Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-02-14

felt when touched the unnameabl
Thing that fastened on my neck while
slept In the vault.
''COme!' l said somewhat roughly
evil you sell me o suit or Rot?"
Eyes, yesw and he rose stiffly fron
his seat; he was very short OF stature
and so bent with age and intrmity tina
he looked more like tho crooked bougl
Of tree than man, as he hobbled be
fore mo into his dark shop. ''Come in
side, come inside! Take your choice
there is enough here TO suit oil tastes
See now, what would you? Behold her,
the dress Of o gentleman, ahl what beau
tiful cloth, what strong wool English
make? Yes, yesl He was English thai
wore II; q big strong Milford that drank
beer and brandy like watcr-and rich, 80
Just heaven---how rich! But the plague
took him; he died cursing God, and cali
ing bravcly for more brandy. la, ha!
fine dcath---a splendid death! His land
lord sold me his clothes for three francs
--one. two. three, but you must give
me six, that is fair profit, is 1t not? And
am old and poor. must make some
thing to live upon"
threw aside the tweed suit he dis
played for my inspection.
NAY" said, II care nothing for
the plague, but find me something
better than the cast-off cloth
ing Of o brandy-soaked English.
man. would rather wear the molly
sarb Of fellow who played the fool in
Carnival"
The old dealer laughed with crack
ling sound in his withered throat like
the rafting OF stones in tin pot.
''Good, goodl" he croaked. II like
that, like that! Thou art old, but thou
art merry. That pleases me; one should
laugh always. Why not? Death laughs;
you never see solemn skull: 1t laughs
alwaysw
And he plunged his long lean fingers
into deep drawer full Of miscellaneous
garments, mumbling to himself oil the
while. stood beside him in silence,
pondering On his words, ''Thou art old,
but merry" What did he mean by call
ing me old? He must be blind, thought,
III in his dotage. Suddenly he looked
up.
Talking OF tho plague" he said, ut
Is not always wise. 1t did foolish thing
yestcrday-a very foolish thing. 1t took
one of tho richest men in the nelghbor-
hood, young too, strong and brave; be
looked as If he would never die. The
plague touched him in the morning-be-
fore sunset he was nailed up and put
down in his big family vault;-a cold
lodging, and less handsomely furnished
than his grand marble Villa on the
heights yonder. When heard the news
told the Madonna she was wicked. Oh,
yes! rated her soundly; she was o
woman, and capricious, o good scolding
brings her to reason. Look you! am
friend to God and the plague, but they
both did a stupid thing when they took
Count Fabio Romani."
started, but quickly controlled my
self into an appearance OF Indifference
''Indecd!" / said carelessly. "And
pray who was he that should not deserve
to die as well as other people?"
The old man raised himself from his
STOPPING attitude, and stared at me with
his keen black eyes.
"Who was he? who was he? he cried
In shril tone. ''Oh, he! One can see
yuu hHOW uOiIlIlS Va N0plCos AOu now
not heard of the rich Romani? See you,
wished him TO live. He was clever and
bold. but l did not grudge him tha:-no,
he was good to the poor; he gave away
hundreds of francs in charity. have
seen him Often-I saw him married"
And here his parchment face screwed it.
self into an expression OF the most ma
lignant cruelty. "Pah! l hate his wife
"a fair soft thing, like white snake! l
used to watch them both from the cor
ncrs Of the streets as they drove along
in their fine carriage, and wondered
how II would all end, whether he or she
would gain the victory first / wanted
him to win; would have helped him to
kill her. yes! But the saints have made
a mistake this time, for he Is dead and
that she-devil has all. Oh, yes! God and
the plague have done foolish thing for
once"
listened to the old wretch with deep.
ening aversion, yet with some curiosity
too. Why should he hate my wife?
thought, unless, indeed, he hated all
youth and beauty, as was most probably
the case. And II he had seen me as often
Is uo bVoETcu no muoI huOW u0 W oiBh~
How was it, then. that he did not re-
cognize me now? Following out this
thought, said aloud.
what sort Of looking man was this
Count Romani? You say he was hand
some-was he tall or short-dark or
fsir?"
Putting back his struggling grey
locks from his forehead, the dealer
stretched out Q yellow, claw-llke hand,
rs though pointing TO some distant
vision.
"a beautiful mani" he exclaimed; "a
man good for the eyes to seel As straight
as you areas tall as you arei-as
broad as you srel But your eyes are
sunken and dim-his were full and large
and sparkling-your face is drawn and
pale-his was Of clear olive tint, round
and flushed with health; and his hair
was glossy black-ahl as jet black, my
friend, as yours is snow white"
recoiled from these last words In q
sort Of terror; they were like an electric
| Ma NnIaaH nhon0adO Woc