Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-07-15

S0t
the humor Of the situation quite as strong
ly as the Living Skeleton did. At differ
ent 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 Skeleton always re-
fused.
A sort of friendship sprang up between
Robbins and the Living Skeleton-at least,
as much of friendship as can exist be
tween the living and the dead, for Robbins
was muscular young fellow who did rot
need to live at the Riviera on account OF
his health, but merely because he detested
an English winter Besides this it may
be added, although it is really nobody
business. that a nice girl and her parents
lived in this particular part of the south
of France.
One day Robbins took little excursion
in carriage to Toulon. He had invited
the nice girl to go with him, but on that
particular day she could not go. There
was some big charity function on hand,
and one necessary part of the affair was
the wheeling of money out of the peoples
pockets, and the nice girl had undertaken
to do part of the wheedling. She was very
good at it, and she rather prided herself
upon it, but then she was very nice girl,
pretty as well, and SO people found it very
difficult to refuse her. On the evening OF
the day there was to be ball at the princi
pal hotel in the place, also in connection
with this very desirable charity Robbins
had reluctantly gone to Toulon alone, but
you may depend upon it he was back in
time for the ball.
"Well," he said to the nice girl when he
met her, what luck collecting today?"
ooh, the greatest luck" she replied en-
Enthusiastically, "and who do you think ]
got the most money from?"
II am sure haven't the slightest idea
that old English duke, he certainly has
money enough
mo, not from him at all; the very last
person you would expect it from-you1
friend the Living Skeleton"
"Whatv' cried Robbins in alarm.
"Oh, found him on the bench where be
usually sits, in the avenue of palms. tAd
him all about the charity and how use
full it was, and how necessary, and how we
all ought to give as much as we could to-
ward it, and he smiled and smiled at me in
that curious way of his. 'Yes,' he said, in
whisper, I believe the charity should be
supported by every one; will give You
eighty francs Now wasn't that very gen
erous of him? Eighty francs-that was
ten times what the duke gave, and as he
handed me the money he looked up at me
and said in that. awful whisper of his,
Count that over carefully when you get
home and see if you can find out what else
I have given you. There is more than
eighty francs there Then after / got
home I'--
But here the nice girl paused when she
looked at the face of Robbins, to whom she
was talking. That face was CHASTITY pale
and his eyes were staring at her, but not
seeing her. Eighty francs,' he was whis-
pering to himself, and he seemed to be
making mental calculation in subtrac
ton. Then, noticing the nice girls amazed
look at him, he said:
"Did you take the money!"
"Of course I took it," she said. "Why
shouldn't II"
"Great heavens" gasped Robbins, and
then he turned and fed, leaving the nice
girl transfxed with establishment and
staring after him with frown on her
pretty brow.
what does he mean by such conduct?"
she asked herself. But Robbins disap-
peared from the gathering throng in the
large room of the hotel, dashed down the
steps and hurried along the narrow pave
ment toward the Golden Dragon. The
proprietor was standing in the hallway
with his hands behind him, usual atti-
tude with the Dragon.
"Where," gasped Robbins, s'is Mr.-Mr."
and then he remembered he didn't know
the name. "Where is the Living Skele-
ton?"
HE has gone to his room," answered the
Dragon. 'He went early tonight He
wasn't feeling well, I think"
"What is the number of his room?"
"No. 49," and the proprietor rang a loud,
jangling bell, whereupon one of the cham
bermaids appeared. "Show this gentle
man to No. 40"
The girl preceded Robbins up the stairs.
Once she looked over her shoulder and said
in whisper, lis he worse?"
II don't know" answered Robbins;
"that's what have come to see."
At No. 40 the girl paused and raped
lightly on the door panel. There was no
response. She raped again, this time
louder. There was still no response.
'"Try the door," said Robbins.
II am afraid to-" said the girl.
"Why?"
because he said if he were asleep the
door would be locked and if he were dead
the door would be OPEN"
when did he say that?"
"He said it several times, sir, and about
n week ago the last time"
Robbins turned the handle of the door;
it was not locked. A dim light was in the
room, but screen before the door hid it
from sight. When he passed around the
screen he saw, upon the square marble
topped arrangement at the head of the bed,
a candle burning, and it's light shone on
the dead face of the Skeleton, which had a
grim smile on its thin lips, while in its
clenched hand was a letter addressed to
the proprietor Of the hotel.
The Living Skeleton had given more
than the eighty francs to that deserving
charity.-Luke Sharp in Detroit Free
Press.
The Butte Miners.
Physically the Butte miners are fine
body Of men, made up Of all elements. The
English, Welsh and Irish seem to FREEDOM
mate, although there are many Italians
and not few representatives from the
Slavic provinces Of the tro-Hungarian
empire.
They generally dress in long boots, SLOUGH
hats, wooden shirts and blue overalls It
must be very cold day that induces a
miner to bother with such a trife as an
overcoat. They are the most careless of
mortals and never take precautions against
catching cold. They come out reeking
with perspiration from the bowels of the
earth and brave the nipping blast with
bare breasts and necks. Pneumonia has
been doing its deadly work among them
since the advent of the grip.-Cor. Chicago
Tribune.
The Snake Charmer,s Methods.