The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-03-06

houses of the narrow street. / accosted
him-and he brought his gaze swiftly
down to my level, and stared at me with
keen inquisitiveneSs.
81 have had a long tramp said
briefly, for he was not the kind Of man
to whom could explain my recent ter
rible adventure. land l have lost some
of my clothes by an accident on the way.
Can you sell me q suit?-anything will
do am not particular"
The old man took his pipe from his
mouth.
"Do yon fear the plague?" he asked.
II have just recovered from an attack
of it," replied coolly.
He looked at me attentively from head
to foot, and then broke into low chuck
ling laugh.
"Ha! ha!" he muttered halt to him
self, half to. me. "Good-good! Here
is one like myself-not afra.d-not
afraid! We are not towards. We do
not find fault with the blessed saints
they send the plague. The beautiful
plague!--I love il, L buy all the clothes
l can get that are taken from the corpses
they are nearly always excellent
clothes. l never clean them---I sell
nc.? The people must die---the sooner
much as l can" And the old bias
0hemer crossed himself devoutly.
looked down upon him from where |
stood drawn up to my full height, with a
glance of disgust He filled me with
something Of the same repulsion I had
felt when 1 touched the unDameable
Thing that fastened on my neck while
slept in the vault.
Gomez 1 said somewhat roughly,
Twill you sell me suit or not?"
Eyes, yesw and he rose stiffly from
his seat; he was very short of stature,
and so bent with age and infirmity that
he looked more like the crooked bough
of a tree than man, as he hobbled be-
fore me into his dark shop. Come in
ode, come insidel Take your choice;
there is enough here to suit all tastes,
See now, what would you? Behold here
the dress of a gentleman, ahi what beau
tiful cloth, what strong wool English
make? Yes, yesl He was English that
wore 1t; big strong Milford that drank
beer and brandy like water-and rich,---
just heaven---how richl But the plague
took him; he died cursing God, and call
ing bravely for more brandy. Ha, ha! q
fine death---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 it not? And
i am old and poor. must make some
thing to live upon"
/ threw aside the tweed suit he dis
played for my inspection.
Nay" said, 81 care nothing for
the plague, but find me something
better than the cast-of cloth
ing of brandy-soaked English
man. Iwould rather wear the molly
garb of q fellow who played the fool in
Carnival"
The old dealer lsughed with crack
ling sound In his withered throat like
the rafting OF stones In tin pot
GOOD, goodl" he croaked. II like
that, like thati Thou art old, but thou
art merry. That plesses me; one should
laugh always Why not? Death laughs;
you never see Q solemn skull: IL laughs
aiwsysr'
And he plunged his long lean fingers
Into deep dr. aver full Of miscellaneous
garments, mumbling TO himself al the
while. stood beside him In silence,
pouoctfhh w MS WoroSr 4uoo soios
but merry" What did he mean by call
Ing me old? He must be blind, thought,
or In his dotaga Suddenly he looked
up
Talking Of the plague" he said, SIT
Is not always wise. It did foolish thing
yesterday-a very foolish thing. It took
one Of the richest men In the neighbor-
hood, young too, strong and brave; he
looked Is IL he would never die. Tie
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 and marble Villa on the
heights yonder. When I heard the news
I srld IA Madonna aha vns wtek.6- Oh