The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-12

Under the pledge Of secrecy he con-
1ided Prince Chardo'S name. even the
long Latin one, to the gardener, and
urged the necessity of leaving the
high-born gentleman entirely to his
own devices, for. although of winning
and amiable character, he was singu-
larry eccentric, and. particularly to
preserve his incognito, would hesitate
at nothing.
The gardener sagely replied that SOW
ereigns and such had mostly nova
days n screw loose in the upper story.
All he and his old woman cared about
was steady pay and quiet tenant on
the premises, for a carousing painter.
such they'd last had, they could not
abide.
Florio found Richard doubled up in
state of concentrated gloom.
Here, little one! Now show the stuff
you're made Of
Chardo sprang up gloriied.
II don't ask you where you got it.
I don't much care if you stole it. Look,
Just look at them" thrusting under
his friends nose some maniacal black
streaks which to the artist meant two
bare-legged urchins bathed in spring
sunshine and fishing in Il brook.
Aren't they beauties!" He smiled
ecstaticaliy. TN fairly aching to get
at them. If you could have seen the
light this morning. They are coming
tomorrow. Ill be there waiting on the
opposite bank. And you've got me all
these things? oh, Florio, l was just
ready to curse God and die. L cannot
live unless / paint"
Live and paint, Chardo! Paint some
sEetchy little things and | swear I'll
sell them for you, every one. "hen
you can paint the great one. Now you
and l are going to have a good hot
Christian supper and some beer. Hear
the chink-chink! l earned it,"
"But how?'
IT'S all right, I tell you. Just give
me your head for little while. Some
day I'll tell you some things that will
make your toes curl. You stick to your
last. But how long do you want to
paint the beggars? OF course you can't
tell how long they'll come. viii Il
week do? Well. Wen stay here week
Then we will honorably pay our bill
and move on to better things. Stopping
heavenwards, you know, Don't lool,
incredulous. You pain me, my son. 1t
is almost as if you were aspersing my
commercial integrity"
Willy Winkel was screaming sue
cess" The public said the best thing
about him was that he never was at a
loss for q new gag. In his speckled-
green mummery he warbled and
croaked and Hoped several months
with unabated vigor, before he felt
that he had amassed sufficient ill-got-
ten gains to permit him to retire from
those gilded halls and tread the hum
ble and less remuneratiye path of lit
erature. But beyond question the bull
frog gallantly filled the breach. He
enabled FloriO to meet decently and In
order the manifold Indebtedness he
had assumed with such temerity, tc
nourish Prince Chardo with blood-pro-
ducing viands, to clothe him in suitable
raiment. to lavish upon angel-granny
kerchiefs, sugar lOaves, snuff and caps
against the time when he could more
substantially respond to her gracious
hospitality. One dav, indeed, moved
doubtless by pangs of conscience. he
hunted UP his surly vintner and pre-
sented him with a portly pipe and some
tobacco, yet could not resist the temp
tation to wear, even upon his quasi
penitential pilgrimage, the coronet OF
prncely Service. 1t seemed to com
plete' the episode, he assured himself
One must always dot ones i's-in short
the frog paid their bills, gratified al
their simple tastes, and fairly started
them on the road to PROSPERITY, but
ah, how Florio loathed him.
Chardo looked anXiOusly at his friend
when regularly about yawning time he
began to humble that he'd got to meet
man, absent himself about an hour Oi
two. and reapDear, somewhat flushed
long after midnight.