Morris tribune., 1881-02-03
THE USUAL WOMAN.


! inc of canal, beside which loitered two
humbly clad workingmen One was sup.
porting the other, who appeared to be intox.
icated. The good Samaritan was the here
of our story-Jacques Potiron, the village
roofer. The other, a certain Jean Navel
was pouring into his friendly ear woeful
tale. Though drunk he was not happy-sc
strange are appearances in this deceitful
world; for, unfortunately, he was married
Polron, too, was possessed of a too fruitful
wife, who presented him with twins every
year with the utmost regularity. But beine
very simple, good-hearted fellow, he haG
never thoroughly realized his miserable con-
dition. He was always assisting people
and always getting into trouble for it. Sc
he was looked upon by the village as &
species of elderly infant who needed look
ing after.
"Hark We, jacques" quoth his confrere
sim miserable dog, and I've got scold-
ing wife. Tn tired of life, and so I'm GO
ing to leave it. You've got eighteen chill
dren, and you're good fellow. Here's my
watch and my money! leave 'em to you
Good-bye!" and he plunged into the canal.
1t was SO quickly done that jacques did
not have time to stay his unfortunate friend
and when he returned with assistance it was
too late.
If YOU were to find the body of a man in
canal, and his watch and money in the
pocket of comrade, you would be the
first to entertain injurious suspicious re-
garding the latter. Such was the case, and
Jacques was arrested.
But scarcely had the prison doors closed
upon him when reaction set in "What
jacques Potiron? Simple jacques. He to
commit murder! Stuff and nonsense
Let him go without trial." Such was the
general cry, and such would have been the
result were it motif Monsieur de Ctrnichon,
the judge of the assize court
"No, said he. Il have no doubt of the
innocence of poor Jacques, but we must
observe the formalities.
Jacques, therefore, remained in prison,
in order that he might emerge from behind
his bars with the aureola of an acquittal
around his head.
Every day the officials were asked:
well, when is jacques going to be freed?"
"Oh, in day or two, was the invariable
reply; Its only question of red tape"
So he stayed there. The entire village
would have furnished bail, but each would
say: ''Oh, what's the use? He'll be out
tomorrow" And so he remained. Be-
sides, it furnished an excellent pretext for
grumbling at the laws delay, the poor mans
wrongs, the hardness of Justice and so
forth. And every day the villagers sent
dainties-to the family of. Jacques. And
every night, in order to have work ready
for him when he got out, they tore up the
roofs of their neighbors. On the whole,
Jacques was to envied.
At last the day set for the trial was at hand.
The evening before, Monsieur de Corni-
ehen the judge, visited jacques in his cell,
and babe him be of good cheer.
Its set for eleven o'clock, he told him.
Notify your family to come for you at noon;
it's only a question of formalities, you
know"
The following day the courtroom was
crowded. When jacques appeared, he was
greeted with applause. He was leaning upon
the arms of two officers, who overwhelmed
him with attentions. Two mothers could
not have been kinder. Sure of acquittal,
he bore with him his modest wardrobe,
wrapped in a bandana handkerchief
When his eyes fell upon the Potiron family,
who were almost suffocated by the sympa-
thetic friends who pressed around them, he
babe them go to the house and get dinner
ready, as he would be home in few min
utes. The family left
So convinced were all of the innocence
of the defendant that no counsel had been
engaged for him. Noticing this omission
the judge designated Monsieur Van der
Linden, the Demosthenes of the local bar,
as the prisoners advocate. The mighty
orator responded with shrug which seem
ed to say: ~ / is useless-truth will pre-
vail" But the judge cast glance of en-
treaty upon him, and upon his lips could
be seen trembling the words, "The formali-
ties.
Uo,, I r L.. II
Portable where he was placed among the
crowd, so he went and took the chair re-
served for the plaintiffs counsel. A salvo
of applause greeted this touching sight
eloquence going to the protection of inno-
esnce.
At last the trial began. The witnesses
had scarcely opened their mouths when
they were greeted with Every we'll; that will
do The jurors trembled with impotence;
they burned to render a verdict at once.
But Monsieur de Cornichon was inexorable;
the formalities were observed.
At last Monsieur Van der Linden rose to
speak. A death-ike silence reigned. Clear
ing his throat majestically, the Belgian De-
mosthenes uttered these memorable words:
I'VE submit our case without argument.
A triple roll of applause followed this
magnificent touch, and the judge with much
ado restored silence. It was the turn of
the prosecuting attorney Monsieur Vantose.
This young gentleman had but recently
received his appointment, and had yet his
spurs to win. But not in this case, thought
he. He had already gathered up his papers
in order that he might leave as soon as the
the affair was concluded--a matter of few
moments. However, for FORMS sake, it
was necessary to say few words, and he
rose. He fixed his eve upon the jurors; he
opened his mouth
A silken rustic disturbed the silence of
the courtroom. He turned. 1t was the
lovely Mademoiselle Clotilde de Cornichon,
the judges daughter. She swept grandly
up the aisle made for her by the obsequi-
GUS officials and seated herself in silken
state within the rail. Every woman in the
room Immediately hated her.
Clotilde de Cornichon was the belle of
the village. Coquettish, too, withal, for
she had sighted the attention of many of
the richest young tradesmen there. Her last
caprice had excited the horror of the good
ladies of the village for she had refused the
hand and heart of no less person than the
Belgian Demosthenes, Van der Linden.
But last her heart had spoken. Some
times coquettes have hearts. Sometimes
even coquettes of legal descent have them,
strange as it may appear, and her heart
had spoken for young Monsieur ventose,
the prosecuting attorney. They had plight
ed their troth the night before.
When she entered the hall, jacques Poti-
roh,oyercome by the heat and drowsy with
the hum of voices, had sunk into a deep
slumber. He was destined soon to awake.
Monsieur Ventose, when his true-love's
glance fell upon him with tender pride, felt
for the first time slight feeling of irrita-
ton against jacques.
"Confound the fellow!" he muttered. Il
deep -dyed scoundrel now!"
However, he thought he would adorn the
prosecution with a few flowers Of rhetoric.
Before Madamoiselle Clotilde's appearance
he had about decided to let it go BY default.
So he was rhetorical-hewas even eloquent.