Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-21
THE WAGER OF NJ. LAF0NT.

y
in stature ami very stout. with all tht
thrift Of his race, and good deal of th'
energy and push of the Americans. whom
by the way, he deSpisei rs a peope Elvrr
over torhettery and all manner OF evi
things. T" Pierre LafonU the dollars h'
had esIrned were as precious as his heart
idol
Bur penurious a. was old I.afont. he
was also the very soul Of hospitality
Among the ACadianS hospitality Is actu
ally religion. and Pierre was no rene
gade TO the creed Of his ancestors. In d
trade ne Was "A ShyluCk who would exact
his bundgf it took every cent of the luck.
less creditor; bat rich or poor, astrSnSeI
might spend month beneath his roof
and pOthIuE was ever charged for board
or lodging nor single question asked a
reticent guest have said Pierre Lafont
was iTTascible, and, I must add, full of
strong and !Ryeterate prejudice, and As
stubborn as hts worst mule. In fact. he
was a pig healed old fellow, who. if he
once had said he could step over wall
five feet high, would have broken his
short legs innakinG the attempt.
But all the prejudice and OhStinsCy Of
his character was directed against ped
dlers. OF all created beings, Pierre held
them to be the last and worst. The NEAR.
est Of creation might he welcome under
his roof, hut he drew the line at peddlers
They were never allowed. under any pre-
text, to enter his gates. Ii was whispered
that a Yankee pedler had once swindled
the old fellow out OF a round sum, but he
never alluded to the incident; only the
name or sight Of one of the fraternity
would bring forth such an avalanche Of
~sacres' and "tOnnerres' that the people
avoided the very mention of a packman
Old Pierre Was once brought into court
by a luckleSs peddler who had ventured
into the lions den, bat who had been
kicked out. to the great injury Of his back
and his goods. Pierre pleaded his own
cause in his own way:
"GOu see, Monsieur lie Juge. yOu shoot a
bugglar, YOU shoot u uef ven you catch
him In your house, helm, Veil, he worse
dan abuGglar He bring de rottea calico
and de brsss earring and he say. strong
cloth, not fade, fine gold, good gold, and
de vimmen is such fools, dey cif fife dollar
for tiugS no wort fife cent | come in I
sees him put my money in his pocket.
Aha, | kick him and his salupris out.
Iou can't do nothiI' to me, Monsieur lie
Juge. order no peddler come on
my place. and de sacre cochOn he
know it, He sneak in ven go 10 town, TO
get my money from de fool vimmin, and
If can shoot a bugglar, sar, lie law can't
do me nOtin' ven | kick a peddler-a tIef-
out OF my house
In some way or other the old fellow
escaped with only nominal sum 10 pay
for damages, and after that the peddling
fraternity would go miles out Of their
way rather than pass the l.afOnt farm.
1t was the Christmas night Of Is. In
the large kitChin. which was also the eat
ing-rOom. OF the I.afont household, the re-
mains of a bountiful dinner were still on
the table, though the guests relatives of
the family-had departed To their several
homes. II was the CUSTOM presume an
ACadian One--to leave the remains Of a
Chris mas feast on the table all night, in
case some hungry waytarer might seek
hospitality. Old Pierre himself sat there,
radiant with good humor and good cheer,
large bowl Of s egg n0g before
him, nom which he was filling his
glass from time To time. An exception
ally prosperous year was drawing TO
close His cattle speculations had been
lucky, his only daughter had just married
q wealthy stock owner, and his son Al
phonse was turning out just the thrifty,
industrious yOnng man his father had
tried To make him. Between these pleas
ant thoughts and the egg nog. the old
mans face positively beamed with good
humOr upon his wife and son, who sat
near him.
Listen. Jeanne he said to his wife.
show ii is raining. and hear those gusts Of
wind. Mon dieU, We haven't had such a
storm for twenty yeaIs. II is 50 warm and
comfortable in here that it makes the
storm outside seem worse | wouldn't
put my nose ont, not if you gave me fifty
dollags."
But then there are always travellers
and poor people who have no shelter. his
wife answered in that soft pat"is which
is still spoken among some of the Acadian
descendants. Il dare say there are people
in the world wandering about even in this
storm"
Bah" he cried scornfully. IF people
travel this weather il is only these betes
Americans, who run here and there and
and backward and forward at night and
in all wsatherS, As if they were running
for lifeOr death. Mon dieu' what is that"
as a loud knocking shook the outside
door
Go to the door, AlphOnse. Perhaps one
of the neighbors is sick. If it is a traveller,
black or white bring HMM Iwould not
turn dog out such night
Alphonse obeyed In few minutes he
returned, and with him q man. Old
Pierre gave one keen look at the stranger
who was bent beneath heavy weight on
his back, and sprung TO his feet with
terrible oath. An obnoxious packman
was before him.
But, Aiphonse," he thundered, +art
thou drunk or mad, that thou should
bring q peddler here3 Va sOrtez, infame! |
Get out" he sputtered, mixing up French |
and English, and advancing with a threat
ening gesture ON the pedaler, a frank
faced bright looking young nan. who
quietly deposited his pack on The iOur and
stood his ground
Listen 70 me a moment. Mr.. Lafont,n
he said, quietly at is not my fault am
here. l heard how much you dislike men
of my calling, and | wouldn't have in
truded, | assure you, but l am a stranger
and not accustomed 10 your prairie paths,
SO l lost my way
Let the young man stay" Madame
Lafont whispered 10 her husband The
English in which he spoke was an un-
known tongue to her, but he was a !
stranger, dripping wet, and doubtless j.
hungry. These misfortunes appealed to
her kind heart
Old Pierre's keen eyes fixed themselves !
upon the mar before him He was not at !
all like the type he had been accustomed
10 see-crinGing. cunuing-eyed fellows
but gOOd-lOOking young man, with
eyes, and general air of being
equal to any emergency, even to breasting
the storm again should he be forced 10 do
so. Whether ii was the young fellows
face. or the egg-nog or the
duties of the season. or all combined. no