Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-12-16

The locksmith drank in small sips and
rolled his eve with the air OF connois-
seur. bnI 10 his hears hs asked himself ii
this OLD patron OF hs wife believed hia,
sick. to give him ptisan. As for the oil
mother. having taken in her hand tho
tea service, Sue examined the sereial
articles with great curiosity as most SIM
gular objects, and Of a usage unknown
In the civilized world.
But NJ Matoussaint continued TO re-
,sard his godson, whom Caroline held un-
swaihed upon her knees, and who threw
inta the air his crooked legs and violently
rubbed his feet Ii was strange! NJ.
Matoussaint had never seen anything so
agly. allinfsnts like this, so small.
with body so teader and ruddyl And
seeing what a shadow it was at present,
II was necessary that it should have
what he had had also. a mother. a good
nother. to take him upon her knees and
press her lips to his forehead with pratt
tie of pleasure. as did Caroline to her
osh~. And when the infants toilet was
finished and the locksmith's wife took it
again within her arms. the old bachelor
presented his large finger for the small
one 20 seize with his whole little hand. and
felt smile dawniug slowly in his gray
beard
This evening at his cafe the old iron
monger proved himself most unaccount-
ably patient; and when his adversary
made series of lucky strokes he smoked
TRANQUILITY as he put blank to his score
"How is my godson?" would ask NJ.
Matoussaint, entering the forge as he
passed through the rue Pas de la Mule,
and he passed there purposely for long
time.
But one day the locksmith let fall upon
the anvil his hammer and the bar OF red
iron. and wiped his hand upon his apron
to touch it TO the other and reply to his
usual question.
"He is, unhappily, not well, Monsieur
Matoussaint Ehl Zidore, leave the bel
lows. and so and tell my wife to come
down.
"What is the matter? What is the
trouble?" anxiously inquired the iron
monger.
"One knows nothing Of these little
midgets. He coughs-and then he is
very red--I don't like that. All. Mon-
sieur Matoussaint, you are very fortu-
nate not being married and not having
children. But the doctor ought TO re-
turn this afternoon.
And now behold Caroline, hair dishev-
eled, in house wrapper, as she entered
with the apprentice. What sunken eyesl
She had not slept this night certainly.
"Well, how is hep" asked the father.
"Worss and worse, as have reported
to you since morning, replied the poor
wife, in dolorous and impatient tone.
IL will go up and see him. Lead the
way" said NJ. Matoussaint, in an anx-
ious tone.
But Caroline drew her old master into
the court
"You can not see him. monsieur, she
cried, bursting into tears. "The doctor
forbids it. He fears it may be diph-
liberia. am not yet bold enough to tell
his father He will know too soon, poor
man. All, my good sir, my good mas
ter, what night What night And
so pretty child, SO strong already at
years!"
And she talked, and talked, and talked,
repeating always the same things, like
fool; and the old boy, who had taken her
hands, felt fall upon them the tears Of
the poor mother, heavy and warm, like
the first drops of tempest OF rain
"Tell me, Revillod, said NJ. Matous-
saint, that evening, to his adversary at
billiards, did one OF your children ever
have diphtheria?"
Yes, my little Louise; we had great
difficulty in saving her"
Breathing a sigh Of hope at the thought
that children do not always die Of this
horrible malady, NJ. Matoussaint made a
very bad shot, "the stroke of grocer,
when he had only to follow.
u y
He il pt1radf He is curedi