Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-02

buo laughter duu COufeFSdGlOu. Livery Oue
turned toward him in surprise. During
the silence which followed he added:
II wager 1900 Louisville will take it
up?"
There were wealthy men around the
board, we'll used to heavy stakes, but the
magnitude of the sum startled them. Be-
fore taking up the wager they wished to
determine the conditions clearly.
"There is no double meaning?-no play
of words or anything like that?" queried
the fat Duke de Morvella.
''Not in the least" replied the prince; II
give you my word as gentleman"
"But," suggested another, you will
probably proceed to do one of those actions
which, without being classed as offenses,
will show yourself in public in such an ex-
travagant or remarkable costume that you
will be followed by crowd of jeering
nrchins, and to put stop to the disorder
an officer will be obliged to conduct you to
station, where he will lend you less con-
spicuous attire"
"You are quite wrong" replied de IA.
rival, ''for if 1 should get myself taken up
for wearing some extraordinary costume,
the officer would know very well that he
had only to deal with an eccentric charac-
ter, an oddity otherwise inoffensive. No;
tell you they will grasp me by the collar
and drag me to the station, believing they
are conducting malefactor, while shall
be perfectly innocent of any fault or mis-
demeanor, transgressing no enactment"
swell, then, how will you go about it ?"
exclaimed Gastambide, the banker, who
was very nervous and excitable.
"Ah, that's my secret! You can under
stand that if l told you that before
hand"-
'Of coursep' interrupted Gastambide:
''but have it now! You will tap police
man on the shoulder saying: old fellow,
Pm your man. have killed all my family
in moment of frenzy. Remorse is chok-
ing me. Take me up, old fellow, let the
law do it's worstP"
They shouted with laughter. The idea
of the Prince de Karinval tapping a police
man on the shoulder, calling him ''old fell
low" and begging relief for his remorse
awoke the widest merriment. The prince
alone preserved his cool gravity. He ex-
planned quietly to the impetuous banker
that his intention was not only to abstain
from evildoing, but even to avoid any
words or actions capable of provoking his
arrest. And he repeated:
"Who takes up the 1000 LOUISE"
II dol" cried Gastambide, with an exub-
Grant gesture.
The next day, about o'clock in the
evening, when the boulevards swarmed
with people and the restaurants began to
fill up, shabby wretch made his way
through the crowd with bent head and
watchful gaze, picking up here and there
the cigar ends that others throw away.
The man was still young and had evil
IDENTIFY fallen from higher rank, to judge
from the distinction of his pale, refined
face, his patrician hands, his general bear
ing. Very tall and thin, he must once
have been an elegant figure in society.
Now he was reduced-by what vice or mis-
fortune?-to old shoes with broken classics,
down at the heel and patched on the toe;
to trousers shiny at the knees and frayed
around the hens; to wretched coat,
faded and worn, which was buttoned to
the throat to conceal the lack of linen. An
old felt hat, which looked as if it might
have been fshed from a rubbish heap,
slouched over his head, and perhaps to
give himself the illusion of shirt collar,
or maybe under the influence of old habit,
he had tied around his neck an old black
silk cravat which looked as if it might
have been worried by family of playful
puppies
Still it was evident that this unfortunate
man was not discouraged or despairing,
for in all his misery there was certain
care and cleanliness not usually apparent
in men of his class
AS he passed before Vigneron, restau-
rant then very fashionable, he stopped for
a few seconds to look in at the clear win
dows with their guipure hangipgs, through
which he could see the diners seated oppo-
site to richly dressed ladies and dividing
their attentions between the exquisite
viands and their fair companions. At this
moment gentleman and lady got out of a
carriage and entered the dining room.
Through the open door the shabby man
could see center table laden with fruits
and early vegetables, while toward him
waited that odor of repast SO disagreeablle
TO those who have just dined, SO delectable
to the hungry.
He advanced and before the door closed
entered and timidly placed himself at the
first empty table.
But he was scarcely seated when the
head waiter, very distinguished and
stylish looking individual, perceived him
and hurried toward him with an expires,
sion of annoyance.
"What are you doing there, you'll"
"Why," replied the unfortunate, point
ing to the other guests, Il come to eat like
ali these people,"
He spoke SO seriously that it was Inn
possible to think he had been drinking.
The head waiter concluded that he must
be weak minded, and said sarcastically:
aYo4 have mistaken the hour and the
door, my good man; the soup kitchen is
around the corner, and the soup is dis
pensed in the morning." He shook his
napkin at the intruder to chase him of,
as one would troublesome fly. His ap-
pearance certainly did not grace the estab-
lishment. But the other did not seem dis
posed to quit his place.
81 don't care much for sonp," he an
!, swered, "and the food given out in the
morning would not suit me-"
The head waiter was struck with the
purity of his accent and the refinement Of
his tone. 'This is no born yagabond, he
thought; ut is some man Of position.
ruined by gambling"
'And," continued the shabby one, ''there
is no reason why yQv shQuld not serve me