Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-20

4
timing his attention to q single task-that of ILL
ing his plate and clearing it. brought him to
| dine ana he is doing his duty. He speaks to
the commander only to hold out his glass, then
he turns to Aunt Bouret, salutes her, and losses
| of the wine.
She is under the impression that saint-Phar ia
| the prospective son-in-law. I hear her say to
the cousin from the country:
II supposed he was younger man; they told
! me that he was good looking, but he seems to
me very plain. However, If Cecile is satisfied,
| that Is all that Is necessary"
"You are mistaken" replies the lady with
pinched lips; Fit is the one next to Cecile Don't
you think it little improper for them to be SIT
| expected marriage does not always take place "
''fes! yes! you are right" replies the deaf
aunt, trying to make believe that she has I'M
derstood Eyes; 1 prefer rice, because have
| lost my teeth"
The cousin turns to her neighbor on the right.
NJ Miraups brother:
Are you not of my opinion, Monsieur
| mo. Madame. These two young people ere
| together because Anastasie, who was to sepa-
| rate them, has not come and for my part, can
see no harm in it whether the marriage takes
| place or not"
The wife Of the provincial notary casts Sc
we're glance at me. Evidently she does not like
| me, but return the compliment. Possibly she
of hers!
At last we come to the dessert. feel more
at ease. In quarter of an hour more Saint
Phar will leave as he said.
The amount that he has consumed is astound-
ing, and now he is becoming very loquaciOus.
Everyone Is talking with his nelghbor. My Ce-
Gle Is so near me that her arm touches mine.
How happy should be if were not 80 preoccu-
pied-but my evening has been spoiled.
My attention Is attracted by the voice Of the
commander replying to Sant-Phar:
"But, sacre blue! Monsieur, I tell you have
none, my feet were shot through by bullet"
"But tell you that you have" replied the
| little man vehemently. 81 have discovered
them on people who would not believe they had
| them. Why, Monsieur, sometimes when ampu-
tation had been talked Of have come with my
case of instruments, performed an operation, re-
moved the cause of the trouble, and shown 1t to
the astonished multitude, who have hailed me
as the great. theskillful, the Incompatible Saint
Phar. Had I wished, might have been deco
| rated with countless orders, for have held in
my hands hundreds OF feet belonging to the
crowned heads of Europe. But prefer my in
dependence. Keep your honors and your rib
Oh! but tell you that you have them, the deaf
lady has them, and SO has every one in this dis
tnguished company around me. So beg that
you, who have treated me 80 kindly, will permit
me to propose toast. Sant-Phar rises, cries
''silence." wipes his eyes, and with much emo
ton, says:
"My worthy friends, who have shown me 80
much hospitality, l shall never forget the two
hours have passed here in the bosom of your
family; you have won my deyOtion day or
night you can call upon Saint-Phar and he will
always be ready to relieve You. Here are my
CARDS. they will show you my address; and now
drink to the destruction of your corns!"
He empties his glass at draught. s'Adieu
my new and dear friends, 1 cherish you all in
my heart"
He leaves the room, and minute after the
outer door closes behind him. We are all sit
ting IN Open-mOuthed establishment, and Mad
anne Miraul, whose face is whittier than ever,
whispers:
'.We are lost! That man was Satan in person!
Thirteen at the table! He has drunk to our
DEATH"
''Look look! calm yourself, my niece" saws
the commander, and bursts out laughing. ''That
man was not the devil l beginto understand
his speech: and his toast; here is his card:
"'SAINT-PHAR,
CHIROPODIST,
4 PLACE DE La BOURSE'"
long for the earth to open and swallow me
up All eyes are turned upon me.
''He is friend of yours?" says the wife of the
notary, in sharp voice.
way out OF it but to tell the whole story, and
this do in all its details. Every one laughs,
and concludes that Saint-Phar is not such bad
fellow after all. They all take his address,
thinking it may be good idea to know where
to find chiropodist. feel much relieved after
the confession is over, and, were 1t not for Ma
dame Miraul's melancholy expression, should be
perfectly happy.
After dinner several people arrive, and among
them Cousin Anastase. whom Madame Miraul
Overwhelms with reproaches
Anastasie throws the whole blame upon her
son lgnace, and insists that she herself is at
fault only in this: That she tried to humor
Madame Mirauls superstition.
Then she goes through a budget of stories to
show that twenty times in her life she has sat
down to dinner where there were thirteen at
table and that she Is not dead yet. After this
conclusive argument she comes up to me:
"Monsieur, l am delighted to welcome you
into our family. In marrying Ceclle you gain
the grand prize; she is an angel. and will make
As am wholly of the same opinion squeeze
the hand which she alectionately extends to
me. and the evening closes without other in
cident.
The next day present myself at a quarter
after seven, and find Cecile and Aunt Charlotte
working upon tapestry, NJ. Miraul reading the
paper, and his wife buried in a great arm chair.
When she sees me she says:
oh my poor child 1 almost died last night"
"What is the matter. my dear mother" say.
kneellng before her; ''you are pale2"
81 might well be so for much less reason
thirteen at table! oh, my poor friend, death is
lowering over us''
Eyes. that is true; it is always lowering over
us, and we should let it hover, without worry
ing about the morrow, which does not belong to
US Let us enjoy the present and not sadden
it by gloomy thoughts. We lack only your kind
smile to make US happy"
We all press around, and pet her, while she
looks at us with dropping eyes.
my dear children" she says to us, II feel
very deeply about this matter, be kind to me:
you were to be married on the second of Noyem-
Der, put off the wedding until the second of jan
nary. Let fate take the one Of as whom it has
marked for its own"
do You think. my dear mother. of delaying
our marriage on account OF baseiess supersti-
tiOn?"
II only ask of you two months DELAY and two
months will pass 30 quickly! If, during that time
no one of US shall die, you will find me much
more hopeful; but at the present moment the
idea is fixed in my mind, and l assure you that
you will do me great harm If you do not Weld
to my entreaty, "-whereupon she burst into
tears.
My Cecile weeps because she sees her mother
weeping, the father says nothing, and AuntC Char
l0tte whispers to me:
"Yield for the moment. Eulalie is very nery-
Gus; everything can be arranged later
"Look, dear mother, dry your eyes, will do
just as yOu wish. Does not that prove how
much love your For it is two months of hap
piness that you are taking away from me- It is
cruel punishment, but will not complain"
We all embrace each ofhnP ti,ot I-hovo an