The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-06-12
CURRENT FICTION. .
Antiquated French and Brand-New Amerf
can Styles of Novels.


old fiction of France and a continuation
OF the new fiction of America. The fol
loving is an extract from a master
piece of French fiction:
M. DE Makeshift, when the file Of
soldiers left him found himself in g
dungeon. Not ray of light penetrated
the dismal abode, but De Makeshift's
eyes gradually became so accustomed
to the darkness that he saw broom
straw lying in corner. He caught
up the broom-straw, uttered a stified
cry, and pressed it to his heavine
bosom. Then, in his despair, he
Tucked his nose with the straw and
laughed.
WHO laughsP" demanded a voice.
II do
"Who are you?"
'"De Makeshift. Who are your"
"Ah."
"Ah, hail."
'How long have you been here?"
81 have now, alas, no method OF
reckoning time, but l must have been
here since sunrise this morning."
De Makeshift groaned. "Where are
you now?" he asked.
"In tunnel" the able replied
"a tunnel?"
eyes"
''You make my heart beat. Where
did you get the tunnel?'
made it.
"You astonish me.n
"Ah.n
"Ah, hah. Where did you get your
shovel?''
Had none.'
Then how did you make the tun-
nel?''
LISTEN
81 will"
81 scooped it out with shirt button
Have you button on your shirt?"
''No."
"Alas, you are married."
'No.n
"Then why have you no buttonsp'
"a Chinaman does my washing"
"Ah."
'Ah, hail."
"Well, wait until 1 gouge my way
through this rock and 1 will lend you
my button"
80, thank you"
Hist, the turnkey comes"
After a long silence: "Has the turn
key gomez" the able asked.
''Not yet"
"Well, when he goes tell me and l
will resume my work"
"All right, he's gone now"
81 am at work.
Scoup, scoup, scoup. A long, bony
arm was thrust into De Makeshift's cell.
De Makeshift seized it and pressed the
elbow to his lips. The able stepped
into the cell. 1--WE must escape from
here, said the able.
"How?"
''By sealing the walls"
''How can we scale them without a
knifeP"
wait"
The able took off his shirt, tore itinto
shreds and, in marvellous manner,
made ladder. Got a couple of pins?'
"What do you want with them?"
''Make hooks to go on the end of the
ladder"
'Here they are"
"Now," said the able, bending the
pins and fastening them on the ladder,
''follow me-
They passed out into the courtyard.
De Makeshift uttered an exclamation,
He saw the man who had poisoned his
grandfather. The able threw the lad
der. The pins caught hold; the two
men escaped.
The following is an extract from
American realism:
Samuel" said Miss Peterson, have
you taken the ashes out of the stove?"
81 guess have"
''Did you fix the kindling?"
81 guess have"
Samuel arose, stretched himself, blew
his nose .on a bordered handkerchief,
took up decorated shell, looked at it,
put it down, looked at the clock, took
up his hat and quietly left the house.
His heart was heavy, much heavier
than his brain. He walked with a
slight limp. Why? The conductor s
experiment had not been successful.
He blew his nose. Then he sneezed
When he reached the street corner he
sneezed again. A girl passed, looked
back at him and giggled. He despised
giggling girls. His sister who married
a man who possessed epileptic fits did
not giggle. He followed the girl. He
despised himself for doing it but he
couldn't help it. 1t was the first time
he had ever followed a girl. He over
took the girl.
"How are you?" he asked.
: She giggled and said that she was
able to get about.
II know that" said be.
Then they both giggled. He turned
and left the girl. His heart was full of
sweet sadness. He regretted having
spoken to the girl for he had not been
brought up with her, yet her bright
image, as it hung before him in a neat
black-walnut frame, smiled upon him
and made his heart beat with joyous
throbs. II must not speak to her
again" he SAL, but the next minute
he ran after .ss~ He overlook her and
said:
"How are 80 by now?"
She smiled and said that she was
still stirring. He turned and ran away.
That night his sleep was not sound.
He was in love.--Ar5anSas TraUeler.
Experimenting With His Tombstone.
John C. Burley, of Rondout, N. Y,
has erectpd n handsome marble monu-