The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-06-18
IN THE FAMILY.

L ee<-
In THE FAMILY. |
fr. Gobelin's Nephew Decorated
with the Coveted "Red Ribbon"
M. Exupere Gobelin, the retired agent
an insurance company, over sixty,
bd one of the best preserved bachelors
the north of Paris. would have also
Ben one of the happiest had not the
favings of an unsstisfied ambition rem
bred him miserable. This fly in M.
kupere's ointment was nothing more
br less than an unappeasable desire to
\ decorated with the ribbon of the
bgion of Honor. On the evening of a
britain day, when life without the afore-
lid red ribbon had seemed less worth
&ving than usual-he had been reading
his journal the nomination of one Of
He companions of his childhood as
heyalier of the Legion--a friend pro-
bsed to him to visit theater in the
ue de la Tour d. d'Auvergne, now Haus-
annized out of existence. Exupere
bnsented, and was taken behind the
kenes by his host, who was intimate
Eth stage manager. This worthy
hicial received them politely, but
kemed distracted and no little an
Dyed.
ION noticing Exupere's fine presence
hd imposing bearing, the stage man
ker, suddenly turning to him, said:
E"Monsieur, allow me to ask you to
h me a fayor-a real favor. The prin-
bal witness in the marriage ceremony
Hat is celebrated in the third act has
Hsappointed me. 1t is not speaking
hrt but none the less an important
he. Might / SO trespass on your good
hture as to ask you to fill the rolep''
III, monsieurp Why, I've never been
the stage in my life. l shouldn't
bow how to look. y
h"You have only to look naturally, my
BAR monsieur, and you will have the
Rpearance of man perfectly comnae IL
But and disttngue. The witness is sup
bsed to be retired cavalry officer, and
Emay be said without fiattery you have
kactly the physique for the service, as
e say in the theater.h
''But / should be recognized.
"Not the slightest danger. Our hair
Eesser will, in a second, make up
bur head and face in way that would
blzzle your most intimate friend. And
Zen, with the red ribbon in your but
bn-hole-"
1.-the ribbon-a red ribbon in my but
en-hole, broke in Exupere, in a voice
Eembling with emotion, and his face
ddenly becoming deep purple.
He had hardly got the words out Of
mouth when the cunning stage man.
ger, feeling that he had gained
rs point, pinned deftly upon the ex-
gents breast the coveted decoration.
Eupere was calm, but majestic, under
Re fire OF the opera-glasses-as calm as
French officer might have been under
e lire OF the enemy's artillery. On
fholdlng his handsome figure in the
blrror in the green-room, after the cur.
lin had fallen, and where the stage
Hanager was waiting to-complimeni
I'm, he said to himself:
mo; in fact l am no longer the same
trson; now l am the man I SHOULD
w
EThe unhappy Exupere dreamed tha
was really member OF the Legion
II the rest OF his days. Meatime,
ece OF good fortune came to him
POM being possessed OF very limitet
come, he suddenly became quite well
lido, thanks to an unexpected inher
Pnce. One morning he received I
Pmmunication from country notar.
fofmlng him that his first cousin
pstache Verduron, had bequeathed Il
m his entire property, real and per
Rnal, which represented an income o
Yer twenty thousand francs. At tn
ose OF this agreeable epistle the yillagg
torney ADDED that ne dld not conslde
lat ne was trangresslng the bounds G
J Eofesslonal d scretlon by observing tina
SO making his Will his cousin had Gus
herlted his nephew, Albert Gobellr
mo mad peen guilty OF having marrle
ainst MS wlshes, In Aiglers, a respec'
le but poor girl. "Ihe whole cour
; yslde, added the kind-hearted notary
plties tne young man. VINO IS a nm
low and deserves the greatest sympa
mus u came 70 pass Cnat Exuper
fopelin lnner1teu lortune, put nc
Z thout greatly commlseratlng MS ur
rtqnate relative.
u shali .;l certainiy fy,,o MAKE p INQUIRE sl;a