The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-30
NOW PERB PERRAULT SPENT HIS
LEGICY.

most favorable aspect 81 sunlight, IL cannot DE
,nid 20 he u cheerful street II Is protcrnnt-
utally still: Il number Of shabby dogs doe UNI
der It's doorways; g,impars into back yards
revoui MEDIUM fragment, VI bones. accumulu-
lions 81 rpus and pnptr and the general atmos-
,hcro ia ,,rm,atcd with the smell OF decay
ipy vrc,,inhlcs Should tho visitor come upon
,nnr 81 It's inhabitants lettering in the sun
light men and women would appear to belong
70 n race bowed OF back clad in garments of
ragged and patched antiquity. tn assign prob
able original date to which would puzzle the
Ingenious inquirer lie would discover. also
certain attributes common to the phvsognumy
Of both sexes; thus when the eyes usually
fixed on the ground are raised. they reveal the
same expression OF balanced scrutiny; an OK
preston that may he also detected in those of
he dos. and would seem to in iicate in all
alike mind open to the chances Of i,ro. but Mt
expecting much from these chances This
splriese yet inuurinH attitude is doubtless
result 81 The occupation Of the tribe. The
hsi't' 81 ,G cVlhmuh, ~, cHhlnc ana human,
shoE~ Tat we have reached that last rupE n
the hi.s social ladder whore stand those who
minister in the luwliest form 10 the mperioas
drmuuds AcivIitzation makes upon human
1t j. the chifloniers' quarter. and this long
street is the tue Moultetard.
Tho toll Ut the Npuifetlrdians Is during the
night. Their sleep is tur.ng the day. 1t is 10y
no means always the sleep OF the Just oitcnCr
the SAUNDERS proceed from the brandy bottle.
One forenoon U cummutiOn arose in the Rue
MouGctard-caused by the unprecedented It'd
ing@ that the postman gathering up the street
Pcrrauit" There wa u letter for PGro Per-
rault" Ahost of ragged children ran out. Of
the cutters proiering guidance to the official.
They trnitrd by his side pointing with ex-
tended forcllnser. while another detachment
set on at run to wake NJ Pore Perraut.
AS the rosiman was turning into gruhby
Sard, tiGr re camG1 put Of it toward nm
4 was thnt of a nrge -bonei man ciGd in gray
blouse; his neither garments, mosaic OF
at the knees which is the lpw--pirited protest
Of old garments against rough usnge. He stood
rounded 10y hanks of gray haIr was blank in
tic bewi,dtrlnent Of an unprecedented oXle-
ricnc". Behind TINS central group BUSTED up
little woman. with uroad brown eyes shreNd
and bright; her tanned features covered with a
rauitf' Inquired the postman cycling the man
"But-yrs-it is Pore Perrault-and lam
his wife, exclaimed the woman with great
Voluhity and gesture her hands going up mt
ever assertion. Inc rostnnn iumb,ed in the
aySis!rred letter Can you write Z hc asked.
"A Litter for mel, u, nuitered the ehinonier
the. excitement that cast her husbands wits
hdriI' Sharpening hers. lie can't echoed all
1t is to lie doubled II any member of the
QUARTER Nouiietard could have lcciuhcrcd the
upon as 4 vehicle of conmunication for
Thought. This Ignorance added To tho sense of
the arrival Of u letter among thein-a letter that
was not TO be delivered IN an irresponsible
~,
the attcstation OF the recipient.
Ine St2Pb s os sSS GB H. rg f S4at
becoming the man IN Office.
Pere periault laborously affixed a cross
where the postmaA's i!nger kept pointing aud
1t was evident as he did so that has hand
trembied. When the ob!ong parcel was dcllv-
tered again rs he turned it round and round,
and his face wore duzed expression as II he
For forty Years the world outside the Rue
hounetard had resolved Itself to him into
num9cr + refuse hears placed before its door.
lantern and hook IN hand. and n dog at their
heels. had nightly picked odds and ends. the
sale OF which formed their means OF livelihood.
No link connected him with the outside world.
but tho rubbish it flung into its streets. PARIS
had gone through its agonics Of revolution. Gov
ernmients came, and went. the reign OF iriyolity
and fashion edd!ed in the streets where blood
the darknGeIs bending over tho refuse hegis,
outside world message came to MIN. and he
trsmhled before the me, mysterious yi5!'ent. No.
Ecrirnln public exclaimed Here Per
ehicf Wound turban. ike round her head
chiftonicrs as tsrc Perrnult stood turning the
letter, his mind not having yet iormulzed the
the secret II held His wife t seilei him by tie
sleeve, and as she drnsgcd him along he IN
against his chtst The old couple walked rap
Idly. followed by a procession oi small opgn-
mouthed raGamuiiins. and those Of the chifro-
from their siumbers
Thev made their way to a wooden shed placed
up against q wall. over the door of which hu
inscrrtion announced that tho Ecriyan public
dwet within. His charge for reading letters
was iinm ten to twenty ccntiurs: and Tor writ
ing itty confines, sevcnty,tiyc centlm"s and
one franc All the n",ghoorlo3d knew the
of prices varied according To the length. char
ecter. and amount of passion Infused into tho
pubic may be described ~ i cut between that
OF tho barber o. the middle ages and If the
and was acquainted with its most intimate
secrets. FOR oyer quarter Of a century he mad
love. ri sorrow, and OF appeal. Pere and Mere
Perrault knew tho imporiant man by sight. but
old of his sanctum. The procession that had
followed az their heels waited outside as they
Behind table Uttered with some thunlbcd
volumes and writing materials sat tho learned
nf iimb his scrcs pa T isd io ram NM rnu d
green cap. his beard was abundant, and his
round hPi spGgeiaeles imitessye; LEsrivian
ters. and ne seemed to recognize at glance
pr 1e as5 T9s an bns a bm
his wife Put II two-sous piece ON the table. He
oSyr his o the neE a@l
pie, and then deliberately broke the seal.
The finely balanced voice Of the Eeriyian
communicated with the Maize Of the XIlIth
Jean B6srt Perrauit was sin alive pursuing
the calling Of chiffonier He now announced
to him that by the DEATH n few weeks prey ous.
of his brother Armand Leon, he inherited the
sum OF 5000 francs. VOLTA, my friend, allow
mo to offer you my best congratulations. said
the EcIi who possessed fine tact and
power Of expression.
Pore Perrault remained without finding
word to say looking drowsily at the speaker.
Three thousand Francs! cried Mere Per;
fault, catching her breath. Who ever heard
the like-three thousand irancsV
1t is pretty sum. 1t is not often have to
read such news to my customers" said the
Ecriyan.
Still Pore Perrault remained silent looking
snertHrIos ~ and The tIowin.i banrd Presently he
muttcred. " En- say that again. Three thou
sand frnncs-three Thousand francs but the
words did not seem to bring any meaning to
his mind. les. there it is. quite in form. l
never read better written letter. and have
experience said the Ecrivain
But ycs-yes il is clear d. the day" shouted
Nero Perrauit into her husbands ear. tapping
the palm OF her left hand with her closed right
fist. Your brother. the miaer. who would not
lend you u few miscrab" francs when you were
.tfby 10 n,,l hoo, Lac