The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-06-09
THE FIGURTNE.

to await but kiss to warm them to ardent
life.
It was the novelty Of the season in the
advertising line, and the trade of the Golf
feur so much increased thereby that 1t real
ly looked as if the police would be needed
to keep the street free.
All Paris-as one sheep follows another
over the fence till the whole flock has
! passed-was occupied now with the pretty
! figurine of the Madeleine quarter.
But the eagerness of the city changed
nothing in the habits of the hairdresser's
shop. The pretty igurine in her coquettish
capuchin faced with vieux rose showed
herself neither more nor less often in her
velvet and crystal caging, and worse than
all for the importunate and curious ones
when they entered the shop and demanded
of the majestic dame de compton a nearer
view of the wonderful wax image she an
swered firmly and always that the key was
not in her possession and blandly pointed
to the side of the room impenetrably in
closed to the ceiling behind stout wooden
paneling.
Marcel made up his mind one morning
and entered the shop, determined to ac-
| quire the beautiful object of his desires, no
matter at what cost. Thestately saleswom-
| an met him and sought TO sell him every
thing in the world but that which he had
come to purchase.
mo" said he, ''it is the head that want
that is to say, the head that last even
ing was in the window, for the window at
present is empty"
With many hens and haws the sales
woman finally declared that she had no au.
thority to negotiate such an affair
"To whom, then" persisted Marcel,
shall I address myself, madameY"
''To the patron, monsieur, though warn
you that it will be entirely useless. For
nothing in the world would the patron part
with it,"
"That is my affair, madame. And when
can the patron be seen? | wish to settle
the matter as soon as practicable"
impossible to say, monsieur; the patron
goes out every morning, not to return some.
times-till exceedingly late"
His home address them" urged Marcel
stubbornly.
"Out of the question, monsieur; it is for
hidden to disclose it."
Marcel was not to be stopped by trifles.
He took up his stand in cafe opposite the
hairdresser's shop and waited
About ~ o'clock he saw little becurled,
pomaded and perfumed being enter the
place and begin to strut around with the
air Of the master. He quickly crossed and
stated his business. He was badly received
truly.
IF such outrageous, such indiscreet steps
continue" fumed the artistic coiffeur, 81
shall close up my shop Immediately
m sieur. Never before, and have dwelt
in every capital in Europe with-with my
head, m'seur-never, never, l repeat, have
| suffered before a persecution that equals
this"
But, monsieur" said Marcel, ''you look
at this matter in very strange manner
Allow me word of explanation. You are
merchant and possess an object that
find to my taste and which | offer to buy
from you. What could be simpler, partic
ularly as l am willing to pay whatever
price you choose to ask?"
"And | tell you, m'sieur," returned the
enraged little man, stamping around like
one possessed, mo matter what price you
offer, my-my object is not for sale. ANY
thing else that you please in my shop
paints, powders, perukes, capuchins trim
kets-anything, anything | say, but-but
the figure in my window"
The case was useless. Marcel departed
defeated and furious
She was regularly in her place for per
haps a week more, when the window was
empty, and queerer than all else the win
dow remained empty.
Compte CASTOR Leopold, too, had
strangely disappeared and was to be found
at neither house, club, opera, nor any Other
place that once had known him. Marco
inquired for him of friends and besieged
the servants who answered the door.
IN. le Comte had left Paris very sud
denly" they responded, without saying
where he was going or how long he would
remain"
A month passed, and then one evening
at the club Marcel and Blankston's wager
upon the coiffeur's fgurine brought up the
subject again.
But she's there no more, you know,
sadly declared little Frisbie.
'Eh' What? Gone for good, the pretty
little fgurine"
80 it seems"
And so eventually it proved. The win
dow was rearranged and filled with a mis-
cellaneous collection of all sorts of thing.
apropos of womens toilets-fchus, flowers
combs, brushes pads and buckles-any
thing that you could ask, in fact, but no
so much as one golden curl of the little fig
urine's pretty head.
but she wasn't there always at first
Frisbie, you know" cried a voice at the
back, "only occasionally; perhaps we mis-!
herr
"No, she comes no more, / tell you. pvt
watched and waited; it is total eclipse
Deuced hard on me BESIDES for that pretty
little fgurine was genuine mascot to me
When stopped to look at her and sh,
smiled upon me, luck was always, as nov
it is the reverse, in my favor"
"And as forme," said another, ''when sh,
gave me look"-
This was too much; disturbed in his rub
ber the old COmte Danneyille brought th'
chatter to an end with sharp rap on thl
table. A coiiIeur's figurine smiling anC
gazing at passersbyl Poohl What rubbish
Not to be tolerated u moment IN a seriou
gameof piquet
Marcel alone remained thoughtful, an
next morning, breakfast over, he betoo
. himself hurriedly to the cafe that once bC
fore served him as an obser n tory.
The window opposite was still minus Q
a figurine and appeared even not to expec
one, The place once graced by the beaut
ful head was otherwise occupied.
Watching and ruminating over th
strange turn OF affairs Marcel suddenl
saw coming and going in the shop the al
tistio coiffeur; but, heaYensi was 1t reall
ha-or only his Ehadawi