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

breaking the silence in which he had taken
refuge-'I find that when two people has
worked together and walked together like
you and me- and had their good and bad luck
together for years and years. tell you as
they should die together"
bah we'll soon rest together,n the old
woman said, cheerily and so quietly passed
away.
The rude and uncouth attempts of the Mouf-
fetardianS to console their mate after the fash
ion of Mere Perrault failed to lift the desolate-
ness from his face and manner. "Where two
had lived together two should die together
he repeated truculently, addressing nobody in
particular but as if the assertion of distinct
sentiment was a relief to him in his confused
misery. The arrangements for the funeral had
been so fully settled beforehand that it needed
no supervision for the details to be carried out.
There was mourning coach for Monsieur lie
Cure. Pere Perrault had always contemplated
walking, should it fall to his lot to be chief
mourner. As he found himself clad in black,
following bareheaded just behind the sable
car, with lis silver ornaments, drawn by two
plumed horses, and preceded by officials carry
ing silver sticks, watt Of the old comfort and
of the old pride stole into his heart. The Mouf-
fetardians filed behind. To those trudgers on
foot it was triumphal procession. An extra
sum had been paid to secure a long march
round by the Boulevards. 1t was 4 sunshiny
afternoon, all the world was out of doors, and
men and women turned to look at the strange
sight of that fine hearse, and the long file Of
patched and tattered folk. With the gentle
respect paid to the dead in Catholic lands, men
barred their heads and women crossed them
selves At all these tokens OF regard Pere
Perrault's heart swelled within him; his bent
frame dilated. ''Ah, she is lucky-the old
woman-she is lucky" he kept saying to him
self
An unlooked-for incident brought to eli
max the triumph of the ragged pedestrians.
-. 80
mounted by positions, met the cortege and
fell aside to let il pass. The Emperor removed
his hat, the little Prince did the same, the
Empress crossed herself. Then the glory of
the situation almost overcame Pere Perrault.
He felt sulfocated. Something seemed to
clutch him by the throat. lie could have
sobbed, but he would not for the world have
wept at this the grand redeeming moment of
his life. To relieve the strangling that choked
him he repeated for the hundredth time in an
unreson INT and labored ut erauce, "Ah, she is
lucky-the old woman-she is lucky.n When
the magnificent dream was over, and Mere
Perrault was laid in the earth, the grave re-
filled and he flowers replanted that jealous
hands had removed the day before, Pere Per-
rault AMI his friends supped at Pere Michels.
1t was frugal feast, but the talk was glowing.
The company enumerated one by one the
glories of that day. Every incident of the
pageant was dwelt upon. Pere Perrault alone
before him, printed on the dark, each detail of
that eventful journey to the cemetery the
beautiful car in front of him drawn by horses
covered wi black draperv, the silver fringe
of which nearly swept the ground, the tributes
of respect paid, the surprise of the crowd, the
imperial carriage drawn aside, the sovereign
doing homage; then the procession to the
cemetery, the priests and the entdnts de chour
in their white robes, when to the tingling of
he bells theIvices swelled in prayer; and the
coffin with the two crowns OF inlDlOrte les laid
upon it. Seeing all this 50 plain, Pere Perrault
could not join in the talk; but still, he would
mutter with a lit lie trembling of the lips
She is lucky-the old woman-she is lucky"
year elapsed and Mere Perrault's head
stone stood alone amid the flowers tended by
her husband and his mates. The appearance
of that brilliantly poisoning grave, dedicated
to the memory of a chiifOnier attracted the
attention of visitors to Pere la Chaise, and
25-s Perrault, who haunted the spot as a b I'd
haunts its nest would hear the comments of
the strangers. Returning, he would relate
them with animation to his friends of the Rue
Moutfetard. They were walking about like
that-not seeing any that interested them
when, aprjsd! at sight of the old woman's
grave they stopped. zine chifonireP they
said; impossible! h0te chifDnjereP and then
they remained staring with their mouths wide
open. Pere Perrault would wind up his tale
by initiating the astounded attitude and ex-
PRESTON OIL Jne NlSlJOTS. lIle bJOTI WAS re-
peated, and its closing pose gone through,
until all the quarter knew it and had chuckled
overitin sympathetic pride. There could be
no question about it. The Moutfe ardians
felt they had gone up in the world
Perhaps, as time went on, the thought of
the dead so continually present in his life be
gan to affect Pere Pcrraults mind He had
dreamy fancies, when he would apparently for
get his wife was not active and about. He
would NUT er aud talk to himself Once or
twice, as he strapped on his hottie, he had been
heard to call, Hurry old woman! Hurry
time for work" Owing to his confused state
of brain, one morning Pere Perrault, after
having sorted and disposed of his pickings,
went into Pere Michel's gargotts and instead
of drinking his soup on the premises, as had
now become his habit, carried home two por
lions in covered jug, as in his old days. 1t
was not until he had poured out the soup into
two cracked bowls that he suddenly recognized
his mistake. He sat down for few blank
moments, then, without touching his meal,
went out. AS he turned out Of the Rue
Moutfetard the feverish sense of his wife'S
presence gradually again came to him, dull
ing his senses to outward sights and sounds.
He was not dependent upon his eyes, how
ever, for finding his way to his goal. Cross
ing the Place de la Bastlle, the old man had
sudd N impression of excited shouts and
gathering of wheels. He started up to the
consciousness of fast-drivng horses just
upon him. He made an instructive plunge
forward, lost his footing, and the next mo-
ment horses and cart went over him.
The insensible body was brought to new
hospital at some distance. That night and the
next day Pere Perrault remained unconscious.
For a passing moment he would wake, and
then he would seem struggling speak in a
feeble manner. The doctor and the kind Sisters
bending over him could discern such words as
" lie cjmitiere la bas." They could not I'M
derstand, but the straining expression of the
fast glazing eyes seemed to Indicate there was
something on the dying mans mind.
No human being could restore the manSled
body to activity. On the second day, toward
night Pere Perrault raised his head from his
pillow saying: "Of, there | told you so.
Ii is like garden. Every one knows it by the
fowers.n He would have risen from his bed
but for the restraint Of the Sister praying by
his pillow since the agony had begun. He
struggled and went on: There, round the
corner, just behind the pyramid. Yes, and
there is the old woman coming a-laughing her |
face a. rested and shining perDet,tite, a Der. |
let,tite," and so he died. The Sister had wit |
messed those death-bed visions befOre-when
from the shadow land the loved ones come to
guide those starting for the Journey. She re-
manned some moments in PRAYER; then she |
rose to perform the last offices.
The dead man appeared to her to be a mem |
Der OF that friendless and belated tribe the
existence of which is one of the piteous score
hi lden in the heart of great CITY, No one |
had come to claim kinship with or make in |
quires concerning him. He seemed well fitted |
to demand as right the States last charity |