Evening star., 1893-12-09

| strain this cruel reflection on his brother
in art: What ass built this chimney"
| 1T was Ledente. my architect"
! 1T was well said; an ass. Fave the f1ue
made four inches higher in order to in
crease the draught. 1t will be all right
| then"
| What a simple matter 1t is, after ALL
| 1T only needed little thought
| The operation completed, the chimney
| smoked before. But the great architect
| took care of his bill.
| Hang It, what a bill!' NJ. Lamantin
| could not help signing as he paid it,
! Disguised with architects, the householder
| turned to bricklayers. The first one called
In ordered the addition to the fue of a
piece IF sheet iron, in the fern of SER
pent.
The chimney continued to send out its
| smoke into the parlor.
A second bricklayer arrivedS with disgust
/ he had his colleagues serpent removed, and
| substituted for 1t sort of helmet of the
| same material.
| "he chimney lid not T ay any attention TO
| the helmet, but smoked, worse than ever.
| But here the concierge interposed with
| these consoling words: Sir. you are wrong
% despair; l was just this moment talking
0f this matter with one of the tenants-oh,
/ | must say 1t, such nice tenant. He told
| me that he would undertake to disenchant
your chimney in five minutes"
| Let him come to me instantly, or / give
| him notice to leave"
! AS quick as lightning. Passeraud put him.
| self at the orders of NJ. Lamantin. He
| found his landlord trampirg up and down
his parlor, which was as cold as ice.
| SAs, 1t is you, young man, who fiatter
yourself you can cure in five minutes CHM
neys incurably i'll. Try; am curious to see
you do It,"
| Five minutes Is a little too short a time,
| sir. l want an hour"
Very well-an hour. Here is a chimney
| given up by all the doctors. If you make II
! agree to send its smoke up into the skies in
stead of down into my apartments,I will give
you'what you wish. l am quite out of pa
tience, do not wish to bargain. Name
your price
| Sir answered Passeraud with dignity,
| you will give me-the hand of Nile. Valen-
! tine. That is my price-to be paid only af-
; ter L have succeeded"
For a chimney! You wander in your
! talk, my dear SIR
This chimney, sir? Send for NJ Garnie-,
! the architect of the opera: add to him a
| picked jury of engineers. chemists, members
I or the institute. professors from the Ecole
des Hautes Etudes, and If these gentlemen
ct.n do in three months what / undertake
to do in an hour-that is to say, prevent 1t
! from smoking-as also to prevent from
smoking all chmneys with the same trou-
bic, L agree that you should treat me as
| though were indeed raving."
! The hand of my daughter! That is a
/ high price. However. If really you do pos
sess such secret you will be able to make
money, great deal of money, and"
! Il have secret in reality; and, as l have
a high opinion of 1t. you will give me au-
thority to shut myself alone in this parlor
! for an hour and you will give me your word
not to look through the keyhole. L only go
to work on that condition"
! AS you please But why have you not
simply taken out patent? You would
avoid these childish precautions"
| Il am not rich enough to pay the first
premium on patent"
Borrow the money. This is a case for
borrowing. If ever there was one"
Sir, l hate borrowing"
We'll. l am going. Perform your myster-
ious operations in peace and tranquility"
| You VIII not look through the keyhole?'
| II give you my most solemn promise"
"And-I have your word-if i succeed?'
| we will see. | do not want to yield on
compulson, but l am a just man."
once alone. Passeraud wasted no time in
foolish proceedings rather out of place, the
gravity of the circumstances considered. An
attentive spectator-but Passeraud had ban
ished spectators-would have heard him
hum the air:
''Cest lei que Rose respirer'
! The same surprised spectator would have
seen him go from one piece of furniture to
another with delighted air. walking as in
a dream among the beautiful furniture, ex-
tend himself at full Ter 9Th upon the sofa
here Valentine must have sat! then install
himself in a small chair-this low seat is
without doubt the one she prefers,-then
gaze for long while at young girls por-
tralt-that Is her dear picture!-and throw
Kisses to ito you, even to you,-These
frivolous proceedings having consumed the
appointed sixty minutes, Passeraud opened
the doors and called everyone.
/ Have fire made, sir
! Passeraud was obeyed The chimney had
now clear strong draught gentle
warmth breathed through the chilled and
frosty room. There was not the least smoke
Passerauds genius shone out like the sun;
he who could not see it was blind.
1T is too deightful.' exclaimed NJ La
mantin radiantly. Valentine this dear
young man is a great engineer He shall
be my son-in-law with your consent"
'Oh! yes, papa"