The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1882-09-14

~ . pIC6tl Sulu. II 10 uOJ oltCu L nave
to read such new to my customers" said the
Ecrivain.
Still Pere Perrault remained silent, 10 liking
stupidity at the learned man with the round
spectaeles and the flowing beard. Presently
he muttered: 'Eh, say that again. Three
thousand francs-three thousand francs" but
the words did not seem to bring any meaning
to his mind. 'Yes, there it is, quite in form.
l l never read a better written letter, and | have
experience" said the Ecrivain.
"But yes-yes, it Is clear as the dav,r shouted
Mere Perrault in her husbands ear, tapping
the palm of her left hand with her closed right
fist. your brother, the miser, who would not
lend you a few miserable francs when you were
without a sou, is dead-yes, dead, and has left
you three thousand francs, you understand
three thousand francs; and to emphasize this
information Mere Perrault hit her left palm
with a succession of little knocks from her
right.
The energetic clearness of his wife did not
communicate itself to Pere Perrault. yes
yes, three thousand francs,'' he repeated in
the same mechanical fashion without a re-
sponsive CLEAN in his eyes. lie remained
standing where he was, asking no question
making no movements; but a foX-like keenness
had suddenly developed itself in Mere Per-
rault. The money must not be sent to the
house; she had grown fearful of thieves, she
had become suspicious, refusing the services
of the Ecriyain public to take charge of the
sum and place 1t in the Caissc d'Eoargne. She
VIZ VI oPAiA u
authority, and Selling her husband by the tail
OF his blouse, announced her intention of
going to see Monsieur lie Cure. A feverish
movement on the parE of Pere Perrdult re-
vealed that through his dulleI senses an ap-
probation of his good fortune h I'd entered.
The Ecrivain public, on returning the letter,
let the string that bounl the registered en-
velope fall on the floor. With trembling haste
the chiffonier ducked under the table, and
with shaking fingers eiutched it, as IL it, too
were precious.
Mere Perrault did not pause TO tell the news
to the eager loiterers outside, but with firm
hold of her husband made her way to the pres
byters. Monsieur lie Cure was at the door,
just going out, but he turned bac and
listened with interest to the old womln's
story. His efforts to minister to the spiritual
needs of the Moutfetardians were not appreci-
ated by this Bohemian section of his flock, but
he was q man of ~indulgent turn of mind,
guilelessly eager to do good without claiming
any tribute of gratitude. He now felt sure
that for the speedy and more secure payneat
of the legacy there would be certain formal,
ties to be gone through by this wide-awake
woman and s'upid 10 king man which it was
probable they would blunder over alone. He
therefore once more put Oh his shovel hat and
babe them come with him to the Mayoralty of
the ACCOMPLISHMENT. The counsels the priest
during the walk gave to the old people as to
the placing of their money were addressed to
the wife, for the husband seemed too dazed to
understand as he stalked along dumbly clutch
ing the letter against his chest. At the Marie
The authorities soon confined their questions
to Mere Perrault, apparently Judging the old
man to be a it'll removed from au idiot, who
could do nothing but feebly ~reiterate the
questions put to him. Still that the cb ffonier
was not ignorant of the chan &C thatllad come
in his fortune was again Mantle i'el b. his
obstinate refusal to give up into the keeping
of the civil authorities, in return for q formal
receipt thereof, the eiter he had received that
morning. 1t required, to induce him to part
with the precious document, the fluent and
vivid representations of his wife that it was
guarded by the Church in the person CT Mon
sier lie Cure, by the law in that of the officials
surrounded by books and rolls of plper, AMI
by the army in the sentinels posted at the door
of the Marie.
The news Of the legacy told to some of the
l~oiterers by the Ecrivain public had preceded
the old couple on their return to the Rue
Moutfetard. The quarter was on the tiptoe of
excitement. A sudden regard for Pere Per-
rault had developed itself in the community.
Mere Perrault noted how the oil man was
treated with prospect he hal lie yer been treat
ed with before. The gdIg0tte Of Perc Michael
was the resort of c~hiffoaiers on holiday occa-
sions. Thither Pere Perrault vent at the ill.,
~vitation of his friends t. talk over the big
question how to spend 5000 francs. 1t was
felt due to the community to consider the
question as one OF public Interest, to be prop
erly discussed only before q table on which
stood brandy and petit vim bleu. The Moulfe-
tardians are a silent race for one of Gallic orr
gin, but they can come out volubly on occa-
tions with speech literally strewn with
~sapristis and other expletiyes, to Which the
rumble of RS gives a distant sembllnce to
the mutter of artillery.
Thu health of Pere Perrault was drunk with
reclamation. Pere Perrault acknowledging
the honor by drinking to it himself. 1t was
repeated with emphasis that the chiiTonier was
an honor to the community. He deserved his
luck. And it was en- rendered how on two
occasions-once when he folnl a silver tea
spoon in a dustheap, AMI an ,ther time a silver
fork-he had with the proceeds of their sale
treated his friends. 1t was hoped that on this
occasion of his good fortune he would not be
found tagging behind; for, said Pere Blot, the
orator of the quarter, "The word fraternity
is 8 falsehood when the goo luck of one
of its members is not the good luck OF
ALL" Mere Perrault, whose late LYNX eyed
vigilance had now assumed the form of eau
ton, gave but a taciturn encouragement to
the company's hope of a treat. "Good money
must not be wasted in liquor" she remarked.
Pere Perrault, however, in the surrounding
atmosphere of cordiality, was showing symp
toms of awaking out of his somnambulistiC
condition; he-nodded aud gave his word tina
when he touched his legacy he would spend u
whole louis dor in treating his mates.
AT er this assurance the company took uE
the question in hand with gusto. The Mouffe.
tardians are not politicians. 1t is difficult
to kindle the Imagination of men who have nc
experience of life's chances but those pre-
sented by rubbish heaps. Changes in the
forms of society's government do not affect
those who do not understand the first meaning
of aspiration, ami are unable to fancy what
enlarged life means.
Still, there were in the quarter some spirits
stepped in the direst colors of + p~ub!icanism
and one of them vowed with many muttereC
CALCULATIONS that had he 1900 francs he would
devote every sou of them toward Kidding the
country of despotism.
The Mouffetardians are a reckless, lawles!
Bohemian set, bu they are not of q spoil-spor
disposition, and the suggestion was fercely
overruled and silenced as one likely to mar thu
geniality of the meeting. To the mljoritl
present the prospect of doing nothing NOR
but smoking and imbibing any amount of cal
de vie appeared the only rational way of en-
joying existence and spending 3,00J francs
Pere Blot, who had larger views, spoke up
and demonstrated that a chiffonier who would
deserve well of the community should d.
something for his fellows; he held, there ore
that Pere Perrault ought to Sc: up as a maitr'
chiffonier, buying up from his old mates, an,
giving better prices for their pickiugs.
round of applause greeted this proposition
Pere Perrault listened to the knocking o
glasses about him.. A feverish brightness
CLEANED in his eyes, but he remained vaguel
monosyllabic. ''Tllat would be good; he di,
not say no." A chiffonier of feebler meta
than his fellows, who had been known t.
wander o the Notifications and bring HON
limp OSegayS OF wild lowers, admitted tina
had he 3, 100 francs he would have no more to d
with the concern; he would buy a little hous
outside the barriere, with a strip Of garden t.
it, in which he would plant cabbages an
beans. OF a Sunday Pere Perrault might asl
his friends to come in and set in the shade an
breathe the air.
Pere Perrault pulled AWAY at his pipe. an
gave that mysterious, soft chuckle that neithe
agreed nor disagreed; but Mere Perrault, VIII
rather liked the last suggestion, noticed iha
the glow deepened in his pale cheek as b
hearkened to it, vet he seemed thinking {
something else. There was a queer look in hi
eyes, as If he were seeing there before hir
what no one else saw. The idea struck he
that her old man had a notion of his. own h
was holding close.
That evening the old couple sat over tn
stove with Medor, their dog, between then
Many rude and uni 'vely details Uttered til
room, for Pere Perrault did not, as did tn
more indolent of his tribe, dispose of his picl
ings from the rubbish heaps en- bloc, but carr,
ing these home, sorted and disposed of the
in detail. Compared to some of his mate
Perrault was a pattern of respectability. H
was one of the few Mouffetardians whose unio
with one of the other sex was not q dubior
and ephemeral contract, unrecognized
Church or State. He had entered the matr
monial bond at SceauX, before that QUAR-
with his brother the miser, shortly after whic