Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-11-06
Tt was gone /!

the horn into its place.
"This coach for Cumberland - the
guard shouted.
Jean stood stunned and bewildered.
He was OF practical, ready man.
"Vere is my coach ?' he asked. cit
vas. red; zis is green. 1t vas re
Eclipse"
"Get aboard, Frenchy! Can't you
ride in anything but a red coach? %
shouted the driver. SIN with you ~
C'est mon portmanteau! 1t is my tick
cts, my money, my papers !" cried Jean,
in an agony of fright, running to and
fro.
"W hat ails the old man?' demanded
one Of the coachmen.
''His luggage was in the Eclipse, it
seems" replied guard.
Where is the Eclipse ?"
''Gone back to Wheeling, or on to
Cumberland. I don't know which,"
Jean heard, and stood dumb and
trembling, while the men, kindly, but
ignorant, surrounded him, plying with
questions. "W habbut we took yer port
manly out wild YEP" 'Take horse
and ride out the Wheeling Pike, an
yell overtake it." 60. 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
portmanty among them !"
Jean, in all his dismav, had vet 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.. Bovce, though he paid
high sum for a front pew in church,
never had been known to give penny
in charity, nor kind word to anyone in
pain and need. He despised all for
eigners. He saw, instantly, too, that a
mistake had been made which might
cost the stage company or himself
some monev. He did not know which
way the Eclipse had gone, and to send
messenger in both directions would
cost few dollars.
"Why did you not take care of your
carpet-sack ?" he snarled, eying poor
Jean, ngrily.
go monsieur I hat always leave him
in re coach Ze American peoples are
honest! 0 Monsieur, it is nv papers,
my monev-all !"
"The more reason you should take
care of them then. Here, Joe, go out
and see if anybody knows which way
the Eclipse went"
ooh, thank you, Monsieur !" 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 no.
ticed at which gate the Eclipse went.
"rhere You hear ?'' growIed Boyce
to the old man. He knew that the
company was responsible for the lost
bag and intended to search for it. But
the money which must be spent he
hox 70 oF
ct. He LAUGHED savagely, as he saw
80 Monsieur! Is Eat all? Can not
ting be done 2"
"That is all. You don't expect me to
pay you for the bag?"
Nothing can pay for it. It 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 a wild gesture
of despair.
The next morning, O'2ourke, one of
the drivers. a kind-hearted [rishman,
ventured to ask Mr.. Boyce, "An' what
became of the little Frenchy last
night?"
Glow do I know? He went on in
one of the coaches to Cum berland, |
bag soon enough. Filled with rags,
most likely, judging from his Clothes"
A week passed. One evening, just
Lefore sunset. O'Rourke, going into the
inn stable to look after his horses,
heard cry like that of a choking ami
NAL on the NOW. He came out shout
ing to the other men. By the powJhers
of war; [ dunno what it is It's no
human bein', nor a horse, nor dog. It
might be Banshee !"
The men ran in, curious and laughing.
But in a moment ORourke came out,
quiet and pale.
"a doctor" he said. Mr.. Boyce.
you have killed him-the Frenchman p
The other men carried out their bur-
den gently and laid him on the ground,
starvation. The skin chung to the
bones of his cheeks, his eyes glared out
of their sockets in the skull. He could
not speak, but gave Snort inaudible
cries. It was the body, not thu soul,
that fought against death. While Jean
Paulet could think, ne had kept ST.
lence.
The news spread through the little
town. The kindly people gathered
about the poor stranger, doctors and in
dignant men and weeping women, all
anxious to help and nurse him. He
was carried to the minister's house.
Old Doctor Morton, with the judge,
watched over him all night, feeding
him as they would a baby, spoon ul
at time. The squire's wife, was
there before day with bowl of wine
panada, which she had made with her
own hands. She found crowd OF 9TH
er women, rich and poor, gathered
about the door of the parsonage.
Twill he live"
"Has he spoken again of his little
girl ?'
"Oh, if he only lives long enough to
know that we are not all murderers %
The village was full OF warm, hospit-
able, Christian feeling, and the thought
that a stranger had lain among them,
starving to death in his despair, Tor a
week. had reused them all.
Late that morning, when Jean had
wakened from his deadly lethargy, old
Boyce came skulking up to tine minis
ter's door. Some OF his neighbors met
him and turned their heads the other
way. They had long known the man
ner of man he was; this was only the