The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-07-15
A MISER'S DIPLOMACY
Old Brigitte and Her Lucky Lot
terry Ticket.

Old LANDRY was a thin, shrivciS.d up
little man, very rich, and so parSimoni-
Gus that people said he could shave an
egg.
Since the death of his wife he had
lived all alone in tiny house in his ma
tive village. We say alone" although
he had an Old servant with him, but
Brigi11e was of small account little
more valuable than the dog, perhaps.
but less than the donkey, for that cost
forty crowns. She had entered thc
Landry household lis COW girl when only
twelve years old, and had remained
there ever since, and was simple. hon
est soul, with boundless admiration
for THE master" He did not hesitate
to turn to good account her blind. dog
like devotion, and, as a consequence,
Brigitte's savings were not large,
though her duties were arduoEs.
You are good old fool, he would
sometimes say to her. by the way OF
rccompcnSc for her ceaSeleSs industry.
and then he- wide mouth would expand
slowly in a delighted grin, which dis
played her toothlcsS gums is she eX-
claimed admiringly:
Master loves TO make little joke
One day the miscr thought he could
save Il .uaSon's bill by repairing
broken wall ut the side of pond, but
while he was at work his foot happened
to slip and he fell into the water just
where it was most deep. lie went
fioundering about for minute or two
calling for help at the. top of his voice.
but no one heard him, and his strength
being exhausted he was about To sink
Il
sight of him. and, lcaping into the pond
at the risk of her own life, she succeed
ed, after desperate efforts. in bringing
him to land The old man was uncon-
sciouS. but BrigItte took him un-
der her arm as if he were a bundle of
straw, carried him home and rubbed
him so vigorously that animation was
restored. When he opened his eyes the
good creature shed tears of JOY, and
he had the dclicacy not to mention the
fact of her having neglected to save his
trowcl, which he had dropped in the
water. and which was - great loss, be-
ing quite new. On the contrary. he
exclaimed. in a burst of grateful gen
croSity:
1.You saved my life, and l shall not
forget it. 1 shall give you present,
Brigittc."
True to his word. the next day he
called her 10 him, and after some hcsi-
tatiOn drew out his long leather purse
from his pocket, and then, with a. much
effort a. if he were pulling a tooth, he
took ont coin and handed it 10 her
Twenty cents" he said, ''ovcr ana
above your wages, Brigitte; you under
stand, this is not to be deducted; it il u
present. Now do not spend it foolishly.
You can buy IA lottery ticket with it,
and perhaps you will win hundred
thousand francs
1t was the first time in his life that he
had been so generous, and ne could not
forget II, but seemed 70 take Il tender
interest in the fate of his twsnty-cent
piece. Again and again he asked the
old woman whether She had bought the
ticket
Not yet, master" was her answer,
every time he asked, but one day she
replied to his usual inquiry:
YES, master, have bought it,"
''What number is it," he said.
Number thirty-four.'
Take care that you do not lose the
ticket. / viii lock it up in my closet
for you, if you like"
''Oh. no. master, will not lose it
After that excitement matters re
sumed their usual couESc in old Landy's
house, plenty of work and very little
food continuing to fall to Brigitte's
share. The miser was beginning To
forget his own prodigaIity in rewarding
the servant, when one day, at the bar
bcr's shop, where he had dropped in, as
usual, to read the newspaper without
buying it, he caught sight of para
4, l. Il,
1t was the result of the drawing Of the
lottery, and one line stood out in flaming
figures which nearly dazzled him.
Number - wins the grand prize of
one hundred thousand francs"'
The miscr uttered such n cry as he
read. that the startled barber grazed
with his razor the ear of the school
master who was being shaved at that
moment.
''What is the matter?" cried both men
at once.
"Oh, nothing, nothing" answered
Landry, recovering his presence of
mind, and then he readjusted his spec
tacles and read the line again, spelling
each word carefully. There was no
mistake; number thirty-four, Brigitte's
number, had won the grand prize, lie
put down the paper and rushed out of
the shop. As he strode along ON his home
ward way, nc became conscious of the
fact that old Brigitte. the drudge was
z now a rich woman, and that. IL was by
means of his twenty-cent piece that
this wonder had come To pass. His
money, he reflected. had won the prize
SO. did not the fortune belong TO him?
a dozen different schemes for possess
ing himself of the money passed through
his mind. and at least he decided upon
a desperate plan.
"Wen, Brigitte, any news?" ne said.
as he entered his house, where the