Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-06-15
THE SOUS-PREFET.

COlnDc-uuA Itt-.
For this memorable occasion monsieur
the sous prefet has put on bis embroidered
coat, his opera hat, his tight pantuloons
with silver bands and his gala sword with
mother of pearl hilt ON his knees rests u
large gauffcrcd Persian morocco portfolio,
which he looks at sorrowfully.
Monsieur the sous prefot looks at his
gauffered Persian morocco portfolio sor-
rowfully. He is thinking of the famous
speech that he is expected tomake presently
before the inhabitants of La Combe-auX-
Fees.
'Gentlemen and dear citizens'-he tor
ment5 the blond silk Of his whiskcrs and
repeats 20 times in succession Gentle
men and dear citizens. 1t is all in vain,
the rest of the speech will not come.
The rest OF the speech will not come. 1t
is so warm in this carriagel As far rs the
eve can reach nothing is to be seen on the
road to La Combe-aux Fees but the rising
of dust under the hot sun of the south.
The air is burning and upon the dusty
elms that border the road thousands of To-
Gusts call TO each other from tree to tree.
Suddenly monsieur the ousprefot start
ed. Yonder at the foot of the hillside he
has just seen little grove of green oaks
which seems TO beckon to him.
The grove of green oaks seems TO beckor
to him: Come this way, monsieur the
-prcfct. You would be more comforta
BILE to compose your speech under my
trees. " Monsieur the sous prefct is fasci
mated by it. He alights from his carriage
and tells the coachman to wait for him
He is going TO compose his speech in TIT
grove of green oaks.
In the grove OF green oaks there ar
birds, violets and springs under the tende
grass. When they saw monsieur the sous
prefot, with his beautiful brooches, hi
goffered portfolio, the birds were fright
ened and stopped their singing, the sprini
did not dare TO make any moro noise ant
the violots hid in the turf.
All these little people had never seel
any sous-prefet. They ask each other i
whispering tones who. this handsome lor
with silver brooches walking in the grow
could be.
In whisper under the shady trees the
ask each other who this handsome lor
with silver brooches could be. Meanwhile
monsieur the sous-prelct, delighted wit
the silence ana che freshness Of the wooC
LAYS his hat on the grass, and holding I'll
lapels of his coat sits down on the mos
at the foot of young oak tree. Then !
opened his large Fofrcred Persian morocco
portfolio upon his knees and drew IarG
sheet of official paper from it.
1T is an artist, says the Varblc
"No," says the bullGnch, lit is not an ar
list. since he wears silver breechcs. thin
IL is n prince.
Il think it is prince, says the bul
finch
"Neither an artist nor prince, brol
in an old nightingale which sang tho who
season in the garden belonging to The sou
prefecture Il know what it is. 1t is
sous prcfct!'
And the whole grove goes whisperin
at is n us-prefet; it is a sous-preiet!
How bald he ISL exclaims lark wi
large crest.
rs it wicked, sous-prefet'" inqui
the violcts.
is it wickedf' inquire the violets I
old nightingale answers, Not at all
And on this assurance the birds resum
, their singing, the springs their runni
: and the violcts exhGling their perfume
, If the gentleman were not there.
! Impassiye in the midst of this petty d
turbancc, monsieur the SOUS prcfet
yokes in his heart the muse of agricultu
and, his pencil raised, begins to dccla
E with his voice of ceremony, "Gentlem
Q and dear citizens.
4 "Gentlemcn and dear citizens, says
: sous-prefet in his voice Of ceremony.
burst of laughter interrupts him.
turns around and sees nothing but wo
pecker pcrched on his opera hat and laul
ing at him.
II The sous prefet shrugged his should
= and tried to continue his speech, but
}. woodpccker interrupted him again q
s cried, What is the usoi'
a How. what j. the usef' said the so
prefet, flushing, and sending away this
. pertinent creature with n gesture he
Il sumed louder than ever, Gentlemen Z
) dear citizens -
y "Gentlemen and dear citizens he S
y louder than ever. just then all the VIC
II lifted up their heads, and bending tow
r him said softly, Monsieur the sous-l
"a fet, do you smell how fragrant We are'
70 And the springs under the moss pla
- some divine music for him, while in
- branches above his head lot of warb
T. came and sang their sweetest songs.
N The whole grove conspircd TO hin
t. him from composing his speech. Monsi
e. the sous-prcfct, intoxicated with PERU
in carried away by the music, tried in vain
~ resist the new charm which was tax
~ hold of him lie rested his elbow on
grass. opened his beautiful coat, stann
ed once, twice, three times, "Gentlel
and dear citizens-gentlemen and dear
gentlemen - and - dear = Then
as threw citizens and all TO the wind,
a. alas! the muse of agriculture must
=. her face.
r. Veil thy face, o muse of agricultural
IL hour later, when the men OF the sous
he fet. anxious about their master, emit
the grove, they witnessed a sight WI
made them start back with horror. y
III sieur the sous -prelet was lying flat on
n. grass, his coat beside him, his chest all
W covered like a gypsy-monsieur the
If prefet was writing verses While chew
ID, violets!-Trauslated From the Frenc
az Alphonse Daudct For Romance
mt
.bt divinity student Turns Toreador.
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