The Newtown bee., 1879-11-19
THE BIRD WITNESSES
A FRENCH TRADITION.

A FRENCH TRADITION.
Monsieur Jules Lafarge was wealthy
manufacturer at Orleans, in France 1t
was payday with him, and he was sit
ting in his armchair at a table covered
with account books and papers, in the
apartment on the ground floor in his
elegant mansion, which he used as a
kind OF office or counting room. His
nephew, Lucien, sat at the other end OF
~the table with the register book of the
working people before him.
Lucien Lafarge called out the names,
and the people, men and women, came
forward in turn and received their
wages. Presently Lucien called out the
names of Pierre and Jean Corbeau.
They came forward, one sullenly, the
other with cringing servility. They were
a pair of ill-looking fellows.
"Oh, the two brothersp exclaimed
Monsieur Lafarge, sharply, as he sur
yeyed them with displeased air. ''This
way, sirs; your presence is rarity.
However ing you stop away from labor,
you are always sure to be here upon
pay day"
We had business that kept us away"
growled Pierre, who appeared to be in
clined to be insolent.
Jean, more submissive, nudged him,
and added in a hesitating manner:
Pardon my brothers roughness,
monsieur; we had little business, as
he says; were detained, you must know,
at-at-"
'At the wine shop" supplied Lafarge.
severely.
"Well, if we were at the wine shop"
answered Pierre, impudently, 1--WE don't
come here for more than our dues"
Monsieur Lafarge frowned.
Take what l owe you-two days
pay" he replied, curtly, land will give
you little wholesome truth into the
bargain. Idleness and drunkenness
generally lead to crime; and crime,
sooner or later, is followed by disgrace
and punishment. Henceforward you
will work with me as other people do,
or not at all.
"Oh, just as you please" growled
Pierre, and he muttered a curse upon
the proud tyrant, as he considered
him.
Suppose / were to turn you adrift,
you idle knaves, what would you do
then?" cried Lafarge, testify.
Knavesin repeated Pierre, in a fero-
cious manner, and he would have made
an angry reply had not his brother inter
posed and led him away, saying as he
went:
1t shan't happen again, sir; you
may depend upon that" And when he
got his angry brother into the open air.
he SAID, Are you madp He has paid
us our wages"
Mad! / don't know what / am !"
answered Pierce, fiercely. Knaves in
deed He has paid us our wages-he
shall soon pay for that insult"
The working people having been paid
Monsieur Lafarge turned his attention
to his letters. The first one informed
him of the fact that merchant of Ant
werp, named Kadelburger, with whom
he had dealings, had stopped payment.
He communicated the intelligence to
Lucien, and requested him. to examine
stood with Kadelburger. 1t was dis
covered that their last bill of exchange
had been paid and his account balanced.
He did not owe anything to Monsieur
Lafarge. This was very gratifying.
But to Lucien the failure of Kadel-
burger afforded great deal of
anxiety of mind. There was in
Orleans small merchant named
Henri Duvoc. who also dealt
with Kadelburger, and he feared he
would be heavily involved. Duvoc
had bill of exchange in Lafarge's
hands, which was within day of be-
coming due, and Lucien feared he could
not meet it. He also feared that La
farge would not be lenient to his credi-
tor, from the simple tact that he,
Lucien, loved Emile, the daughter of
Duvoc, and his uncle had views for him
in another quarter wishing him to