The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-22
A SILVER COIN.

Hector Merot left his Office at midnight
and went into cafe to get something to
eat. When he had finished, he put silver
coin on the table ready for the waiter and
turned round to pick up his stick.
The lights inside the cafe were being
put out, SO that everything was beginning
to look very dreary. just as Hector rose
hand suddenly snatched up the silver coin,
and the thief Immediately disappeared
round the corner of the next street.
In an instant Hector drew another coin
from his pocket, threw it on the table,
called to the waiter and then started off
in pursuit.
Hector was interested, for he was too
much of a Partisan not to know that the
man in front of him was not an ordinary
pickpocket. He suddenly turned down one
street, ran at full speed, and came out
again under g lamp just as the wretched
man reached it.
The man before him was apparently
quite young, but his face was pale and
pinched, and his black hair and mustache
gave him a ghostlike look.
Hector, at the sight of such evident mis-
cry, felt as though he himself had been
guilty of some crime, and when the wretch
ed man held out the silver coin to his ac-
cuser, without attempting to offer word
of apology, but with an expression of utter
despair in his sunken eyes, our journalist
could not find word to say.
He took the coin, put it in his purse and
then pressed the purse into the mans
hands and made off himself as though he
had been the thief.
After ten years of up hill work and strug-
gle Hector had gained for himself an i'm.
portant position as journalist and art critic.
In spite of his success and his fame the
first hard years of struggle had left then
traces on him. There was always touch
of melancholy which he never quite sue
ceeded in throwing off. He had seen the
comedy of human life too near, and it is,
alas, no comedy for those who are behind
the scenes.
On this bright May day, however, Hec-
tor was quite gay as he entered Ledoyen's
restaurant. 1t was the opening day of the
salon, and there was an animated discus
sion going on among a group of artists,
sculptors and journalists as to the respec-
tive merits ST the works exhibited this
year.
Somewhat absently, and yet with the
easy cordiality of man accustomed to So
ciety, he answered the various greetings
and then took his customary place at a
small table, where Paul Nielssery, the
! young landscape painter, and Charles Zir-
titus, the aquarellist, were waiting for him.
''Why, Hector, - exclaimed Paul, ''you
| look positively radiant this morning
What has happened and what have you
been doing9"
''Why, precisely the same as every one
| else. I have been looking at pictures and
sculpture, but have discovered one piece
which has done me good for the whole
ncfo
| toni
''There certainly are some fine things
| this year in the salon. but in my opinion
there is one that surpasses all, one such as
we only get once in about ten years.
mean Jean Meunier's Wreck. +"
A murmur of approval was heard from
| the other tables as Hector pronounced the
! young sculptor's name.
| During the dessert Charles Zirtius got
up from the table and went across to the
other end of the restaurant. He soon re-
turned, accompanied by tall, handsome
man of about 80, well dressed and bearing
the unmistakable stamp of a gentleman.
His dark, deep set brown eyes were full
| of restless energy, but there was an express
| sion of earnestness in them which almost
amounted to sadness. This morning, how
ever, his delicate oval face was lighted up
with happiness. Fame had appeared to
him. Glory had touched him with her
|
wings.
Hector said Charles, 81 want to in
troduce my friend to you, Jean Meunier -
The journalist rose quickly and shook
hands warmly with the young sculptor.
81 must thank you,' he said, for the
enjoyment have had this morning. Your
| Wreck is a marvellous work of art, and
certainly think have never felt so much
| pleasure in seeing piece of sculpture as
| in that"
During the conversation Hector looked
| hard at Jean, trying to recall where and
when he had seen that refined face with
the intense expression in its dark eyes.
Finally he decided that it must simply
| be a resemblance that he saw to some one
else, and he got SO interested in the con-
versation of the three artists that he forgot
it at last and ceased to ransack his mem
| CRY. Gradually the tables around were de-
serted, and Hector called the waiter and
paid the bill
He left some change on the table for the
walters pourbOire, and seeing that he had
not picked up small silver coin half hid
den by plate he called him back, say
ing, "Take this too
Suddenly Jean Meunier looked at it and
then at Hector. His pale face became still
paler, the expression in his eyes still more
intense, a shudder ran through him, and
at the same time the memory of an utterly
Wretched face seen on November evening
by the light of a street lamp, ten years ago,
flashed across Hector.
They were all getting up from the table.
He smiled sympathetically at the young
sculptor and held out his hand which the
latter grasped and wrung silently, but
with gratitude of his whole soul
Hector and Jean were from this day
forth firm friends, and the sculptor told
the story of the utter misery and poverty
he had been in when Hector's timely and
sympathetic help had rescued him from
despair and his beautiful young sister from
death.
Hector was frequent visitor at the
sculptor's studio, and he often joined the
brother and sister at their dinner table.
The firaorn of rrnalaneholv crr.ad11al LIZ die.