Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-05-31
A PIECE OF SOAP.

among the oak trees / was going TO
dine with Maitre le Bitouze, who In
those days lived ON the HaHt Putois
farm ON the farther side of the Nehon
moorlands
The dinner was to be served at Q
o'clock AS l left the forest of Belle
Garde and took the 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 me-the
cold wind seems to bite an unshaved
skin. My beard was eight days old, and
there were TO be other people at dinner.
so I should be more presentable il shaved
At the entrance of the village ON the
right hand side stood picturesque lit
Gle inn. The wind was rattling the leaves
of the holly trees that stood in front Of
it, Inside / could hear the sound of loud
voices. i went in, and ordering glass
of wine asked the host if there was q
barber in the village
"Parbleu oui - cried an old peasant
who was sitting with his feet in the
stove and lighting his pipe with fire.
brand There is old Brideyent, who
shaved the whole camp of Nehon during
the war. If he is at .home-and he ought
to be, for as passed the church just
now saw his dog Ronfot running down
the street.-the will do the trick for you
first rate, and very quickly toor'
"And this Bridevent, I" said another
peasant, who was stirring his cup of cof-
| fee mt 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 hep"
$50 he always says, yet he never goes
much farther from his little shop than
| a rabbit does from its burrow.
"And how does he live? A little
! poaching ON the sly and occasionally
dressing beard are not enough to fill the
pot. Yet he does nothing else, SO far as
| / can see.
"Bridevent is a sly one, Maitre 10
| Hodey, and has put aside little money.
He used to keep a cantine, 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
1t, as he had described, low, pictJir-
esque COTTAGE standing alone far back
from the road, with its broad, sloping
roof giving to it a'somewhat lugubrious
| appearance, not lessened by its lonely
| situation.
When was within 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, and there was
scarcely any forehead to be seem
Add to this feature that had the APP
pearance of having been crushed large
mouth with thick lips that dropped at
one corner and two large cleaning
black eyes, and you may have some idea
I of this singular individual
My first thought ON seeing this hideous
steps or to go straight ON past the house
But second glance at the person show
cd me that he was properly dressed, and
that it was his deformity chiefly that
TINS inspired the sensation\of repug-
nance So, suppressing my surprise. ]
addressed him in a voice that was al
most gay:
"Eh bien. my friend, at this time Of
day, and with this kind of weather,
suppose trade with you is not booming
Do you think you can shave ne before il
| gets too darkp"
Come in, monsieur he said sim
ply. 81 will do the best / can"
He went in first, to make room foE
me to pass, and pointed to chair beside
the fireplace The interior of the cottage
was very modest. Everything was clean
and in its place. A high, old fashioned
bedstead stood in one corner, and in an
other cupboard with deep shelves and
| several dozen plates with blue patterns
| painted ON them
A tall kitchen clock, mirror, a table.
several chairs and a kneading trough
composed the rest of the furniture In the
room Two or three dingy looking pic
lures hung ON the smoke stained walls
( From the rafters hung smoked hams,
dried plants and sausages, long and
black In the corners stood fishing rods
and fowling pieces, and two guns rested
their long cleaning barrels against the
mantelshef.
"A little bit of fire is not SO bad In
this weather. helm. Is it, monsieur III
see to the stove while your water is boil
ing. 1t won't take long.
And as he stopped to throw q handle
Of fagots into the stove was amazed at
the breadth of his shoulders and the
enormous size Of his hands Without
doubt this strange fellow was possessed
Of tremendous strength. BE rose from
his STOPPING position and went into q
neighboring room. shutting the door
carefully behind him. When he returned
few moments later. I heard q stealthy
step going down the passage
- "a