Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-10-21
I'm THE DEVILS NAME"
FROM THE GERMAN.

Early in the morning of a severe win
ter day, as the concierge of very
high and narrow dwelling in the neigh
borhood of st. Medicines, Paris,
was industriously engaged in the pur-
suance OF his business as shoe cobbler,
he was disturbed by the sudden vio-
lent ringing of the door bell.
Monsieur Jean Joyeuse angrily threw
his neighbours boot from his lap, rose
hastily and opened the door, bringing
a tolerably vexed mien to view, which,
however, immediately made place to
an obeisance, as he saw before him a
gentleman of fine presence, who was
the possessOr of q head of remarkably
black hair.
'"There is a room to be let here?"
asked the stranger.
Monsieur Joyeuse assented with an
other bow. The stranger wished to
see the apartment. Jean remarked
most politely that hehad three rooms
to let-one in the first story, another
In the second, and still another higher
up in the mansard.
Then lead me to the mansard
ROOM"
He will rent the mansard, !" thought
Monsieur Joyeuse, and prepared, in
spite OF the strangers elegance, to lose
all respect for him, when, by some &C
cldental movement, the overcoat of
the black-haired gentleman parted
upon his breast, and the landlord
spied the red ribbon of the Legion of
Honor IN the button hole of his frOck
coat.
Monsieur Jean was now in one of
those situations when one does not
know what to say.
At last he suffered forth that the
attic room was not fitted for such a
gentleman.
The stranger made an impatient
gesture, and said, shortly:
'Prepare the room and in the
course of the forenoon l will move
in"
With these words he drew forth his
purse and gave a napoleon as earnest
money. Jean then saw him enter an
equipage near the church and rattle
away.
Monsieur and Madame Joyeuse had
ample leisure in the succeeding hours,
which they devoted to the cleansing
OF the garrett room, to give themselves
up to the consideration of the ques-
ton IN how far a Knight of the Lee
glOn of Honor could maintain his dig
nifty IN the eyes of respectable people,
after becoming the inhabitant of a
mansard room of the worst descrip-
ton.
HE is a cheat, a swindler, a coun-
terfeiter,' decided Joyeuse. But
madame, who had been formerly a
flower girl, and was of romantic tenn
permanent, scented a Don Juan, who
had This designs"
This delightful dialogue byno means
interrupted the work. The spiders
were driven away, the dim window
panes were polished, and the boards
cleanly scrubbed.
This was hardly accomplished as
the mysterious stranger drove up, &C
companied by a servant. This latter
carried a gloomy-looking black casket,
resembling child's coffin in size and
form. This was the only baggage the
servant carried into the new dwelling.
Monsieur Joyeuse gave his wife a
significant glance and whispered aside
to her: ga murderer Then he asked
the servant what the coffin contained.
The latter smiled cunningly and an
swered that he did not know. Monsieur
Joyeuse was sure he had guessed
Alright, and this creature was in un.
Outstanding with his master. Sus-
picion, curiosity, and anxiety increased
to extremity in the breasts of this
worthy pair as the stranger said, alb
ruptly:
Monsieur Jean, you are to admit
only one gentleman TO see me-"
Very well, sill; but how am [ to
know him %
by the countersign, In the DEVILS
name'"
Monsieur jeans tongue was para
lyzed, and madame's conviction that |
a Don Juan was before her was con-
siderably shaken.
The stranger, however, calmly serene,
assembled to his chamber.
The worthy coniugal pair had hard
ly recovered from their fright when
the bell jingled again, and a second
stranger appeared, a man of most low