The record-union., 1891-01-10

oHouSHt, ~ aSlisiie, tllat tnlS costume
de didbte would bequite success" said
Tringle more and more humbled.
..Oh!' exclaimed the heiress, disdain-
fully.
You have still week before you," re-
sumed Mime. Brou; '.we are getting up a
ball in the style of Louis XIII. See,
mere Is some Jaconet from which my
daughter and myself are cutting out cos
tunes to Dedrqsisc. They win be quite
distinguished-lookin The time of Louis
Kill. abounds in picturesque costumes.
In your place, Monsieur Tringle, 1 would
seek something in that epoch"
"a Louis XIII. devilW exclaimed
Tringle.
| mo, no! Monsieur, no more devil; you
would look much better as Lord"
CHAPTER VI.
At this moment the bell rang and Mon
sieur Brou entered the room.
'What is this?" said he, walking round
and round Mons. Tringle.
Monsieur Brou," said his wife, ''it is
that poor Mons. Tringle, who had an idea
that our fancy ball was to take place this
evening.
'.Tringle gotten up as a devilp' ex-
claimed Mons. Brou. "Why no one
would recognize you in such u garb, my
friend. Como now, get up and let me see
your
Excuse me, beg you,' said Tringle,
who sat as if fastened to his chair.
What! don't you want to be admired
on all sides ~ continued his tormentor.
With a motion of his hand the unlucky
bachelor begged to be excused from such
an ordeal.
You do not seem very comfortable" !"
said his host, continuing his inspection.
The clock struck midnight.
Madame Brou," said her husband sit
is time to retire."
That was an unmistakable method of
slgnlfylng to their guest that it was timo
for him to depart. Then, indeed, did he
regret having left his cloak at the wig
makers, for it would have helped him to
conceal the unlucky tail while making
bis exit. With a thousand excuses to the
lauies, he bowed himself out backwards,
trying in vain to hide the caIrdal APPEND
age, which frisked playfully about with
out appearing to share at all in its wear
er's melancholy.
In the corridor Mons. Brou assumed o
grave expression and said:
'Monsieur Tringle, I am in no wise
duped by your stories. People do not go
reads the 18th. I have made figures
enough in my experience as Receiver to
know their value. have never made a
mistake in my writing. l have, as you
are aware, marriageable daughter, and
1t was highly improper foEyou to present
| y III SuC1l IL COSGulIlG DG1OTS u young
girl, even though she was protected by
the presence of her mother. As soon as
you discovered your mistake you should
have made reparation for it by immedi-
ately retiring"
Poor Tringle endeavored to open his
lips to defend himself, but Mons. Brou
had not finished his discourse, and with
an impatient gesture silenced him and
continued:
4 ou have dared to remain three hours,
seated by my flreside, without fearing to
excite ridicule by costume which says
little in favor of the nobility of your SEN
timents! do not bid you an revo;r,
Monsieur, hoping you yourself will un-
derstand what bad taste 1t would be for
you to be present at our coming party.n
CHAPTER VII.
The philosophers of all nations are
unanimous in declaring that misfortunes
never come singly. So, in the case OF
poor Mons. Tringle; what was his con-
sternation to find upon attempting to go
down the stairs that he was restrained In
q sudden and forcible manner. The tail
OF his costume was caught in the door
in the door of house from which he
had just been elected.
His first idea was to ring the bell, but
that would bring him once more into the
presence OF an angry man who did not
seem disposed to take joke.
A half-hour of complete silence had
followed the unceremonious closing of
the front door; the ladies irad certainly
retired and, no doubt, the severe master
of the house likewise.
Wouldn't the wits Of the town perse-
cute him with taunts and jeers II they
| were to learn Of this annoying advent
ure. ut would be better to get rid
of this cursed tail by cutting It off,"
thought the wretched bachelor. But Trim
rlfah rly HI,
close fitting garment.
II even ssecond-tloor lodger were to
come in, Tringle in his dire extremity
would have begged him togive him some
assistance: But the apartments above
the Brou quarters We're occupied by an
old lady who went to bed regularly at
| Toward one O'Clock lii. the hnorning
Tfingle felt thoroughly chilled, although
he had kept moving in every possible
way, very cautiously, however, SO as not
to awaken the family.
How Chabre, the perraquier, had been
calumniated! If the costume had really
boen as dilapidated as the Brou ladies
affirmed, certainly, after SO many efforts,
the tail would not have remained so
firmly attached to the pantaloons.
AT two o'clock the cold had greatly in
creased. The thin cloth of the costume
afforded no protection against tempera-
|
was almost freezing the blood in his
| veins.
AT the risk Of being mathematical by
the irate Brou, Tringle said to himself
that he would ring. Then vaguely, dur
ing quarter of an hour, he felt in all di-
rections In the holdings for the door
jamb without being able to find the bell,
which, however, he was quite sure was on
the left-hand side; but the tail was caught
SO close to the body of his suit that his
arms We're not left sufficient freedom to
reach the knob.
"I,broke too many of them as I came
through town." thought Tringle In de-
spair; II am punished by my sin itself'
And at that moment the bachelor, al
though he was by no means of an eXtrav-
agant disposition, would willingly have
given twenty sous apiece for all the bells
he had maliciously broken on his way
over to the Brou mansion, Remorse,
though somewhat tardy, began to fill his
breast; still, with the utmost anxiety, he
wondered whether one moment of fever
ish excitement ought to be punished by
such tortures.
But, as Providence sometimes casts a
glance of compassion on those who re-
bing his back rather brisllly against the
door, in order to warm himself, noticed
that the brass knob made an almost i'm
perceptible movement.
Now, ray of light suddenly beaming
on some unfortunate lost in the catacombs
was never greeted with wilder joy than
filled the captive's breast at this dis
lcovery.
Turning to one side as much as the i'm
prisoned tail permitted, Tringle seized the
door-knob and discovered that it was only
screwed into the wood. After consid-
cradle effort he finally gained possession
of the knob, but could not see very clearly
how it was going to assist him in