The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-20
THE CHIFFONNIER.
A Little Chapter of Life Trans
lated from the French.

How often have we read stories OF
poor old misers who have died sur
rounded by abiect poverty, and who
have left secreted in odd stockings and
out of the way places immense wealth,
OPPORTUNITY discovered after their de-
misel How often have these realities
BEEN dished up by romancers in the
shape of pretty little sketches, and been
eagerly devoured by the novel-reading
public.
mo matter how often" exclaims the
impatient reader. IF you've got story
10 tell go ahead with it, and leave off
your dull speculations.
Well, my dear sir (or miss). we have
got little chapter of life to relate, but
it is in French; however as your edu-
cation has been sadly neglected 90 and
your school-day learning of that unique
language has long been forgotten, we
don't mean to put you to the trouble of
hunting up your "Keetel," or to the
modification of showing your ignorance
before your younger brothers and sis
tiers by allowing your doting parents a
chance to request that you will ''please
translate this French humbug for us,
my dear" So we give it to you in plain
Saxon.
Suzette Borgne was one of the many
Suzettes to be found in the great city Of
Paris. A very good-looking female of
about twenty summers, an orphan from
childhood, and indebted for her bring
ing-up to an ugly old uncle. Said rela-
tive was chef1onnier-we beg pardon
"a rag-picker, and to Judge BY appear
ances he had followed that means of
getting money all his life.
Suzette's earliest recollections were
those of being perched upon heap of
rags in her uncle's garnet, and playing
with Misere, large black tom cat that
old Gregory had kept by him from time
immemorial Misere and Gregory were
enough alike TO be brothers-f you can
imagine such a phenomenon - both
being long, lank and lean, with large
staring eyes, and a general grizzly ap-
pearance. They had even fought for
each other, for many an intrusive cur
had been driven yelping away from the
vicinity of his master premises by
Misere, and many scrape had the old
cat rot his master into with his thieving
propensities and midnight serenades.
Once the house took fire, and these two
friends, WOKE up by the noise and con-
fusion, rushed outside their garnet dool
and tumbled down three pair of stairs
together. mixed combination of human
bones, cat fur and old rags. Landing
at the bottom of the third flight, an eX,
cited member of the fire-police STRUCK
at the hobgoblin apparition with hi:
axe, and poor Misere lost his caudal
appendage, while Gregory was beref
TO the hospital and the old cat nurset
herself; both recovered, and having
been fellow-sufferers were, no doubt
more fond of each other ever after.
At another time the house was in
yaded by gems d arms in search of al
escaped prisoner, and while poking owe
old Gregory's rags they were set upol
by the Infatuated feline, who used hi
claws with such vigor as nearly T.
scratch the eyes out OF two of them be
fore he could be bagged and flung on
ofthe window This latterpiece OF crueit
maddened the aged rag-picker to sucl
degree that he struck one of the sol
diers, and was ANONYMOUSLY led off &
prison. Misere. landing on his feet wit
a triumphant howl, went back to til
dingy garrett and kept guard over it
contents till his master returned frOl
durance vile. Here was another cor
that bound them together. So you sc
how it came abou. that the old fello'
= loved his cat about as well as he did hi
niece.
Suzette had DOW grown to be
woman, and was quite tired of the du
life she was leadihg as rag-picker' a
sistant. A good-natured girl she wa:
and moderately fond of her uncle, br
what charms had such life for her
She must get out into the world, an
Annette, wife Of Daddy Pu5lice, VIII
kept the little bake shop over the wa,
fully agreed with her on this importar
point In fact, little Annette was kin
enough to offer her position behiE
her own counter.
"For you see, mon cher" she sal
to her spouse. in private: ''Suzette wi
attract customers with her pretty face
while you, Henri, and myself can a
tend TO the ovens.
:. All. YES responded the smiab
Daddy, with a knowing leer, "she'