The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-12-04
Of ze coach here" he said to a ncgo

toward a short, untidy old man, who
stood with his back to the fire peering
through his spectacles at the passengers.
His bald head rose red and shining above
his little, ferret-like eyes; the snuff
which he took necessarily drabbled his
dirty, ruffied shirt-front.
Monsieur, however, paid no attention
to the old man, but hastily ate his
supper, paid for it, aud hurried out to
the coach.
1t was gonel
Another, with a different driver and
guard, drove up with dash and toot of
the horn into its place.
"This coach for Cumberland" the
guard shouted
Jean stood stunned and bewildered.
He was not practical, ready man.
'Vere is my coach2" he asked at
vas red; zis is green. 1t vas re Eclipse"
''Get aboard, Frenchyl Can't you ride
in anything but a red coachY" shouteda
the driver. s'In with youl"
"C'est mon portmanteaul 1t is my
tickets, my money, my papersl" cried
Jean, in an agony of fright, running to
and fro.
"What ails the old MANI" demanded
one of the coachmen.
ellis luggage was in the Eclipse, it
seems" replied guard.
"Where is the Eclipse2"
"Gone back to Wheeling, or on to
Cumberland. don't know which"
Jean heard and stood dumb and tremb-
ling, while the men, kindly but ignorant,
surrounded him, plying him with ques-
tions. "Whabbut ye took yer port
manly out wild ye9" "Take a horse and
ride out the Wheeling Pike, an yen
overtake it." ''No, sir. Ride the other
way. It's to Cumberland it's gone"
"There was nine passengers got in.
Small chance but they'll take the port
manly among them9"
Jean, in all his dismay, had yet some
common sense left. He asked to be taken
to the Superintendent, and told his story
in broken English, with many gestures
and tears.
Now, old Mr.. Boyce, though he paid a
high sum for front pew in church, never
had been known to give penny in char
ity, nor kind word to any one in pain
or need. He despised all foreigners.
He saw instantly, too, that a mistake had
been made which might cost the stage
company or himself some money. He
did not know which way the Eclipse had
gone, and to send a messenger in both di-
reetions would cost few dollars.
"Why did you not take care of your
carpetsack9" he snarled; eying poor Jean
angrily.
so monsieuri haf always leave him
in ze coachl Ze American peoples are
honestl Omonsieur, it is my papers, my
money-alln
1.-THE more reason you should take care
of them, then. Here, Joe, go out and
see if anybody knows which way the
Eclipse went"
"oh, thank you, monsieurl" cried
Jean, clasping his hands. He drew back
and waited. Joe soon returned. 1t was
late, he reported, there were few men in
the yard, and seven coaches had started
at once. Nobody had noticed at which
gate the Felipe went out.
"There You hear9" growled Boyce
to the old man. He knew that the COM
pany was responsible for the lost bag and
intended to search for it. But the
money which must be spent he would
have to pay out of his own pocket. He
laughed savagely, as he saw Jeans mis-
cry.
80 monsieurl Is zatalll Can noting
be done?"
"That is all. You don't expect me to
pay you for the bagl"
''Notting can pay me for it. 1t is all
/ have" Jean sobbed. He stood mo-
ment longer, but Boyce was talking to
the men on other affairs and had appar-
emily wholly forgotten him. He crept
out into the night with wild gesture Of
despair.
The next morning, O'Rourke, one of
the drivers, a kind-hearted Irishman,
ventured TO ask Mr. Boyce; "An' what
became of the little Frenchy last nightG"
elbow do I knowl He went on in one
of the coaches to Cumberland, suppose.
He'll be writing back for his bag soon
enough. Filled with rags, most likely,
judging from his clothes"
A week passed. One evening, just be-
lOfc suuSCti " nOuIhts SOlIS Aulo tilt lun
stable to look after his horses, heard a
cry like that of choking animal on the
NOV. He came out, shouting to the
other men, 'By the powthers of war 1
dunno what it It's no human bein',
nor horse, nor dog. 1t might be a
Bansheel"
The men ran ip, curious and laughing.
But in a moment 0'Rourke came out,
quiet and pale.
"a doctorl" he said. ''Mr. Boyce,
you have killed him-the Frenehman lp
The other men carried out their bur
den gently and laid him on the ground,
dying, as they thought, and dying of
starvation. The skin clung TO the bones
of his cheeks, his eyes glared out of their
sockets in the skull He could not speak,
but gave short, inaudible cries. 1t was
the body, not the soul, that fought against
death. While Jean Paulet could think,
he had kept silence.
The news spread through the little
town. The kindly people gathered about
the poor stranger, doctors, and indignant
men and weeping women, all anxious to
help and nurse him. He was carried to
the minister's house. Old Doctor Nor
ton, with the judge, watched over him
all night, feeding him as they would a
baby. a sDoOnful al a time. The squire 5