River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-12-10

/ Is not replaced. and the walls are not
I papered again. but the Dragon doesn't
+ abate a penny Of his bill on that ac-
count Now l have inquired of the
/ furnishing man on the street back of
/ the hotel, and he has written on his
I card Just the cost of mattress, sheets.
Z pillows and all that sort Of thing. and
| the amount comes up 20 about fifty
-rancs I have put in an envelope a
! ifty-franc note. and with il the card of
I the furniture man. have written also
in the latter. telling the old Dragon
T just what the things will cost that he
needs, and have referred him TO the
card of the furniture man who has
given me the figures. This envelope |
have addressed TO the Dragon. and he
will find il when | am dead This is
the Joke that old man Death and my
self have put up on the Dragon. and
my only regret is that shall not be
able 10 enjoy a look at the Dragons
countenance as he reads my last letter
20 him. Another sum Of money have
put away, in good hands. where he
won't have a chance 10 get il, for my
funeral expenses. and then YOU see
am through with the world. have no
body to leave that | need worry about,
or who would either take care Of me or
feel sorry for me if I needed care or
sympathy, which ] do not So that is
why l laugh, and that Is why come
down and sit on this bench. in the sun
shine, and enjoy the posthumOus joke :"
Robbins did not appear to be able 70
see the humOr of the situation quite so
strongly as the Living Skeleton did.
At different times after that when they
met, he had offered the Skeleton more
money If he wanted it, SO that he might
/ prolOng his life little, but the Skele-
ton always refused.
: a sort Of friendship sprang up be-
tween Robbins and Living Skeleton, at
; least. as much Of friendship as can
exist between the living and the dead.
I for Robbins was a muscular young fell
I low who did not need To live on the
/ Riviera on account of his health, but
merely because he detested an English
winter. Besides this. it may be added
/ although il is really nobOdy's business,
that Nice girl and her parents lived
. in this particular part of the south of
/ France.
/ One day Robbins took little excur-
/ sion in a carriage to Tou!on. He had
4 invited the Nice girl to go with him,
I but on that particular day she could
not 90 There was some big charity
I function on hand. and one necessary
part Of the affair was the wheedling of
+ money out of the peoples pockets. and
+ the Nice girl had undertaken to do
part of the wheedling. She was very
e 4 - - - v,y-slo.H har
self upon it. but then she was "a very
nice girl pretty as well, and so people
/ fouud it very difficult To- refuse her
On the evening of the day there was to
be ball at the principal hotel in the
/ place. also in connection with this very
desirable charity. Robbins had re-
luctsntly gone 10 Toulon alone, but you
NAV depend upon it he was back in
time for the ball.
Well" he said to the Nice girl
when n met her, what luck collect
ing today
''Oh. the greatest luck. she replied.
enthusiastically. land who do you
think got the most money from"
Il am sure I haven't the slightest
idea-that old English duke. he GER
taiuly has money enough"
No, not from him at all; the very
last person you would expect it from
your friend. the Living skeleton"
What cried Robbins. in alarm
'Oh. found him on the bench where
he usually sits. in the avenue OF palms
I told HIM all about the charity, and
how useful it was, and how necessary.
ana how we all ought to give as much
as we could towards it. and he smiled
and smilei at me in that curious way of
hiS- Yes he said. in a whisper. 4 be-
/ lieve the charity should be supported
! bv everyone. I viii give you eighty
francs Now. wasn't that very gen.
erous of him2 Eighty francs!
That was ten times what the duke
gave. and as he handed me tne
money he looked up Mt me aud
said in that awful whisper OF his.
Count that over carefully when you
get home and soc if YOU can find out
what else ! have given Won. There is
more than eighty francs there Then,
after ] got home. l."
But here the Nice girl parsed. when
she looked at the face Of Robbins. to
whom She WAS talking. That face was
f EAauNAAA k-HAE aAtAAA AAA0 - " EAE 1NnAlitI
st her but not seeing her. Eighty
francs" he was whispering to himself.
and he seemed TO be making a mental
calculation in subtraction. Then
noticing the Nice girls amazed look at
him. he said:
Ibid You take the money!"
''of course took it., she said. why
shouldn't To-
Great heavens gasped Robbins.
and without word he turned and fed,
leaving the Nice girl transtixed with
establishment and staring after him
with frowu on her pretty brow
what does he mean by such con-
duct" She asked herself. But Robbins
disappeared from the gathering throng
IN the large room Of the hotel dashed
down the steps, and hurried along the
narrow pavement towards the Cold
en- Dragon" The propr etor was stand
ing in the hallway with his hands he
hind him. usual attitude with the
Dragon.
Where" gasped Robbins. is Mr..
II. Mr. -" aud then he remembered he
didn't know the name. Where is the
Living Skeleton"
lie has gone 10 ms room. answered
the Dragon; The went early tonight,
he wasn't feeling we'll. think"
wv hat Is the number Of his room9''
NO. 30" ard the proprietor rang
loud. jaugling bell, whereupon one of
the chambermaids appeared. SHOW
this gentleman TO No -.
The girl preceded Robbins mp the
stairs. once she looked over her shoul-
der. and said in a whisper: as he
worse?
y don't know" answered Robbins.
that's what have come To- sec.
At 40. 81 the girl paused AID raped
lightly on the door panel There was
M response. She rappcd again. this
time louder There was still no re-
Spouse.
TRY the door. sHld Robbins.
u am eTrsiid to- said the girl.
Why
''Because he said II he were asleep
the door would be locked. aud If he
were dead the door would be open"
when did he say that?"
He said IT several times. sir. and
about = week ago the last time"
Robbins turned the handle of the
door; 1t was not locked A dim light
was in Tho room. but screen before
the door hid u from sight. When he
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