The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-07-19
establishment

held 10 be one OF the very best In the neigh
borhood, and has for many years belonged
10 an individual on whom we will bestow
| the name of Ramn.
About 10 years ago Monsieur Ramin was
a joval, red-iaced Man of 40, who joked his
customers into purchasing his goods, flat
tered the pretty grisettes outrageOusly, and
now and then gave them a Sunday treat at
the barrier as the cheapest way of securing
their custom. Some people thought him a
careless, good-natured fellow, and wondered
how, with his of-baBd ways, he contrived
to make money so fast, but those who knew
him well saw that he was one of those who
never lost an opportunity" Others de-
! ciaTed that Monsiear Ramin's own definition
of his character was that he was a bon
| eniant" and that it was all luck" He
shrugged his shoulders and laughed when
people limited at his deep scheming IN max
| ing and his skill i'll taking advantage of
Excellent Opportunities.
| He was sitting in his gloomy parlor one
| fine morning in Spring, breakfasting from a
dark liquid honored with the name of onion
soup, glancing at the newspaper and keeping
a vigilant look on the shop through the
open door, when his old servant Catherine
! suddenly observed:
Il suppose you know Monsieur Bonelle
| has come 10 live in the vacant apartment on
the fourth loor?"
What?" exclaimed Monsieur Ramin, in
| q loud key.
| Catherine repeated her statement, to which
her master listened i'll total silence
"WeIl,' he said, at length, In his most
cIreless tones; wha; about the old fellow?"
and he once more resumed his triple Occupa-
ton of reading, eating and watching.
NV
he is nearly dying, and that his housekeeper,
! Marguerite, vowed he could never get up
8 airs alive. 1t took two men to carry him
up; and when he was at length quiet in
| b q, Marguerite went down to the porter's
lodge and sonbed there a whole hour, say
ing, her poor master had the gout, the
rheumatics, and bad asthma that though
be had been got upstairs, he would never
come down again alive; that if she could
only get him to confess his sins and make
his will she would not mind ii so much !;
but that when she spoke of the lawyer or
the priest, he biasphemed al her like a
heaihsn, aud declared he would live to bury
her and every body else"
Monsieur Ramin heard Catherine with
gieit attention, forgot 10 finish his soup,
and remained for five minutes i'll profound
runIinafi0n, without so much as perceiving
two customers who had entered the shop
and were waiting TO be served. When
aroused he was heard to exclaim:
What an excellent opportunity"
Monsieur BJnelie lad been Ramin's pre-
decessor. The succe ssion of tie latter to the
shop was a mystery. No one ever knew
how it was that This young and poor assist
ant managed TO replace his patron. Some
said that he had detected Monsieur Bonelle
L. 4, ,snt, l..
unless the business were given up to him as
the price OF his silence; others averred that,
having drawn prize in the lottery, lie had
resolved to set up a fierce opposition over the
way, aud that Monsieur Bonelle having OBJ
tanned hint of his intentions. had thought
it most pradent 10 accept the trifiing sum
his clerk offered and avo4d runous compe-
titiop. Some charitable s0uls-moved no
doubt by Monsieur Bonelle's misfortune
erdeavored to console and pump him; but
all they could get from him WAS the bitter
exclamation, ITO think should have been
duped b. him."
Years PASSED away; Ranlin prospered, and
neither thought nor heard of his "good old
master.' The house, of which he tenanted
the lower portion, WAS offered for sale; he
had long coveted it, and had almost con-
cIuded an agreement with the actual owner,
when Monsieur Bonelle unexpectedly
stepped in at the eleventh hour and, by
Offering frifie more, secured the bargain.
The rage and mori ifica ton of Monsieur
Ramin were extreme. He could not under
stand how Bonelle, whom he had thought
ruined, had scraped up so large a sum his
lease Was ont, and he now felt himself at the
mercy OF the man he had so much injured
Bui either Mensit ur Bonelle was free from
vindietive feelings, or those feelings did not
blind him to the expcdiency Of keeping a
good tenant, for, though he raised the rent
until Monsieur Ramln groaned inwardly,
he did not refuse to renew the lease. They
had met at that period, but never since.
We'll, Catherine" observed Monsieur
R4min to his old servant, on the following
morning, "bow is that good Monsieur
Bonelie getting on?"
81 dare say you feel very uneasy about
him." size replied with sneer.
Monsieur Ranlin looked up and frowned.
Catherine" said he dryly, you will
have the goodness, in the first place, not to
make impertlnent remarks; in the second
place, you will oblige me by going upstairs
TO inquire after the health of Monsieur
Bonelie, and say that / sent yOu."
Catherine grumbled and 0beyed. Her
mater was in the shop when she returned,
In few minutes, and delivered with evident
satisfaction the following gracious message:
Monsieur Boneile desires his compli-
ments to you, and declines to state how he
is; he will also thank you to attend to your
own shOp, and not to trouble yourself about
his health"
"How does he look?D asked Monsieur
Ramin, with perfect conposure.
" caught glimpse of him, and he ap-
pears TO me to be rapidly preparing for the
good offices of the undertaken"
Monsieur Ramin smiled, rubbed his hands,
and joked merrily with dark-eyed grisette,
who was cheapening some ribbon for her
cap. That girl made an excellent bargain
that day.
Toward dusk the mercer left the shop to
the care of his attendants and softly stole
up to the fourth story. In answer to his
gentle ring a little old woman opened the
door, and, giving him rapid look, said
briefly:
Monsieur is inexorable; he won't see
any doctor whatever"
She was going to shut the door in his face
when Ramin quickly interposed, under his
breath, with am not a doctor.n
Waak ard wnarss