The Portland daily press., 1876-08-26
THE PRESS.
From the New York Times.]
The Grateful TeXcOcO.


the world" he said to himself. "If ever I
want to be master of pretty little property
at the Batignolles it will be due entirely to
my possessing, with love OF my art as skill
full pair OF hands as can be found in all
France, and 10y curling-irons. Come, Mar
clsse, pioche." And pioche, or pitch into
things with will, did Narcisse. Accident
led him to Guanajuato, because he bad
heard that once on a time French barber
had made a fortune there. Possessed of a
slight smattering of Spanish, Narcisse had
very little difficulty in mastering the Ian
guage. ard, as he was polite, assiduous and
proficient, he made his way rapidly. For
four years Narcisse tot ed and saved his
wages. One day his employer died, and the
shop and goodwill were for sale The whole
of Narcisse's fortune amounted to 500 pesos.
The price asked by the Mexican wife of his
late master was 1000 pesos. SIT was good
chance aud not much out of the way"
thought Narcisse. "Would his reverence the
Padre Dominique" who, as the widows
man of business, had the shop for sale,
"would he take half cash and the rest at six
and twelve months, holding the place in the
meantime as security?" "No, decidedly he
would not. They all had the utmost conf.
deDce, nay esteem, for Signor Narcisse; but
such things as time-bargains were not to be
thought of 10 Mexico. They would, however
give Sgnor Narcisse fortnight to think over
it. If the bargain was not concluded then,
rather than abate their terms real, they
would shut the shop up and Signor Narcisse
was at liberty to 60 and open a shop else
where"
'Diantrer' said Narcisse Isdore. "That
old crow, Padre Dominique, is at the bottom
oft He never did like me. He fapcies
have certain ideas prejudicial to his calling.
He has f0Id / a TnIf airian
culotte, more than once. Now, like dog in
a manger, rather than take my offer, he
wants to keep me and everybody else out OF
the shop. Well, as the widow won't accept
my terms, that is an end of it. With what
little money have will hire room some
where. do regret, however, that pretty
little place at the Batignoles; a love of a
tiny house, painted blue, with pink roof,
and bells hanging all around the caves. All
il wanted was a thin streak of green to re-
lieve the general effect. I should have
planted tree on the ground; there was
ample room for one tree, and its foliage
would have produced a natural contrast.
AlasI / shall have, see, to shave many a
chin. roll up many tress, build up many a
wig, seld untold pots of pomatum and bottles
of extract before that little house will be
mine !'Narcisse, fn melancholy mood, was
rubbing his brushes together in the BARRIERS
shop when certain Don Miguel entered.
Don Miguel was one of the most carefully
dressed men in Guanajuato. The gentleman
took his place in one of the two chairs, re-
questing that his hair might be refreshed.
Narcisse-who, as became his calling, was
volubility :tself-spoke of the death of the
master, the price Of the shop, what he would
like to pay for it, and his regret at not be.
coming the purchaser.
'Ah!' said Don Miguel, ''you have five
hundred pesos? Quite nice little sum
Now listen, would you double it?''
'Donble it? of course that is, by hones
means"
Nothing easier. Bet on my black game.
cock; have wagered no end of ounces or
him. he is sure to win. Don Ramon's
cock will run away before my Cid"
Thanks, signore, for your offer; but
cosk-fghting is not in my line. See you, ar
accidental peck might carry away the fruits
of a great deal Of labor" replied Narcisse.
"You have no heart, no couragep con.
tinued Do Miguel. spray, as a capitalist, dc
you keep your money at the bankers. Bank.
ers fail sometimes"
mo, do not keep 1t at any bankers"
"You don't carry it about you, do you? ''
inquired the gentleman. What Narcisse
might have answered, as he tapped involun.
tarily on his breeches pocket, was never
heard, because just then slight accident
happened. Texcoco, the Indian water-car
rier, had drank too much pulque, or his foo,
slipped, for he upset fully gallon of the wa
so that quite little cataract poured down or
his white silk stockings and deluged his neat
glazed leather pumps.
awkward beast! Left-handed scoundrel
Stupid loutl Low hound of peonep
shouted the man in the chair, as, in terrible
rage, he seized his cane and struck the watel
carrier over his head. The Indian cringet
under the punishment like cur, and thu
blow was about being repeated, when Mar
cisse interfered. "Come, come, signore; thi,
poor devil did not do it on purpose. He i,
very sorry for it. 1t might have been my
fault. / ought to have told you to take the
any more. In fact, can't allow it,"
81 would have you know, my barber
friend" said the gentleman with sneer
that administer punishment whenever
please, and to whom please, and no mar
may say nay to me-" Now Narcsse, who
was as peaceful as lamb, had some peculiar
ideas of his own. He would have looked or
Indifferent when two men we've fighting il
out neatly with swords, but the idea of strk
ing anyone with stick was brutality, &C
cording to his notions. Then, again, there
Wdo oOmCtutuk duOuI Iuc tOuo vi LOU MlSu
ell, which Carcisse did not relish. Narcsse
though determined, was very respectful. s.My
dear sir, one blow is sufficient, and I an
quite denied that second one will be super
f1uous. Pray put down your stick" But
Don Miguel, with the wet trousers ard damp
stockings, was remorseless, and whirling his
stick in the air, was about bringing II down
second time on the water-carrier's head,
when Na-cisse clatched short brass rod in
which curtain hung. threw the bit of faded
calico before Texcoco, as if Texcoco had
been bull at the Corridas de Toros, and by
neat turn of the wrist disarmed Don Migu-
ell, whose stick flew to the other side of the
room. Narcisseswas handy with the foil, hay
ing had many bont with the soldiers when
he worked at Tarbes.
ut takes no more than that" said Mar
clsse, smiling, as he picked up Don MiguePs
stick and handed it back to him. Nov, sir,
I beg of you to sit down again. Your hair
must commence over again. will heat an
iron, and am not too proud to press out your
trousers for YOU"
81 will never honor your shop with my
presence again. You have insulted a Mexi-
with bitter scowl of hate on his face.
cit is bad business, master" said the In
dian.
eyes, Texcoco."
cit is kniie-thrust-neither more nor
less" continued the water-carrier.
"Diablel You don't mean it?''
Don't go without your pistol, MASTER"
Nonsense"
ST am sorry"
$50 am L"
s'You stood up for me-" said the Indian.
'DidI? Well I would do that for any
man, though, my friend the water.carrier,
you have lost me customer"
Customers 60 and customers, come, adieu /:
you have 500 pesos? heard you say SO.
Guanaiuato is pretty safe, at least for those
who don't carry their fortunes about them.
Goodby, sir a second blow from that gentle
man should not have relished, one taste
was sufficient; but what justice can a poor
devil like Texcoco get?" and saying this the
water-carrier left.
ga bad beginning" said Narcisse, ct have
a fortnight before me, and have lost a day
and customer" Narcisse was in bad
spirits, that night, as he went homeward to
his lodgings, in street near the park ell Can
tador. "Alas! my pretty little house at the
Batignolles, it will not be mine. Perhaps by
shaving for 80 years to come might own it.
Had been able to secure the shop, it would
have only matter of 10 years." That was
all that Narcisse thought for many long,
weary day afterward, for the next moment a
man sprang from behind a mimosa tree at
Narcisse, and the poor coiffeur had knife
nlunoed into the middle of his hacl II mos