The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-04-01
Selected story.
THE LUCK OF A JOKE.

laJlOn INNef WHICH helECu N1bh 4 allS,
and indeed all France, three young
men. mutual friends, were sitting to-
gether in the rooms of the Hotel du
Commerce, ut Rheims They were Ia
menting the rigors of forlune, as com
rades of twenty-five do, in the midst of
cigar wreaths and by "punch-light."
"Pshaw |" said CHARLES, spiteluliy.
IL had speculation which would have
done honor to Law or Rothsohild ;
but nobody would give the slightest
heed to it--a poor devil of an employc
like mo What am | : Worse than
n nobody"
"And l." said George, ''have finished
n work that would make me a name, If
| could only fnd publisher who would
risk the printing"
FOR my part" SAID Albert, al asked
my employer to raise my salary. After
iivo years constant care and travel II
was Ho more than right. Well, hc re
piled that he could get as many clerks
MS ho wanted for the siN hundred francs
turned up my nose Mt. That's the
thanks Tor finding customers for wool
and wine So Charles, do YOU remain
in the nbprefect's office, and YOU,
George, in the smctum Of your news
paper"
"My friends, cried Charles, "lhough
neither of us has any hopes of making
II fortune, could we not ut least obtain
the name of being rich r
"Thats an idea :" exclaimed Albert,
"what an absurdity |"
apo you think so = replied Charles
"and why SO Do you think that with
the help of money should be sorry to
become II snb.prefect in my turni Are
you persuaded that YOU, Albert, would
be driven To desperation by buying a
commission-hou and having travelling
clerks of your own Do YOU think
that George, the lettercd aud meian-
choly, would he made miserable by
marrying, always thanks to the ready
cash he stands in need of, his dear little
Madeline, the pretty brunette, whom
her parents have refused him because
he hasn't got a sou 2
You are coming II rather strong.
interrupted George a little piqucd
You're an ungratcful fellow ,haia
all, +" replied Charles Still cling ia
NV idea, aud to- prove it attention.
gentlemen Ne are going &" draw i"iv
to ser which shall lee rich
At that instant George h.,d drorpe.,
and hc scrmed - hc druw-s
What ace tou thinking "i ...i
Charles.
| am too ,irrl 10 think, answered
George. with sczcd air. nud be- fei
asleep ia good earnest.
Don't you know" said AI!srt, "th,
poor follow has been four times at lss,ft
10 day to the Ceres gate, to iry Z" ct'cl
"A glimpse 81 a radiant face through ti'
Stats Of blind or thr folds Of a eur
tain r.
That's true, said Charles Wei
wake him III good time iut YOU se.
I he's To bc the winner lau know rh,
proyorb aays luck come, a. us wiuci
we're sleeping"
At these words the two iiirhd, brok'
out in Joyous peal oi laughter thai
would have disturbed tho Religions *
ercises Il Notre- Dame, that aimjtnhl,
cathedral of the city of Rheims, ii th,
faithful had not bet.n absent that even
! ing, attracted To the Bernard saloon bl
concert of the Philharmonic society
Here's my hat" said Cbarl.
There's no monkey about it. And q,
the same time the Young hair-brain csJ
three fragments Of paper, and wrot
/ three names on them, aud shook then
up III his hat. lie now attempted {
wake up George, who was already snol
ing.
"GentIemen," said be, "the last nam
that comes out shall be the winmin
number. All should like to be tn
heir that fate is now about TO impre
wise for, between ourselves, thong
j. American uncles have been a good dea
: abused, remember that on the stage tb
: most hackneyed gags succeed the bes
: All gentlemen, a legacy! What
= position that gives you, and how
!; shoves you ahead Consideration
!. credit--you have everything then --yo
are master, lord Of your destiny"
Albert assumed grave lock, shoe
George by the sleeve, and thorough
awakened him. Charles drew frs
then the sleeper, who mechanically int
o tated the action of his arm. Whe
y y each in turn had plunged his hand ini
y the impermeable urn they nnfolded ii
n bits of paper, and, on examination
+" George was found TO be the one de
tined to play the part of nabob an
heir.
"Ah p said Charles, who was in d
J. vein of quoting proverbs "The:
lovers Everything succeeds vii
at them, Notwithstanding the famous sa
- ing-happy at play, unlucky in love
T. Albert and George joked in the
turn about the result of the vo
is plucked by destiny from the imperi
n felt. They laughed, quafIed al
smoked. George yielded to the gayo
n which gained on him in spite of hir
u self, but the intrepid Charles, irnpellt
by fixed idea, exclaimed
"Well, will take no denial. Georg
! when we we're children / often hea
y YOU speak of a cousin who set out f
y Guadaloupe or Martinique and ney
came back. That's our cue p
s He was interrupted by the mer
ment of both friends.
~ "Laugh as much as you please
Ills continued. 1--WE will resuscitate Il
W. W. cousin, or rather, we will kill him. He
ly; me-John Dubreuil died at GuaC
% rs. loupe, leaving sugar plantation, six
t. r. slaves-and in word, property valu