Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-11-11

"He is the very devil, your high
ness p exclaimed an old nobleman
Saving your royal highnesss pres
ence; or wants but tail to be so. ="
"Say, rather, he is some famisheC
poet, by his appetite" replied thu
prince, laughing. "But there mus
be some juggle in all this; he spills
the wine, and hides the provisions un
der his dress.
"Your highness shall Immediately
witness the absence Of iuggle," con
tinued the nobleman, with your owr
eyes, for, SEE"
And he pointed to the door of the
apartment from which the yellow
domino had that instant emerged, and
was, as usual, proceeding directly to
the refreshment table.
Having seated himself with much
apparent complacency, the yellow
domino, selling bottle before him
drank glass after glass with a gusto
and avidity Tor at least half a dozen
rounds truly astounding. But this
appeared to be a mere preliminary
movement for clearing the way for
solid and serious mastication, for i'm
mediately after he boldly attacked a
fowl which lay most invitingly before
him, and which, cut by cut, now began
to disappear by whole wings and legs
at time.
The prince, accompanied by his
courtiers, looked on in silence, while
the old nobIeman, who had formerly
spoken, solemnly assured him that he
had seen him do that feat three times.
Thrice, my lord-thrice?' inter-
rupted another courtier, in rather a
contemptuous tone; "why, | can
pledge my honor that | have seen
him at it eight times"
Say ten times, my lord duke,
cried another, land you are nearer
the truth"
"And nearer still if you say fifteen, "
said the Marquis LIE Vsrd. n have
watched the fellow this whole even.
ing, and | can assure your highness
this is the fifteenth time | have wit
messed his repasts."
"Say you SO replied the prince,
all curiosity. Call the master Of the
ceremonies. We are anxious to know
a little more Of our guest"
The master Of the ceremonies, how.
ever, on being asked, knew nothing
about him. and the yellow domino
was, OF course, very unceremoniously,
as well as unseasonably, interrupted,
just as he was lifting a bumper of
claret to his lips.
"The prince desires that monsieur
who wears the yellow domino will
Immediately unmask, repeated the
master Of ceremonies, with awful go
lemnity.
The yellow domino stared at him
and hesitated.
"The command with which bis high.
ness honors monsieur is ALSO lutely
imperative, continued the master Of
the ceremonies.
"Ohol" bawled the mask, with ii
shrug Of his shoulders, against i'm
perative orders there is no contend
ing"
The yellow domino Immediately
threw off his mask and domino, and
revealed to the astonished prince and
his attending mobiles private trooper
of the Irish brigade, then in the GER
vice of France.
At this unexpected discovery the
Dauphin had extreme difficulty in
restraining both his own and the
mirth of his attendants. Introducing,
however, as much severity into his
and voice az he could,
he commenced with
NOW, in the name of all that is
ravenous, my good friend--not to in
quire how you obtained admission
how have you contrived to sup to.
night SO many times?"
MANY times /" repeated the troop.
er; "why, with all due reverence be
it spoken, sire, | was but beginning to
sup when your royal message brought
me to halt"
"Beginning" exclaimed the Dau-
phin, in amazement. Then, what il
it that have heard and seen2 Where
are the fowls and joints that have dis
along with the dozen Of
Burgundy, claret and champagne? |
insist upon knowing how all this is"
ut is, sire," replied the trooper,
after considerable hestation-"it is,
may it please your highneas's grace,
becanse the troop | belong to ia ON