Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1896-02-13

friend, for so Interesting and unex-
pected reply to my question. Con-
sidering that 1 am the valet Of Mon
sieur Danville, who plays the distin-
guished part of bridegroom in the lit
tie wedding comedy to which you re-
fer, l think l may assure you without
offense, that your news is, so far as
am concerned, of the stalest4 possible
kind. Take a pinch OF snuff, Monsieur
Guillaume, and excuse me if | inform
you that my question referred to pub
lie news, and not to the private affairs
of the two families whose household
interests we have the pleasure Of pro-
noting"
Il don't understand what you mean
by such phrase as promoting house
hold interests, Monsieur Justin. l am
the servant of Monsieur Louis Tru-
dame, who lives here with his sister,
Mademoiselle Rose. You are the serv-
ant Of Monsieur Danville, whose eX-
cellent mother has made up the match
for him with my young lady. AS serv-
ants, both of us, the pleasantest news
we can have any concern with is news
that is connected with the happiness of
our masters. have nothing to do with
public affairs; and being one of the
old school, make it my main object in
life to mind my own business. If our
A1omely domestic politics have no in
terest for you, allow me to express my
regret, and to wish you very good
evening""
Pardon me, my dear sir, have not
the slightest respect for the old school,
Or the least sympathy with people who
only mind their own business. How
ever, accept your expressions of re-
greet; | reciprocate your good evening;
and l trust to find you improved in
temper, dress manners, and appear
arce the next time I have the honor of
meeting you. Adieu, Monsieur GULL
aume, and viye la bagatelle!"
These scraps Of dialogue were inter-
changed on lovely summer evening in
the year seventeen hundred and eighty
nine, before the back door of small
house which stood on the banks of the
Seine, about three miles westward of
tue city of Rouen. The one speaker was
lean, old, grabbed, and sloyenly; the
other was plump, young, oilyman-
nered, and dressed in the most gorgeous
livery costume of the period. The last
days of genuine dandyism were then
rapidly approaching all over the civil
ICED world; and Monsieur Justin was,
in his own way, dressed to perfection,
as living Illustration Of the expiring
g!oTies ofshis epoch
After the old servant had left him,
he occupied himself for few minutes
in contemplating, super liously
enough, the back view of the little
\ tlUuse before which he. stood. Judg-
ling by the windows. It did not con-
Tain more than six or eight rooms in
all. Instead OF stables and outhouses,
there was a conservatory attached to
the building on one side, ard q low, long
room, built Of wood gaily painted, on
the other One of the windows Of this
room was left GncurtaiRed, and through
it could be seen, on a sort Of dresser in
side, bottles filled with strangely-col-
ored liquids, odlly-shaped utensils of
brass and copper, one end OF large
furnace and other objects, which plain
ly proclaimed that the apartment was
used as a chemical laboratory.
think of our brides brother anus
ing himself in such place as that with
oking drugs in saucepans," muttered
ionsieur Justin, peepirg into the room
4 am the least particular man in the
universe, but must say wish we
were not going to be connected by
marriage with an amateur apothecary.
r'"hf : con small the nlac9 through Ire