Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-02

on which she had danced. yes, on which
she had danced All, poor beast, what
panic. At the cry which she uttered all
the windows of the palace trembled
What Is the matter there What have
they done to her. cried the good pope,
rushing ont upon the balcony.
TIstet Nrdrne WAS already in the court
making show of weeping and tearing
his hair. "Oh, holy father, it is your
mule. my God. what will become OF us
1t is your mule that has mounted into the
clock tower
"All alone
"Irs, holy father. all alone There look
up above ID" you see the tips ri her ears
projecting one might call them two
swallows
Mercy, cried the poor pope raising his
eyes Has she become demented them
She is going to Kill herself Would thou
vert well down unhappy one.
All. She would AZ nothing better her
self than To descend, but how; The stair
case did not fail TO he thought Of: that
still went up, but the coming down would
he enough to break the legs hundred
times. And the poor afflicted mule, roam
ing about the platform with her great
eyes full Of vertigo, she thought of Tistet
Nedene:
"Ah, bandit, if escape from this what
a kick will give you tomorrow morn
ing"
This idea of the kicking restored a little
courage to her limbs; without it she could
not have sustained herself At length
they succeeded in drawing her down from
her perch. but it was a difficult affair. II
was necessary to descend by the help of
an engine, with ropes and litter. And
You may guess what humiliation it was
for pupe's mule To see herself hanging at
this height, Tapping her hOofs in empty
space like a CuCkChafer at the end of
string Ard all Avignon saw her!
The unhappy beast did not sleep wink
that night 1t seemed to her that she was
always turning about upon that cursed
platform, with tue laughter of the city
below Then she thought of that Infamous
Tstet Neiene and of the pretty coup de
sabOt. Now while she was preparing for
him this fine reception at the stable, do
you know what Tistet Nedene Was do
ing, lie was descending the Rhone sing
ing upon phpal galley going to the court
of Naples with the troupe of young no
bles that the city sent every year 10 Queen
Jeanne to be exercised in diplomacy and
fine manners. TiStet was not noble, but
the pope was determined to reCUmpense
him for the care he had bestowed upon
his beast and principally for the activity
he had display 81 on the day Of the rescue
1t WAS the LIule who was disappointed
the next morning, All, the bandit, he
suspects something" she thought, shak
ing her bells with fury But it is no
matter TO, thou base one. Thou shalt
find il on thy return-thy kick-l will
keep il for thee" And she kept it for
him, indeed,
After the departure of Tistet the pope's
mule returned to her former tranquil life
and manner of proceeding. No more
Duiquet, no more Bcluguet at the stable.
The beautiful days of the wine la Fran
caise came back, and with them the good
humOr, the long sieStaS. and the little
step of the gavette when she passed over
the bridge of AvignOn. However, since
her adventure one noticed always u little
GOODNESS toward her in the city. There
were whisperingS along her route, the
old men wagged their heads, and the
children laughed and pointed to the clock
tower. The good pope himself had no
longer as much confidence in his friend,
and whenever he was tempted to take a
nap upon her back on Sunday, returning
from the vine this mental reservation
always saved him: What if | should
awake up there on that PLATFORM The
mule saw this. and suffered from it. with
out saying anything; only when some one
pronounced the name of Tistet Nedene be
fore her her long ears would tremble, and
she would whet. with a little smile. the
iron of her sabots upon the pavement.
Seven years passed thus; then, at the
end of those years Tistet Vedene returned
from the court of Naples. His time was
not yet finished there. but he had heard
that the pOpes first mustard maker had
died suddenly in Avignon, and, as the
place seemed to him good one he had
arrived in great haste to put himself on
the lists When this intriguer of a Vedene
entered the saloon of the palace the holy
father with difficulty recognized him, SO
much had he grown and improved in per
son. Ii must also be said that the pope
was older on his side, and that he could
not see well without spectaCles. Tistet
was not dismayed
How is this, holy father Do you not
recognize me; am Tistet Nedene.'
"Nedene?'
Yes, you know well-he who used to
carry the French wine to your mule"
"Ah! yes, yes. ! remember. A good lit
tie fellow, this Tistet Nedene. And now
what is it that he wishes of u.s."
"Oh, only little thing. holy father !
came To ask you Now think of it, do
you have your mule yeti And is she wellr
All. SO much the better. have come to
ask you for the place Of the first mustard |
maker, who has just died.
First mustard maker. thou. Thou art .
too young. How old art thou. them"
Twenty years and two months. illus .
trious pOntiff. just five years more than .
your mule. All. palm of God, the brave .
SSstasti :; 4 y2Pn 61ew hoy have loved her;
II Italy! Will you not allow me TO sec
herr"
$50, my child, thou wOuldst see her"
'aid the good pope, much moved. And
tnce thou lowest her SO much, this noble
east, desi that thou shouldSt not live
ar from her From this day | attach thee
o my person in quality of first mustard
maker My cardinals will cry out against
t, but SO much the worse for them. am
lsed 10 it. Come TO Us to morrow after
'espers. and We shall put on the ensigns
u my posi- III presence OF our cuaptSr, !
md then | will lead thee to see the mule,
md thou shalt 20 To the vine with us two.
He! he! Go now" Tlstet Nedene went
'ut from the grand salon apparently
ontent, but with what impatience he
awaited the ceremony of the next day |
lave no need Of telling you. Neverthe-
ess. there was in the palace some one
lappier still and more impatient than
himself: this was the mule. From the re
urn of Nedene up to the vespers of the
day the terrible beast never
eased 10 cram herself with oats and to
ire at the wall with her hind feet. She
lso was preparing for the ceremony.
The next day, after Vespers had been
aid, Tlstet Nedene made his entry into
he court of the papal palace. All the
Ugh clergy We're there, the cardinals in
ed robes, the advocate of the devil in
lack velvet. the abbes of the convent
'lth their little mlters the church war
ems 0t saint Agricoia, the violet mantles
I the house hold, the lower clergy also,
ht4 soldiers az fha Vt,r.,. in Grand nj