The Portland daily press., 1876-08-26

even the squalid hospital chamber. Narclsse
could see now clearly; his eyes had been
yelled before. There was not soul moving
in the room. All the occupants OF the beds
were apparently asleep; even the good sister
dozed in her chair. He glanced at the pa
tent in the cot near him. Horror Was he
delirious2 No, no; he was not-but as sure
as he was alive, tie man in the bed within
three feet of was Don Miguel And Don
Miguel was dead.
It was Just one month before Narcisse left
the hospital. In two or three weeks more
the surgeon thought the coiffeur would be
quite well again.
'Had you been an Englishman, German
or an American, your little history would
have come to a fms. Too much ale-too
much beer-too much beer-too much BRAN
dy does their business" the surgeon had ad-
ded. Thankful for having escaped with life,
Narcisse did not worry over his loss. Still he
thought of the little house in Batignolles and
how he had to begin life again. ''As soon as
l am strong, will get place, save money,
and 60 to the city of Mexico. The air of
GuaDjuatO does not suit me. Poor devil OF
cock fighter, what fate was hsn' Narcisse
wandered feebly in the neighborhood of his
old shop. What? Was it possible! 1t was
not closed. There stood the sign, "The
widow Dolores, had she found a purchaser?
The new master might want him as an assis-
tant? He went slowly in. There were two
BARRIERS there-one German, the other
native-he knew them both as good, civil
workmen.
'.Wecome, sir" said the German. "Wel-
come back! We have been waiting for you."
"How waiting for me"'
When you are well and strong it will be
explained to you. Now, sit down. Your
hair wants trimming. After fever nothing
is more salutary to the hair than slight cut
ting. Would it please you to take this chair?
Then you will be satisfied to keep me in your
employ?"
keep you in my employ? do not under
stand. amt oct ofmy wits yet, am ?"
Receipts average some twenty dollars
day. The water carrier acting through Gen
Aylion-bought the place for you. Texcoco
brings the water every day, and takes away
the money, Though he cannot write line,
be knows to a real what the business comes
to-"
Narcsse Isidore Dupont sat down in the
chair, dumb with advertisement. The assis-
tant might have cut his ears off and Narcisse
would have thought it part of a dream.
That afternoon the watercarrier came in as
usual with his jars of water. ''Last time 1
spilled my water; l must be more CAREFUL"
was all he said, and he was about leaving
when Narcisse detained him, having dis
missed the journeymen.
"Texcoco, what does all this mean?" gasp
ed out Narcisse.
'Why, master, the shop is yours. You
owe me 400 pesos. 1t was 500 month ago.
have paid myself 100 from what the shop
has taken in."
''How? How? do not understand. 1t was
kind Of you to come and see me, Texcoco at
the hospital"
s'Not understand? Why, it is just as plain
as plain as can be. You had 500 pesos
hadn't you?"
"Yes, I had once, but when was stabbed,
was robbed"
"Of course you were-what's the news in
that? Don Miguel stabbed you.
..Can it be possible? Are you sure of it?"
Sand robbed you.
"Good Godp
| ''He stabbed you in the back and robbed
| you. I stabbed him in the breast and did not
rob him - only l get lyour money
back. Nothing was simpler; your 500 pesos,
| and 500 pesos lent you, bought the shop.''
| ''But this is horrible, Texcocop'
ut is Mexican justice, or the way we igno.
rant Indios understand it. Now master, but
| four people in this world know anything
| about it'll and you and his excellency, Gen.
Avillon, for told him all about it.''
ellis excellency! but who is the fourth %
"Ah, the fourth! Well, I hope he is in
| purgatOry, for have had masses said for the
repose of his soul. For masses are expen-
sive-I have paid out twenty-five pesos
| already-and Father Dominique says twenty
| five pesos worth more will do the business.
| As it was your affair you will have to pay it
back to me in time-no hurry. suppose
you will still let me supply you with water ?"
"But Texcoco, suppose had died, what
would you have done with my 500 pesos ?"
| "You should have had the handsomest
funeral in Guanajuato what was over to the
last real would have gone for masses
This is exactly what my friend, small,
handsome, little old Frenchman told me a
summer, ago as I admired his sky-colored
| house and his strawberry-cream roof. "My tree
has grown" said M. Dupont, and he pointed
to stuhted bit OF foliage on one side of the
house. II have not advanced anything in
in my story which is not true. That Indian
had bought my shop lor me. 1 kept the
secret. did not marry Dolores, though
both she and the padre wanted me TO do it.
In ten years l made just enough money to
leave Mexico, come to France and settle
down in this little property, In the Batlg-
NOTES.-The place of my Dreams"
"And the water carrier?' / asked.
| 81 paid him every cent before the year was
out.''
| "And what else?"
| "Apres? Well, my friend, the instru-
ments Providence chooses are sometimes
bizarre. am afraid Texcoco dispensed JUS
tice, according 10 his own light. in peculiar
way. Enfin, with knife! This was at the
least monotonous! Five years after the &C.
currence have had the honor of telling you
| about, Coco was shot for murder, the cir
cumstances of which never could get ex.
actly at the bottom of. 1 went down on my
knees before the governor, and sued for his
| life-but it was of no avail. MY good Mar
cisse,' said the governor, This excellency was
quite familiar with me, for I dressed his
daughters hair,) when Texcoco managed
| your business so cleverly, that was well.
But tina. was not his first murder. As be
has passed his sixteenth murder, you see l
am forced to stop itl' Poor Texccso, may
be hardly called pious, but had masses said
for the repose OF bis soul, for he was the NEST
religious Indian ever met with. You need
not smile, sir; be was. When my tree puts
out more branches, it will add greatly to the
npl ahmnpt of M ufcundc -