Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-23
A PIECE OF STRING.


surging multitude of men and ami
mails. The horns of cattle, the rough
mapped, high hats of the rich peasants,
and the head-dresses of the women,
rocked together on the surface of that
sea Voices harsh and clamorous made
a shrill and savage din. Now and again
above it all a mighty roar of laughter
would burst from the lungs of some
rustic, mingled with the long below of
COW tied fast to the wall of Il house
Maitre HauchecoIne Of Breaute had
just arrived at Godervilie and was
making his way towards the market
place, when he saw on the ground Il
piece Of string. Maitre Hauchecorne,
saving like every true woman, reflect
ed that everything was worth picking
up which could be made useful and he
stopped down and took the thin piece
Of string from the ground, and was just
putting it in his pocket when he pre-
ceiyed Maitre Malandain standing on
his doorstep and looking at him.
They had once had Il quarrel about
q halter, and they had remained angry.
bearing malice on both sides. Naitre
HauchecO1ne was overcome with an
embarrassment at being seen by his old
enemy searching in the dust so for Il
scrap Of string. He quickly hid his find
under his blouse, then III his pocket,
then pretending to look for something
on the ground, and at last started for
the market-place, with his head bent
forward, and body almost doubled in
two by rheumatic pains.
Slowly the square became empty.
and when the AngeluS struck at mid
day those who lived at IL distance
poured into the inns.
At JoIlrdain's the great room was fill
ed with eaters.
Suddenly Il drum sounded before the
house. Everyone, except the most in
different, Sprang to their feet and ran
to the door. to the windows. his mouth
still full and his napkin in hand.
When the public cripr had finished
his tattoo he called forth i'll Il ierly
voice making his pauses out of time:
BE it known to the Inhabitants of
Goderyille, and in general to all-peI-
sons present ut the market. that there
has been lost this morning on the Beu-
Zcyiile road. between 9 and 10 o'clock
Il purse OF black leather containing 800
francs and business papers. You are
requested to return it to the mayor S
office at once"
They were finishing their coffee when
the corporal of @pndarmeS appeared on
the threshold. He said:
"MHitre iIAuchccoIne. will YOU come
with mo to the mayors office? NJ 10
Marie would like to speak to you"
Maitre iIaurhecorDc followed the cor
poral.
The mayor was waiting in an arm
chair
"Maitrc Hauchccorne," said he. this
morning Oh the Bonneville road YOU
were seen to pick up the pocliet-bools
lost by Maitre HoulbcqUe, Of Manne-
Vile"
The peasant. Spcnchlcss. regarded the
mayor, frightened already by this &llS-
piCion which rested upon him he knew
not why.
Il. picked up that poc!,et-book:
Yes, YOU"
Il swear know nothing about it,
You were seen"
They saw me? Who saw me?"
NJ. Malandain, the harness maker
Then tn" old man understood and
grew scarlet with anger.
The mayor continued: After having
picked up the purse you even looked
in the dirt to see if some money had
not fallen out"
The good man was choked with anger
and fear
IF they can say,-if they can SAY
such lies as that to SANDER an honest
man. If they can say."-
He might protest, he was not beliey-
ell.
The news spread. When he left the
mayors office the Old man was sur
rounded. questioned with a curiosity
which was serious or knocking as The
case might be. And he told about the
string. They did not believe him.
They said to him: You old rascal
YOU"
That evening he made the round in
the village Of Breaute, so as to tell
every one. He met only unbelievers.
He was i'll all night
Next day. about 1 in the afternoon
MaTius PamnelIe. Il farm hand of
Maitre Breton, the market gardner at
1mauVllle. returned the purse and its
contents
This man said, indeed. that he had
found 1t on the road; but, not knowing
how to read. he had carried it home
and given it to his master.
The news spread Maitre Hauche-
corne at once began to tell his story as
completed by the climax.
What grieved me-" said he. was
not the thing itself, but the lies. Moth
ing does one so much harm as disgrace
for lying"
. All day he talked of what had hap.
pened. He told it on the road to the
people who passed: at the carbet to
the people who drank. and the next
Sunday. when they came out of church
On the following Tuesday he went to
GodcITille for the sole purpose of toll
ing his story. When seated at a table
IN Jourdain'S tavern he began to tell
the whole affair over again.
\ horse dealer shouted out to him.
Go away, You old scamp. l know ali
about your string
Hauchecone stammered But they
found the purse again. l tell YOU
The other answered: There's one
who pinch it and another who return it
and none the wiser"