mel had sent him to invite the pastor
to a game Of "skat.'
81 can't go, my dear Frederick" said
the pastor. 81 cannot make any Wis.,
its in my present condition. You must
tell the colonel So"
81 can't take any excuse, sir, said the
servant "colonel says that he will
come for you himself If you do net
60 without. AS far as the smell is
concerned, don't give yourself any UNI
easiness. Large pinches of snuff and
pipes of very strong tobacco have been
provided, which will counterfeit every
other smell. So you will be expected
at 3 o'clock.
The good pastor had felt that the
colonel had given him this invitation
in order to afford him some distraction,
and that it would he rude on his part
to reject. He went, but he noticed in
ascending the mansion steps that the
Odor had come back, and it was SO
much stronger now that there was no
doubt as to the death smell. The bar
Onncss went away as soon as the odor
manifested itself, and the colonel or
dered the card-tablc to he brought to
the open window, and the pipes to be
lighted. The poor pastor played in
very despair, for. in spite of the thick
clouds Of smoke, the dreadful smell rose
into the noses of the poor players from
time to time, as if it were a warning of
the modification ofall flesh. The pas
tor happened to be very lucky in the.
game, and this caused his spirits to rise
somewhat. He had just received a
hand full of face cards, and was sure
to win the game, when a servant mato
his appearance and asked the attention
of the young baron for moment.
"WelI, what is it ?" asked the baron,
as he laid down his cards.
s'The mole catcher has inst come, and
I waLted 10 ask if he si,onld begin at
once on the lower meadows, as the YER
min have done more damage there
than anywhere elsee"
| Certainly. Let, him set his trap
there fist, for tile moles have nearly
eaten us mp there. Give him a g-oschen
: for every ono he catches"
The servant left the room and the
y baron turned to the table to take mp
4 his cards. Here he found n most as
O tonishing sight. The pastor sat there
Is with open mouth and staring eyes, the
five face cards spread ont on the table
before HIM, the fingers of his right hand
). stretched out like falcons claws, and
q unable to speak single word.
"My God, pastor!' cried the colonel.
"What in the devil is the matter with
q You n
/. This sacrilegions mixture frightened
: the pastor out of his apparent trance.
"Moles !" he cried, "moles What
e All immense sheep I have been" And
e then the good man began to dance
r. around the card table like a maniac.
: "But, great heaven, tell us what the
matter So cried the colonel again, as
u he jumped mp from his seat.
: "He is crazy !" exclaimed the school
q master, as e placed his chair between
IS himself and the dancing pastor.
"Moles !" cried the pastor again, a
> he stood almost breathless in front o
j. the baron. Then, reaching his hant
i. into the back pocket of his coat, Ia
"a brought forth--in manner that is sim
II ply indescri6able--a dead mole. Thel
"a lie dropped it as if it had been Io
n coal, out of the window into the garlc
III below.
Mt The problem was solved. During
he walk a couple of Sundays before, h
10 had picked up dead mole and place
.ir it in his pocket, with the purpose I
to adding it to a co Election of OH ects of IL;
as ture, but Mad entirely forgotten it. {
At CO tuiS Was tuc source Oh luis Ilo
no ribie and inexplicable odor-morti6c;
II. ton indeed-which had given every
he body SO much concern, and the paste
now remembered that il. had only bee
,rs perceptible on those occasions whe
,s- he bad put on his. best coat, though
cd had not thought of it before.
He hurried back to his good vii
inf threw his arms about her neck, al
op burst into tears of joy, as he exclalme
vi. "God be thanked and praised foreve
my dear Marie; didn't smell at a
20 1t was MOLE"
nst Since that time, Pastor Feldma
all less absent minded than before, h
lived a happy life with his wife a
nor family, and there has been no seriO
ing mor'inca'ioh ID MS Wno'e "oaseno
!" MIscHIFF- MAKERS. calm
.n mind, how composed the affectio
how serene the countenance, h
the melodiaus the voice, how sweet
viii sleep, how contentful the whole