The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-28

over his bald pate, drew his rug about his
legs, stretched himself out Oh the seat and
soon was sleeping profoundly.
But then he had a nightmare. Was he
oppressed by remOrSe? For my part l
should be reader 10 believe that he had
done wrong to eat jagged hare in dining at
the buffet of the lwar station. He
should have been more cautious. The hare
was not success with him.
his dreams were absurd.
lie saw himself first. returning to his
own house. opening his stTOngOux, per-
ceiviUg that he had been robbed, and that
in place of the big green morocco pocket
book, in which he kept all his papers, there
was nothing but an old wooden stocking
absolutely empty. Next. he was suddenly
transported to the Chamber of Deputies,
but lie was alone on his seat in the empty
ball. which was hardly liGbted by the faint
twilight All the desks we're shut, all the
doors were closed.
There was no trace Of a human being
left, except an enormous, nigh nar, as large
as garden reservoir, standing on the pres
idenps desk. GTandcadet was looking
stupidity at IT, when the mons trous head
covering exploded and began 10 pour forth
an innumerabls quantity Of little squares of
white paper. and on them all the unfor-
tunate Deputy. endowed of a sudden with
q supernatural power OF vision, was able to
read the name of his rival al the last cleo
ton. But all at once the hat shut down on
Itself, like a limp. empty bag; the ceiling
sank, the walls drew together and Grand
cadet, at the highest pitch of surprise and
horror. found himself before the court of
assZes, between two gendarmes, and
recognized under the red-sleeved 70 es and
goId-laced toques of tile president and the
two assessors, his porter, his hair-dresser
and his hOusekeeper from Paris, all three
ruined in the Panama affair. And tbs pres
ident stood up and read, in cayernOUs
voice, and extraordinary sentence which
condemned Sfaur (ropdradat
Deputy. to gid the Eiffel tower at his own
expense within six months and afterward
to be impaled on the lightning rod Of that
edifce.
This was too frlghtlu'. The member of
Parliament aWoke with a start. 1t was
early day. NJ. Grandcadet recognized the
hillsides and vineyards of his electoral
native land.
"Jugged hare decidedly does not suit
me-" he thought. 81 nave had very stupid
dreams. | am sure Of my constituency
There are 10 socialists. and the only pos
sibls candidate Of the moDarchistS, the
Marquis Of La Tour-Preud-Garde, don
james partisan, is not 10 be feared. Be-
sides, nobody knows the history of my
20 0GO francs. | musttake hearth
a carriage awaited The Deputy at the
station. The perfect tranquility Of his
native city seemed an excellent omen. As
he drove by the white horse painted on the
sign Of the inn where the B0uahgists as
sembled did not begin to whinny Stop
theft and the cast-irOn cock perched on
the church steeple did not crow Panama,
as a morning greeting.
As soon as he arrived his servant There
sine, who was expecting him, served cafe au
lait
Monsieur Grandcadet." said the Young
peasant with an air of constrant. as he was
tasting his coffee y0luptuously, 81 have a
very difficult confession to make"
And what is IL, my girl ?'
ITO begin with, l am going to get mar
RED"
"To Pierre, the harness-maker over tie
way. That was decided two years ago. |
for next week."
Yes, but this is what wanted to say
Before being married | had to go TO confess
sion and had to tell NJ. -, the cure, of a
wrong had done you"
a wrong? Done to me- ?'
Forgive me, Monsieur" cried Theresine,
bursting into tears. Il have robbed you
yes. have been robbiDg you for two years.
told the cure Of it and he babe me give
back what | had taken, and here is your
money. oh! to the last sou, | swear itv'
ana me poor girl drew her hand from her
pocket iull OF gold and small change. which
she spread out Oh the table before her mas
ter
What! You have been robbing mew
exclaimed NJ. Grandcadet. filled with aston
ishment and wrath.
ALAS! sir, do not cause my ruin! Do
not tell anybody of it, / beseech youl You
can see l was not altogether dishonest at
heart, since have given back everything. -
SO be it. That is enough. Leave me"
replied the master impatiently.
When left alone NJ. Grandcadet falls into
a reverie. But do not 20 to the length Of
imagining that he in his turn has a notion
OF making restitution OF his gratuity OF
$4,000 francs! Once for all lie regards the
profit as overwhelmingly gained No:
in connection with the act Of this poor girl,
to whom the priest had recalled her forgot.
ten catechism, it is the reflection of a
sociologlst, OF statesman, that occurs to
NJ. Grandcadets mind. Ee ponders a mo-
ment Then he picks up the money laid
down by TheresiAe, thrusts it into his
pocket. and then-ean you believe it?-he.
the ardent freethinker, he who has voted
for all the antl.cleTi al laws, he mutters
between his teeth: "1here is no use in
talking There is need Of religion-for
the people. Translated from the French
of Francois Coppee.
Sbe-Haye you read Loves Cruel En-.