The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-18
The Coffee Pot.

The Coffee Pot.
Last year l was invited, with .wo of NJ y
studio companions Arrigo Collie and Ped
rino Borgnioli, to pass a few days at q
country house in the heart Of Normandy.
The weather, which at the time of our de-
parture promised to be superb, changed
suddenly, and 80 much rain fell that the
roads which we passed were like the bed
of q torrent. We sank in mud up to our
knees, the soles of our boots were cloggcd
with thick coating of clay and mud, the
weight of which retarded our steps so much
that we did not arrive at our destination
until an hour after sunset.
We were harrassed, and our host, seeing
the efforts that we had to make in order to
repress our yawns and to keep our eyes
open, had us shown each to our chamber
as soon as supper was over.
My chamber was vast: felt, as l entered
it, as it were a shuddcr of fever, for it
seemed to me that | was entering new
world. Indeed, you might have believed
yourself in the days of the Regency, to see
above the panels by Boucher, representing
the four seasons, the furniture overloaded
with rociallc ornaments in the worst taste,
and the heavily carved looking glass frames.
table, covered with combs, brushes and
powder boxes, seemed to have been IN use
an hour ago. Two or three dresses Of
changing colors fan covered with silver
spangles, lay carelessly on the polished oak
door, and to my great astonishment tor
toise-shell snutf-bOX. open on the chimney
piece, was full Of fresh tobacco.
I did not notice these things until the
servant, after placing the candlestick on
the table, had wished me good night, and,
/ confess, began to trembe like leaf
undressed myself promptly, went to bed,
and in order to have done with my foolish
fears, soon closed my eyes and turned
my face toward the wall. But it was i'm
possible for ME to remain In this position;
the bed began TO move beneath me like a
wave, my eyelids were drawn violently
back. I was obliged to turn and see.
The blazing fire cast red reflection in
the apartment, 80 that the figures on the
tapestry and of the smoky portraits which
hung on the walls could be easily dlstin-
guished. They were the ancestors of our
host, chevaliers swathed in iron, councillors
in periwigs, and fair ladies with painted
faces and whitc-powdcred hair, holding a
rose in their hair.
Suddenly the fire became strangely
active, blcared light illuminated the
chamber; and I saw clearly what had
taken for vain paintings was reality, for
the eyes Of those framed beings began to
move and to sparkle in strange manner;
their lips opened and closed like the lips Of
people speaking But heard nothing but
the ticl1-tack of the clock and the whistling
of the wind. An insuperable terror seized
me, my hair stood on end, my teeth chat.
tered, my body was bathed In a cold sweat.
The clock struck II. The vibration of
the last stroke sang long in the air, and
when 1t died away entire Oh!
mol l dare not say what happened; no
one would believe me. l should be taken
for mailman. The candles lighted of
themselves, the bellows, without any visl-
BILE being touching them, began to blow
the fire, rafting like an asthmetic old man,
while the tongs stirred the billets of wood
and the shovel gathered up the ashes.
Then coffee pot bounded from the table
On which it had been placed, and went
hobbling along toward the fire brands. A
few minutes aftcrward the arm chairs be
gan to move, and, agitatlng their twisted
feet In surprising manner, came and
ranged themselves around the fire.
did not know what to think Of what
saw, but what remained for me to see was
Stlll more eXCfaOrulnQry.
One of the portraits-the Oldest Of all,
that Of fat, chubby, grey-bearded man,
resembling remarkably the idea had tC
myself Of Sir John Falstatf, pushed his
head ealt 81 tite s fflgAA With grimscs
after having with great effort, for yea n,l NJ
shoulders and his fair, round belly .2Se.meel 1
;ae narrow gllded border, ho jumpetA uoWi
uJ, ho,, Il.
ne mad no sooner taken breath 'aan =
drew Irom the pocket of his doublet'a . Won l.
ueriuliy small key; he blew ON ! im ~ set y,
.llat tne mole was clear, and then iispplleu =
TO oil the frames, one after the ~ theri ant
oil tho frames becare en)aroe,ds 90 as tc
allow the figures which thev contained tc
pass through with case.
Little doIl-likc abbcs .iry and yello"
doWagers, grave magistrat; y plrled q, IN large
Diack roqucs, petits ma .s,esln :, SIX STOCK
ings and prunello bree, yhes--all these per-
sonages presented sue an odd spectacle
that in spite Of my &. fight! could not help
laughing. These ERorthy folk sat down;
the coffee pot Ihsotinded lightly on the table,
! They, took rs6ffeo In cups of blue and white
Japanese porcelain, which ran up sponta
neously from the top of secretary, each
one provided with lump of sugar and q
little silver spoon.
When the coffee had been taken, coffee
pot, cups and spoons disappeared all at
once, and conversation began. Sooth to
say, 1t was the most curious conversation
that have ever heard, for mono of these
strange takers looked at the other while