Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-06-14
miscellaneous.
A PIECE OF SOAP.

IL was aDOub Ten yours uRo, III une
month of December The day was
cloudy and dull, and the wind was roar
ing among the oak trees. was going
to dine with Maitrc 10 Bitouze, who in
those days lived on the Haut Putois
farm on the farther side Of the Nehon
moOrlands.
The dinner was to be served at g
o'clock. AS | loft the forest of Belle
Garde and took tho little cross path that
led to Monroe | heard the church bells
in the valley striking 4
AS went along the idea came to me
to get shaved. 1t was quite natural
idea, for my beard was hurting mc-the
cold wind seems to bite an unshaved
skin. My beard was eight days old, aud
there were to be other people at dinner,
so should be more presentable it
shaved
At the entrance of the village on the
right hand side stood picturesque lit
tie inn. The wind was rafting the
leaves of the holly trees that stood in
front of it. Inside could hear the
sound of loud voices. went in, and
ordering glass of wine asked the host
if there was barber in the village.
"Parbleu oui p cried an old peasant
VIII was sitting with his feet in the
stove and lighting his pipe with fire.
brand. "There is old Bridevent, who
shaved the whole camp of Nehon during
the war If he is at homeland he ought
to be, for as pissed the church just
now saw his dog Ronaot running down
the street.-the will do the trick for you
first rate, and very quickly tool
"And this Bridevent," said another
peasant, who was stirring his cup of
coffee at the end of the table, "evidently
means to live and die here. | thought
he went away to his vegetables and his
cabbages in the country when the camp
left Monroe. He comes from the neigh
borhood of Piron, doesn't he :"
$50 he always says, yet he never goes
much farther from his little shop than
rabbit does from It's burrow."
"And how does ho live I A little
poaching on tho sly and occasionally
dressing beard are not enough to fill
the pot, Yet he does nothing else, 80
far as | can see"
"Bridevent is sly one, Maitrc 10
Hodey, and has put aside a little money
He used to keep cantnc, and has done
other things than shave chins.
Satisfied with what had heard, |
asked the proprietor to show me Bride
vents house and left the inn. | found
it, as he had described, low. pictur-
esque cottage, standing alone far back
from the road, with its broad, sloping
roof giving TO it n somewhat lugubrious
appearance, not lessened by its lonely
situation
When | was within a few feet Of the
porch, which was partly concealed by
low bushes, the door suddenly opened
and figure appeared
It was that of a small man, very
small man, squat, dark, thickset, with
long arms and tremendously bowed legs.
The enormous head, which did not set
straight on the massive shoulders, was
covered with unkempt black hair, The
neck was short and thick, aud there was
scarcely any forehead to be seen.
Add 10 this feature that had the APP
pearancc Of having been crushed a large
mouth with thick lips that dropped al
one corner aud two large cleaning
black eyes, and you may have some idea
Of this singular individual
My first thought on seeing this hide
Gus apparition was to turn and retracc
my steps or to 60 straight on past the
house. But second glance at the per
son showed me that he was properly
dressed and that it was his deformity
chiefly that thus inspired the sensation
Of repugnance. So, suppresslng my sur
prise, | addressed him in voice thai
was almost gay:
"Eh bien, my friend, at this time ol
day, and with this kind of weather,
suppose trade with you is not booming
Do YOU think you can shave me before
it gets too dark p
@Come in, monsieur" he said sim
ply. al will do the best can.
He went in first, TO make room fol
me 10 pass, and pointed TO chair be
side the fireplace. The interior of thu
cottage was very modest Everything
was clean and 10 place A high, old
fashioned bedstead stood in one corner
and in another a cupboard with deeI
shelves and several dozen plates wild
blue patterns paiGted on them.
A tall kitchen clock, a mirror, table
several chairs and kneading trough
com posed the rest Of the furniture in th
, room. Two or three dingy looking pic