The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-10-27

old gentleman, with a very red face,
his bat cooked over his ear and his
cane sturdily grasped in his hand,
bursts in upon the loving swain.
"Sir," begins the invader, in de-
clamatory tone, "your conduct is
most frivolous, it is unworthy of u
French gentleman. A chivalrous man
does not thus abuse the innocence,
the inexperience, the embarrassment
of a well-bred young girl. To profit
by the absence of her father and her
portemonnaie to brutality offer thirty
confines, and a visiting card, to an
unprotected young person is per-
Ihaps, enterprising, but it is a very
bad action. However, here are your
six sous, sir. My daughter and i
wish to have nothing in common
with you who"
Before Adolphe, who was literally
dumfounded, could say a word, a
new actor appeared upon the scene.
1t was the cabman, furious, re-
proaches upon his lips, and brandish-
ing a formidable whip.
"So-ho, here's another fare who
leaves no oats in my cab. l told
you I could take you to only one
place; you accepted; you even told
me to hurry up, and once there you
light out like a three-year-old; you
vanish without paying me a cent,
and tell me to wait Well, that don't
go. Pm plain man, and a fare is a
fare. Give me my money-nothing
for beer, if you can't afford it-but l
want my thirty sous, and that right
now"
Adolphe understood not a word of
all this. But the stout gentleman,
who has successfully turned inside
out without any. appreciable result,
has turned quite pale, then all red,
then crimson, and, finally, violet.
Now he is turning green, like rain
bow in a high hat and top-coat.
Convinced at last that his labori-
GUS search is useless, M. Aristides
Dufour, hopping his brow with his
gloves, which he mistakes for his
handkerchief, feebly replies, in a brok-
en- voice, to last and more forcible
demand from the cabman:.
T-Pve-forgotten my pocket
book"
ooh, that don't co." roared the
jehu; "they've tried that on me be-
fore, and you needn't try it again.
You can tell that yarn to the COM
missioner of police. Well, you are a
nice fare, anyhow" And he caught
hold of the arm of the unfortunate
M. Dufour, who, inert, despairing,
and on the verge of apoplexy, was
allowing himself to be dragged out.
But Adolphe-a special providence
for the Dufour family-has already
taken the necessary sum from his
purse, and dismisses the cabman.
evil you allow me?" the young
man politely asks of M. Dufour, who
has only strength to murmur, "With
pleasure, my dear sir. And twenty
five confines for his drink-money,
not a bit more"
Miss Charlotte's father, who just
now could not understand that one
does not always have with one thirty
confines to pay an omnibus fare, be-
gan to admit that once in while
one may be very glad to fall upon
some one who will complaisantly adj
vance you the thirty-five sous to pay
pitiless cabman.
So, in spite of the diverse and I'M
accustomed emotions which he had
just experienced, it was with an al
most gracious smile that he said to
Adolphe: "M.-M. Lindet, l believe
thirty confines and one franc seven
ty-five make forty-one sous l owe
you. Ifyou will do me the honor to
come and dine with me this evening
we can arrange this little matter i'm
mediately. AS an old businessman,
do not like long-standing debts; be-
sides, quick payments make fast
friends"
A quarter of an hourlater Gertrude
set one more place at the Dufour Ia
BILE. 1t is there still. In fact, the
very next month the bans of Mile.
Charlotte and M Adolphe were pub
lished at the marie.
And papa Dufour now declares to
whomsoever will listen to him: "Nev-
er borrow, O fathers of families; it
costs too much. Once in my life I
was forty-one sous in debt, and to
square the account I had to give my
daughter and eighty thousand francs
as marriage portion. Translated
for the Argonaut from the French OF
Henri Second by L. S Vassault.