Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-16
RESTITUTION.

The parliamentary session had ad-
journed, the Hon. M. Grandcadet, dep
uty for the Deux- Garonnes, took the ex-
press-free, thanks to his annual pass
and hied himself to feel the pulse Of
public opinion in his native town.
Comfortably installed in corner of
the carriage M. Grandcadet unfolded q
evening newspaper, very
erudite and ministerial, and edited in u
prose as heavy and depressing as virtue,
the Typography of which had q grave
and puritanical air about it. The Pana-
ma scandal-insignifcant, as every one
knows, and exaggerated with so much
malevolence by the enemies of the re-
public-was insultingly relegated to the
third page and reported and printed in
such small type as to be almost illegi-
BILE. By contrast the columns of this
austere organ were filed with foreign
politics, articles of palpitating interest,
which commenced in the following
terms: MATTERS are very serious in
Venezuela, or else, care the days Of
the Tricoupis ministry counted?"
To make good impression on the
white mustached colonel, who sat oppo-
site to him TRANQUILITY reading La Co
carde, M. Grandcadet did not lift his
eyes from the official sheet and appeared
to be deeply interested in the Hellenic
,,.;o;o o,d - +bo Iaek Jis1o+obo. fro,,,
Caracas. But in reality M. Grandcadet
was very much upset by the last turn
affairs had taken, and deep feeling of
anxiety possessed him.
His name had not been mentioned
yet. Good, so far. He had written
nothing, signed nothing. Wonderful
thoughtfulness on his part. But who
could answer for what might happen
later? Some of these fine mornings q
compromising paper might come to
light. For, between ourselves, he had
handled his little Doodle in an honest,
honorable way among comrades, and he
had not thought much about the mat
ter. Come, I will allow my readers to
pass Judgment upon him. He was neu-
tral at the last appeal for funds A
man of consideration, rich banker,
whom he met very often in his political
circle, and with whom he was on very
good terms-in fact, almost friend
opened his eyes, gave him to under
tand how opportune-shall I say pa
triotic?-it was to vote favorably to the
emission. This man, who knew how to
live, who was perfect gentleman, pro-
posed to him-in most delicate terms-
to associate himself with the financial
operations in perspective-naturally
enough, when there was q question OF
this great scheme-and promised him
some recompense in advance-to. calm
his scruples-a percentage, mon Dieu,
not an enormous one, a miserable
check for 25, 900 francs Do not gainsay
me; you would all have done the same
as M. Grandcadet did. And I know
what you are going to say to me, '"The
subscribers, what about them?" Listen
to reason. In case of success they would
have said nothing, for they would have
made very advantageous Investment
They were merely gamblers. Would
you know my way of thinking? Well,
the subscribers were Of no earthly &C
count. Could Grandcadet divine thai
this famous canal would never be cut
through? But several times before he
had realized some benefits from affairs
of the same kind, which had been more
or less successful, and nobody had found
fault with him.
Well, frankly, with his hand on hi
heart, he reproached himself for nothing
And I must confess it he did not believe
in this burst of public Indignation. Tha
was all humbug It was easy to recog
nize back of all this indignation plo
of the old parties; the hands Of th'
Comte de Paris and the Boulangists
The president du conseil had said a
much to them. Happily he had beel
there-he, Grandcadet-to defend tn,
menaced republic, and at the risk of hi
life, if you please. To see him 70,
would not have thought him capable o
SO much determination and character
with his well trimmed whiskers and hi
air of country notary. But when h
was in danger of being burned that wa
another thing. Yes, if it was necessar.
he would allow himself to be killed o.
a barricade, and like the heroic Baudil
he would cry out, "Come and see hoy
one dies for rs, 900 francs. -
However, in spite of all these fine rea
sonings the honorable deputy des Deux
Garonnes was not easy in his mind.
Suppose I try to rest little" " h
said to himself.
He drew his travelling cap over hi
ears, enveloped his limbs in rug, an
stretching himself on the seat was 500
sound asleep.
Then he had the nightmare. Was h
overtaken by remorse? For myself
think he did wrong to eat that dish 9
"civet" at the station buffet. He shoul
have been mistrustful Of it. Evidentl
hare did not agree with him.
His dreams were absurd.
At first he thought hlmself at nom
opening his safe and finding that h
had been robbed; that instead of fla
pocketbook of dark green leather cor
tanning all his valuable papers ther
was nothing in the safe but an empt
wooden stocking Then suddenly he wa
transported to the chamber Of deputies
but he was alone in his seat in the de
serted room, which was dimly lighte
by faint twilight. All the desks we,
locked, all the doors closed. No trac
Of anything human was to be seen, br
an enormous hat very high and shape
like garden reservoir stood on til
presidents desk. Grandcadet gazed ;
it stupidity. All at once the monstrosit