The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-09-16


present the prospect of doing nothing more
but smoking and imbibing any amount of can
de vie appeared the only rational way of en-
loving existence and spending 5000 francs.
Pere Blot, who had larger views, spoke M,
and demonstrated that chiffOnier who would
deserve well of the community should do
something for his fellows; he held, therefore
that Pere Perrault ought to set up as a maitre
chiffonier, buying up from his old mates. and
giving bette prices for their pickings. A
round of applause greeted this proposition.
Pere Perrault listened to the KNOCKING of
glasses about him. A feverish brightness
CLEANED in his ewes, but he remained vaguely
monosyllabic. THAT would be good; he did
not say no.n A ehiffonier of feeber metal
than his fellows, who had been known to
wander 10 the Notifications and bring home
limp nOsegays of wild flowers, admitted that
had he 3, 900 francs he would have no more to do
with the concern; he would buy little house
outside the barriere, with strip of garden to
it, in which he would plant cabbages and
beans. Of sunday Pere Perrault might ask
his friends to come in and set in the shade and
breathe the air.
Pere Perrault pulled away at his pipe. and
gave that mysterious, soft chucllle that neither
agreed nor disagreed; but Mere Perrault, who
rather liked the last suggestion, noticed that
the glow deepened in his pale cheek as he
hearkened to it, yet he seemed thinking of
eyes, as if he were seeing there before him
what no one else saw. The idea struck her
that her old man had notion Of his own he
was holding close.
That evening the old couple sat over the
stove with Medor, their log, between them.
Many rude and uni ,vely details Uttered the
room, for Pers Perrault did not, as did the
more ndolent OF his tribe, dispose of his pick
ings from the rubbish heaps en- bloc, but carry
ing these home, sorted and disposed of them
in detail. Compared. to some of his mas
Perrault was pattern OF respectability.f He
was one of the few Mouffetardians whose 1nion
with one of the other sex was not dubious
and ephemeral contract, unrecognized by
Church or State. He had entered the patri-
monial bond at SceauX, before that q1arrel
with his brother the miser, shortly afterwhch
he had left his native village. He iptulged
rarely in libations of brandy, preferriIg light
sour wine to more fiery liquors, except occa-
sionally on Sundays or national nolidSs, when
actuated by an indistinct idea that twas right
to be festive; but Perraults inebrhtiou was
always Of grotesquely sombre character.
Mere Perraults imagination wa now in
dulging itself in dreams of a garen planted
with cabbages of constant supply of soup
favored with fresh vegetables, O a dry roof
overhead in bad weather. CoHidering this
prospect of comfort and plenty, her gypsY-life
seemed to her bitter experience of tramps
in the distracting wind and soaking rain.
Pere Perraut was SILENT but was no longer
the silence of stupidity A snouldering ex-
citement kept him still; he WAS grasping his
baggy knees with his hands, and staring into
the fire with that odd feyerishlook.
at is not that shall do with the money"
he suddenly said. "It shall be garden
yes; but it shall not be planted with cabbages;
it will be planted with flowers and ever
greens"
'Evergreensl but what kind of garden will
it be"' asked his wife.
"It will be a bit of ground in the GENE
terry" he replied.
Mere Perrault enveloped her husband with
a scrutinizing and apprehensiye glance, as if
she feared he had gone daft.
There will be beautiful headstone with
our names written on it quite plain: 'CY g-
sent Jean Desire Perrault ct Odette Celestine,
son spouse Chifoniers, and then our age"
continued Perrault, who, now that his tongue
was loosened, spoke unhesitatingy.
Are YOU gone mad, Perraultl" asked his
wife, bending her shaggy eyebrows.
ut will be beautiful, like corner Of one of
the gardens in he Luxembourg; and it will
a psrpet,tte?-for ever; for hun
dreds Of -alvays-and all the time
people will know US and speak of u.s." con-
tinued Pere Perrault," without needing his
wife, chuciling to himself and rubbing his
hands up and down over his knees.
But have you gone mad!' she cried again.
shaking her hand up in the air. "What does
it signify after death to lie in fine place II
you must labor and weary III iife?"
''What does it sgnifyi" cried the old man,
turning upon her with a gesture of frightfu
energy. "Ill tell you what: Do you remember
Totin! | saw him dead. went to his fu-
neral. | did not care for Totin living but
when | saw him lying there on pqjllasee mo-
,ionless, then sewn up in dirty sheer, nailed
down in a deal bOX-well, | tell you | felt
something here'-and he struck his chest. at
seemed nothing to me that TOtin should grub
u the lirt while he lived; but as he lay there
lead before me | felt somehow as if | had
owed him. That was why | went to h S flu
leral. Then, when | saw him put down into
The toSse commune, | thought, There he is; no
one knew him alive-no one will know him
lead; not his name, or anything about him;
then | said to myself: 'Perrault Perrault! the
degradation is the tosSe commune.
" The JoSse commune or another grave, it is
the same to me- said Mere Perrault, with bit
,er emphasis. " What | want is little com
fort in llfe-that bit of garden with the cab
Oages.n
Pere Perrault INDUCED in one of those ex-
pIetiVes no. known in polite society. "A
cabbage garden Il don't want your cabbage
garden. dig in the sunshine Mott is not
i Will do it, Ii still prefer my trade; | know it
and 1T knows me. Here | come to heap of
rubbish look at guess what shall find;
1t never dlsappoints me, sometimes it gives me
mOren
4" 1t is rough trade" feeblv put in Mere
Perrault, overborne by her husbands vehe-
mence.
:" 1t is rough trade; all the more reason to
take my ease after death. | made friends with
one Of the gardeners in Pere la Chaise. He
showed me the tombs. There is a fine one to
two people; he told me their story. Iremem-
Der their names, for | said them to myself
over and over again-Madame Louise ct Mon
5ieur Abeliarts They lived hundreds and
hundreds of years ago; they loved each other;
they could not marrt, so she became nun. he
became monk; but after their death there
-hey came together There hey lie like bride
and bridegroom and every one knows their
story, every one ellis it, Bah! In the tosse
commune YOU would lie there, would lie here
making gesture of his hand in opposite
directions; "but in our BIZ of ground we'd be
together, and every one would ALWAYS know
Is we were husband and wife"
That would be geHW, certainly said Mere
'errault softly, thrill of amazement passing.
through her frame at these extraordinary
words.
g shall have picture of our basket and
hooks carved upon the tombstone" sal Pere
Perraut.
&" We might have Medor's picture mt there
too, remarked Mere Perrault.
81 believe it-indeed-the rogue Lord
he riots by our side as if he were himself n
said Pcre Perrault, giving
genial kick to the DOING quadruped, who sat
up, responsibility, blinked one eye at his mas.
ter, and shook his rag of a tail
The Old couple chatted till deep into the