The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-09-01

length. a irart of the monster was pet
rified and part o
NSnA
cHArTKR I.
Mana was . child Of misfortune.
Born in poverty and Rat Alley, and
raised in rags and vice. it IL no wonder
that ct thirteen she was the widest Of
the noisy and reckless lot Of girls that
sewed the hindleRz on flannel elephants
that the children delight to play with,
in q great square building that stood in
= remote part Of Paris. Trade In Q
,hickly populated city il . great mons
Ter with the arms Of an octopus and the
NAV Of . shark. 1t stretches out its
myriad t~entacles In all directions, each
one coming back well laden to the cen
lral mouth with As much certainty a.
dread circle Of the Norwegian mael-
strom, is drawn round and round In .
wild waltz that can only end in its be-
ing plunged into the gaping vortex that
seethes and Kisses in very joy Is its
prey disappears. When Geryai.e.
loo sewed on the hind legs of flannel
elephants. but 1t was then n trade at
which she gained nearly two francs .
day. At 10 she had been married by
The Cure Deauchery to Coupeau. an
honest, Woodworking young man.
CHATTER II.
Mana was born. The neighborhood
gossips laughed and wagged their
heads. Coupeau did not laugh. He
kissed Gervaise tenderly as she lay in
the little cot by the window. just a.
his lips touched hers the rays of the
setting sun came through the glass and
fell on the mother and her child.
'Lcok," said the midwife, ''she il
bathed in . golden flood"
"Do not let her bathe," said Coup
eau. He was . true Frenchman. In .
little while he went out, saying moth
ing to the women, who eyed him Gu
riously.
'.Can It be possible that he does not
know?" said Virginie, . woman who
chewed snuff, and had once been in the
hands Of the gensdsrmes for saying
that Robespierre was NO sucker, II he
did finally get licked.
s.Some men viii never tumble" re-
sponded an old bag. who fascinated
rats by smiling At them, and sold their
skins to glovemakers.
CHATTER M.
The evening passed. but Coupsau did
not return. Just ~ the clock struck
twelve his heavy and uncertain step
was heard upon the stairs. Gofvaiso
started up in bed and listened. Pres
emily the door opened. and he came in.
One glance told everything. He was
drunk Advancing ~unsteadily to the
side Of the bed. he placed upon . little
table . pitcher. Here ID some beer"
he said. and fell to the floor in . drunk
en- stupor. Gsrvaise looked in tho
pitcher. He has not deceived me-"
she said; sit is beer" After drinking
it she said to herself" Coupeau loves
me-" and, turning erfacs to the wall,
she slept.
When she awakened in the morning
Coupeau had already risen, and was
looking into the empty pitcher.
"W6ere did you get that beer last
nightp'' asked Gervaise.
'At the Assomoir saloon" said Cou-
peau.
..Get some MORE" said Gervaise.
He went out with the pitcher. From
that moment he was the slave of the
still.
CHAPTER Nv.
When Mana was sixteen, she met one
day. on her way to the place where she
sewed hind legs on flannel elephants, q
man whom she had never before seen.
Would you like to live with me, and
have fine pp he aaid. .
Yes" answered Mana, putting her
hand in his. That night she did not
come home. Two weeks later she
drove through Rat Alley in. . carriage.
No one knew her. She had been
washed. II am Mama" she said to her
mother, and laughed mockipgly as the
poor woman pleaded with her TO re-
turn. Then she drove away.
That night -Coupeau started for .
pitcher # beer, As usual. The cat Wa
purrin n the landing Of the long flight
of step lat led from the room Of Cou.
peau A. Gcrvaise TO the street below.
(;oupean stepped on the cat and q
went down stairs with him. Wher
they reached the bottom he was dad
The cat still purred. Gervaise heard
the unusual noise, and ran to the door;
A piece Of orange-peel lay ON the land.
ing. Gervaise stepped on II With
wild whoop she new through the air,
and landed on . young girl who wa
walking alongthe street. It was Mana.
Geravise weighed two hundred pounds.
There. was = triple funeral the mex
day:
L'Assommoir had done its work.