New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-07-11
THE ASSASSIN.

| T.
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
liards together and had become init.
mate, though not without little rival
~ 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.
mime. 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.
1t was 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.
IT 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. 'tDo 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 sleep!' murmured Cha
poteau, happy at the effect of his drug,
and while waiting for Champignol to
Dishes
Half an hour later he returned to the
room on his tiptoes. Champignol had
not awakened.
II 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. II will arrange the lettuce. -
That occupied a full hour. Now
Champignol would surely be awake. But
:Champignol still slept.
'''Ah, the idea!"~ growled .Chapoteau,
and he commenced to slap his friend on
the back, gently at first, then harder
and finally with his fists. Champigno]
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 Champigno1's hands and
slapped them, opened his mouth and
breathed into it. Finally, not knowing
what to do, he began to tickle him I'm.
der his arms and laughed loudly to ex-
cite him. In truth, poor Chapoteau had
no desire at all to laugh.
Champignol remained as lifeless as a
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 a trick.
He 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
Pignolv'
!! Chapoteau employed all the tones OF
tenderness, surprise and terror. Lit.
tile Pignol' was said in 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 his
sleeping friend blow in the face.
'There! Now we shall see!''
Champignol oscillated, swayed and
fell forward with his head upon the
table.
''Ah! You want to brighten me
That won't do! There and therep' HI
was becoming exasperated. The honest
and gentle Chapoteau had been trans
: Toned into an inquisitor.
III Suddenly his arm fell. IF this should
be reall If it were not q joke Of Cham
ipignol's s!
He seized his hat and rushed out Xix,
! the wind. Where should he go? Fo1
the doctor, parbleul Why had he no
thought of that sooner? He was only !
! few steps from the DOCTORS house whe1
% terrible thought stopped him short
lIE he had given laudanum to Champig
holl, to be sure, but he thought he hat
given him only . fair dose. Perhaps b,
had made 3 mistake Perhaps he hat
poisoned Champignol They woult
have an autopsy Of the body. The,
would discover the poison. He Woult
Ilbe arrested, judged, condemned AMI
dragged to the scaffold
To the scaffold 81
The ideas FLASHED together ID hi
ead. n felt g + ! mill wheel Wez'
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