, 1888-04-15

you again.
Then 1 was in Paradise, and in the nick
of time. Armand and CASTOR, who had
been scanning the passengers as they ar
rived, had already rushed to their wife.
CASTOR had taken her right hand, and
drew her on that side, saying:
Jeanne, my dear Jeanner"
Armand had taken her left hand, and
drew her on that side, saying:
maud, my lear Maud"
She had two Christian names, and it
had seemed in better taste to her, in the
intimacy of married life with her second
husband, not to be called by the same
name the first had made use OF. She was
an adorable being, replete with delicacy
of feeling. Armand and CASTOR meantime
Shove no intention Of giving up.
"Jeanner'
"Maudlr
81 am your first husbandr"
81 am your second husbandr"
my rights are incontestabler'
"Sir, release this ladyr'
81 have nothing to say to you, sir. I
do not know you'll"
He didn't know himl Why, they were
intimate friends on earth when they were
alive, called each other by their first
names, couldn't live without each other.
Armand, the second husband, almost lived
at Gaston's house, SO much so that gos-
blpS bhlu-Dub "utIe uOulu We Ill Do IL
what gossips say were believed
The quarrel, meantime, was waxing hot
between Armand and CASTOR. Their
voices rose. Existence is sweet in Heaven,
but slightly m-onotonous; SO the smallest
event attracts as much attention as a run
away in a country town. The blessed
came trooping up from every direction.
Some took sides with the first husband,
and others with the second. Jeanne re-
manned passive; she had freed her hands,
and said nothing to either Armand or
CASTOR.
st. Thomas had come within the
gates of Paradise when l did.
This must often occur, +" / said to him;
"a great many women on earth have two
husbands"
VERY true. the novelty is that the
husbands SHOULD claim their wife. Gen
orally, under these circumstances, the
emulation is as to which husband shall
not take her"
"How is 1t when things are reversed,
and there are two wives to a husband'"
"Oh, then it's very different; the
women always quarrel as TO which shall
keep the husband. Women are wild to
be married, even in heaven. Still, we had
rather an odd experience the day Napoleon
l arrived"
"Ahl You have Napoleon in Para
diset''
ooh, yes. After a little Purgatory, you
know. Napoleon III was so nice to Plus
TX that we couldn't, in common decency,
leave his uncle in P%urgatory. Paradise
was opened to him, and his first word
was: How about my two wivesf' He
was asked If he had a preference. Il ave
indeed. 1 want Josephine A cherub
flew and told Josephine: Napoleon's
there. He's asking for you 4 am ex-
ceedingly sorry said Josephine, dryly;
but after what occurred in 1909, neverI
We fell back upon Marie Louise, but she
raised the roof. Il go back to Napoleonl
l, who am living so peacefully with the
generali Don't talk to me about Napo-
leon. Let him take back Josephinel
Neither would change her mind, and
there stood Napoleon, all alone, and rather
put out, when Nine. De Stael came by.
Give Napoleon to me- she said; IN take
care OF him And they got on ia
mously."
Right here st. Thomas was interrupted
by a loud cry that arose from the ranks of
the blessed:
"St. Joseph st. Josephr'
1t was in fact st. Joseph. He had been
attracted by the noise, and came that
way.
must here caution the reader not to
forget that all this was a dream.
St. Joseph was entirely the st. Joseph
of the Italian school-brown drapery,
gray hair and beard, a staff in his hand,
and sandals on his feet, plus a very impos-
ing ~aureole, and an air of prosperous,
upper middle class benovelence.
He paused, asked what was the matter,
and was told how things stood.
"Well," said st. Joseph, 'it seems
simple enough. The lady is here as q
for her religious conduct and
Christian feeling. She has a right tc
happiness of the most peaceful character
and largest scope. Let her pronounce,
and choose between these gentlemen"
"But," said CASTOR, ''what is reserved
for the one who comes in a bad secondi'
CASTOR had n very fine stable during
his earthly pilgrimage, and his abominable
slang slipped out even in the presence of
st. Joseph.
Never fear" said St. Joseph, 81 will
give to him who is not chosen one of the
unclaimed ladies who literally swarm in
Paradise. Do not let us lose time,
madame. Make your decision. Choose,
If you please"
Silent motionless, Jeanne stood be
tween her two husbands, and both Gas
ton and Armand alternated lke charac-
tiers in a Greek play, seeking the words
that might touch their wife's heart.
81 was SO proud of your beauty,
Jeanne" said CASTOR, IA of the sensa-
ton it made in society. Luxury for you
was what l lived for. Your diamonds
and lace, your carriages, your horses,
your l~iveries. And then your room,
Jeanne, your cherry satin roomi And
then boxes, boxes for all the first nights.
Three hundred francs l paid for the first
night of La Famille Benoiton.'
"Boxesi" broke in Armand, "he talks
of boxesl Even before l was the husband
1 always paid for the boxes. The first
night of lie Petit Faust cost me 400
francs, and l gave 500, in 1868, for PATHS
benefit"
"Datesr' cried CASTOR. "He remem-
bers dates. Why, o dined at my table,
sir, five days in the week, and you were
always loafing in our box at the opera,
you who make such an ado about three or
four wretched theatre boxes sent to my
wife"
1.-TWO or threei Upon my word such
details are too petty"
"Iquite agree with you, =" said st. Joseph,
looking bored and rearranging his aure-
ole. ''Be as brief as possible, II you
please, gentlemen. Kindly express your
self in favor of one or the other,