Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-07-30
THE ASSASSIN.

Polydore Chapoteau, grocer, had re.
tired from business. He had taken a
house in the country, where he raised
chickens and lived happily. He was con-
sidered among the fortunate few who re-
allied their dreams here below.
Chapoteau was good fellow and
was fond of entertaining his neighbors.
Champignol was his best friend. They
had played some famous games of bill
lizards together and had become init
mate, though not without little rival
ry in caroms. Champignol lived at the
other end Of the village, and every
Thursday he came to take pot luck with
Chapoteau.
Well, one Thursday when the mel
ons were ripe Champignol arrived, as
usual.
"Mme. Chopoteau and the servant
have gone to the city and will not return
till the last train. We are alone and
must prepare our feast ourselves.
Champignol put on the servants
apron, Chapoteau his wife's apron, and
while one prepared the vegetables the
other one roasted the meat.
It was a fine feast A melon just ripe,
cultivated by Chapoteau with paternal
tenderness, appeared at dessert. Cham
pignol adored melons. He left only the
rind and the seeds.
81 have eaten too much" he said
after the coffee.
He became melancholy. Chapoteau
got up, and without, saying word
opened drawer where his pharmacy
was arranged, and taking one Of the
walls poured from it into Champignol' S
mouth teaspoonful of medicine
"You do not find me unprepared, "
he said. "Do you not feel better?"
Champignol rubbed his hand over his
stomach and nodded affirmatively. Sud
denly his chin dropped, and he appeared
to be asleep.
Refreshing sleepp' murmured Cha
poteau, happy at the effect Of his drug,
and while waiting for Champignol to
awaken he commenced to wash the
dishes.
Half an hour later he returned to the
room OH his tiptoes. Champignol had
not awakened.
IT will look after my chickens" said
Chapoteau to himself
Half an hour passed thus. Champig.
mol still slept on.
"He is taking long nap" thought
Chapoteau. 81 will arrange the lettuce. u
That occupied a full hour. Now
Champirnol would surely be awake. But
Champ. ,.lol still slept
"Ah, the ideal" growled Chapoteau,
and he commenced to slap his friend on
the back, gently at first, then harder
and finally with his fists. Champignol
did not move.
Then cold shiver ran over Chapo
teau. Had an accident happened to him
Could he have burst blood vessel
Melons are traitorous.
He opened Champignol's hands and
slapped them, opened his mouth AND
breathed into it. Finally, not knowing
what to do, he began to tickle him un
der his arms and laughed loudly to ex
| cite him. In truth, poor Chapoteau had
no desire at all to laugh.
CHAMPAGNE remained as lifeless as 8
work Of art.
"Perhaps it would be better to leave
him alone. He will awaken himself. .
Chapoteau walked about his garden,
prey to vague agitation. Suddenly
the idea came into his mind that his
friend was playing him trick
Flo knelt before him.
"Now, Champignol, no more foolish
ness. You have deceived me long
enough"
Champignol did not move.
"Champignol, dear old Champignol,
my dear Champignol, Guonal, my little
Pignol!"
Chapoteau employed all the tones o.
tenderness, surprise and terror. Lit
tie Pignol" was said in a heartbro
ken way, with trembling voice. A
stone would have been touched, but
Champignol remained insensible.
"Ah, that's it, is it," said Chapo
teau, and becoming fierce he gave hi
sleeping friend blow in the face.
"There! Now we shall seel"
Champignol oscillated, swayed >ant
fell forward with his head upon thu
table.
"Ah! You want to brighten me
That won't do! There and there" HI
was becoming exa:perated The homes
and gentle Chapoteau had been trans
Toned into an inquisitor.
Suddenly his arm fell. If this should
be real! If it were not joke Of Cham
pignol's!
He seized his hat and rushed out lik'
the wind. Where should he go? Fo
tho doctor, parbleu! Why had he no
thought Of that sooner? He was only ,
few steps from the doctors house whel
a terrible thought stopped him short.
| He had given laudanum to Champig
noll, to be sure, but he thought he hat
given him only fair dose. Perhaps h
had made q mistake. Perhaps he hat
poisoned Champignol. They woult
have an autopsy Of the body. The.
would discover the poison. He woul,
be arrested, judged, condemned an,
dragged to the scaffoldi
To the scaffoldl
The ideas clashed together in hi
head. He felt as II q mill wheel wer