, 1889-03-08
AN ACCUSING VOICE.

1t was indeed a beauty, with its box of
carved wood, its broad face with enam-
eled horn figures, its heavy pendulum Of
polished brass, shiny as gold, that went
to and fro behind n round disk of glass.
Every one who saw it through Pierret
the c~lockmaker's window stopped in
amazcment, and there was constantly n
crowd of admirers before the door.
Picrret. the ~clockmaker, was still n
young man-about thirty, perhaps-but
he was always sad and t~aciturn. for he
had had n great sorrow In his life.
Seven years before, while he was in the
army, his father had been murdered in
that very shop which now he occupied.
He had heard of the horrible catastrophe
at his regiments quarters, and returned
at once.
Who was the murderer? Upon whom
could he aveng the poor old man who
had never lone harm to any one, and
and had always treated him with so
much love md g~cntleness? The legal in
quest had been fruitless also, although
the murderer had robbed ms well and
stolen the 10000 francs that the father
had put aside, sou by sou, for his son.
All researches, however, had been in
vain. Pierrct had finished his time in
the army; then, free from the service,
had come back to settle in the murdered
mans house, having to all appearances
conquered his feelings and chased away
worry by hard work.
1t was evident, though, that sorrow
was still gnawing him, for you could
see him after dark roaming about
the village as if hunting for some one,
and this some one, of course, was the
murderer, too well hidden to be discov-
ered-as yet.
And thus time passed-wceks, months
and years. No one thought of it any
more except the orphan and that other,
the still unknown, who naturally enough,
would be unable to forget.
Very recently Pierret, who was great
newspaper reader, had gone to Paris and
stayed there for several days, ION bust
ness" he said, and he had brought with
him the Comtoise, that gem of art in his
window, before which the village stood
in envy and admiration.
Country people are fond of heavy,
solid and rich furniture, and, in fact, the
case of the clock was of more than COM
mon size and beauty.
."And how much could that marvel
ave costy'
Come in, gentlemen" said Picrret,
politely, TO the people who crowded in
front of his shop; ''como in and I'll tell
you"
And then there were explanations and
praises without end.
but its costT' Dame, rather dearl'
But the figureY' "a hundred ccus."
At this there was a cry of disappoint-
ment, though truly the Comtoise was
worth it, being not only beautiful but, as
Pierret declared. unique and rare. ''Still
n hundred ecus, and for "A clockl Did it
striker "Strikei Undoubtedly listenr'
and the clockmaker touched tho bell,
that sounded with n clear, sonorous and
silvery ring.
Nevertheless, nobody will buy it
here" said Pierret regretfully; I'm
much afraid I've made a blunder."
Nobody Well, that depends, Pierret.
We are not rich enough, it's true, but
somebody is here who is, If it suits him
to do it"
REALTY WhoY' s'Jocard, OF course
tho handsome Jocard-who is about to
be married and doesn't care for expense"
"If you would be kind enough TO tell
him n word about it,
Willingly, and hen buy it if we touch
his pride"
Thanks, truly-you'n render me n
great service"
Jacques Jocard, despite his title of the
handsome Jocard," was but little liked
in tho village, and for several reasons.
First, he had made his fortune too
rapidly. There had fallen to him from
heaven and through the agency of a no
tary from somewhere on the other side
of the mountains IAN inheritance" Jo-
card said, that had Immediately put him
at his case, and he had increased it by
speculation, in which there was always
some one chcated-though never the in
stigator.
He had had luck, so to say, and was
too proud of It. He looked down on
small people, showed off his wealth, and
though lavish with it when personally
in question, was equally stingy with 1t
in his dealings with others. Still, though
Jocard talked loud, gave himself airs in
the street and was n hard drinker, he
had his courtiers, and when they wanted
to unite the strings of his purse for q
bowl of punch or a bottle of champagne,
they knew how TO manage him.
Never was one like himl He was
king of the country" they said. He
nodded his head, well pleased with these
eulogies, and allowed himself to be taken
in. Why, then, should they not once
more make use of his vanity to extract
from hin a good deed? Pierret was n
worthy man, though Jocard would never
have given him even his watch to mend.
He didnot deign to look at his shop. He
despised him, in fact, because fortunes
wheel had turned, and he, formerly
as poor as n church mouse, was now
rich, whilst Pierret, dispossessed OF
everything by q crime, WIS reduced ia
How can parents allow their children tc
cough and strain and cough and calmly
say: "Ohi it is only a little cold" and