The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-08-15
THE KING OF THE MILL,
BIZ JOSEPH NEyIN DOYLE.
COPYRIGHT. 1851

upon b veranda of the Hotel Castor.
MS hat in his hand, his smoothly
shaver face rudy and pleasant to look
upon. Brabon, the drummer. who came
up from Montreal, to ST. Pyx occa-
sionally on business. sat smoking quiet
~ IN a chair that was tilted against the
wall.
Good evening"" said NJ. La Rose.
Good evening, monsieur lie notaire!"
answered Brabon, indolently.
Then there followed a little spell OF ST.
Sence that was intensified by the clat-
Ter of distant COW bells.
Presently there appeared in the street
Immediately before the hotel a sort of
living fatasy-a singular dark-faceG
old man, who strobe slowly past clad
in a loose robe Of many bright colors.
His eyes had the unmistakable and rest
less look of the daft. On his head was n
crown of buttons: brass. silver. bone.
pearl. presumably sewn together on
card board and making 4 headgear of re-
markable brilliancy. Behind him
walked a gray-haired. gray-eyed woman
in ordinary rarb. Her look was clear
and steady; her deIneanor in every way
sane. Yet though il was plain TO see she
was a commonplace woman. there was
something august in her carriage. unac-
countably so, perhaps, but as natural as
the studied pose of HE other was con-
strained and unnatural. Her eyes were
set fairly upon the fantastic figure be-
fore; but, I declare. this is new
ar evident gn-a-aG- hn--r,1 he 1V,l-r-oru
pomp and preoccupation.
1t was not surprising then TO the no.
tary that this apparftion. emphasized in
the magic atmosphere OF the summer
twilight. should have made Brabon 10
Try out with establishment.
"AlloTs. What is this. monsieur? I
nave been in Saint Pyx many times be-
fore: but l declare, this is new"
"A very pathetic affair it is. Brabon,"
said the notary. taking a chair and look
ing at his watch. TO be assured he had
time TO tell the tale before going for his
customary evening chat with NJ. lie Cure
N the presbytery rose garden.
There IS a tale?"
We'll. as you will: q history, nothing
absorbing but very human. ver.r- touch
ing. Old Cesaire Moissor. a man with a
large family. a thrifty. sober, God-fcar-
ing man once owned the mill by the
River of Angels"
Yes. l see it from here: the squat
white building near the cluster Of will
lows yonder."
Exactly. Well. Re was a man
with a considerable family. I said, did
/ not? and when the epidemic of small
poX occurred in the village-that was
many years ago, monsieur-poor Mois-
sons family was attacked. and one
after another his wife and children
passed away, and he himself. indeed,
till there was only left this son Zeph-
yin. whom you saw go by a moment
since"
SIT left him so-the smailpoX?"
"No. He was not at home when the
epidemic occurred: he was at college.
Old Ccsaire managed TO put 10y enough
silver to educate the iad-the brightest
Of his brood-and VI. lie Cure also con-
tributed. for he had hopes that Zephrin
would become a priest"
Then. I presume. the shock of This
great calamity unbalanced The young
mans mind"
That may be pretty true. monsieur,
though for a long time after the AFFAIR
he was thought I be perfectly sound
mentally. Well. Zephrin was obliged 70
leave college and take up the business
Of the miIl-a lonely task it must have
been for one who had but lust tasted
the sweets OF knowledge. Then. every
dusty timber of the mill must have
seemed to him like a ghost OF the happy
days when the place was trimming
with laughter and good cheer.
lie wa not liked by the villagers IN
account OF his silent and arro-ant man
Ger; he was unlike any miller who
had ever been known. When the in
habitants came with their CRISIS he
received them with the grand ar OF 4
seigneur OF the old days who, amid his
courtly encourage, received the fiefs OF
his dependents. It's like that always
grumLled the crones; poor parents
fill their children's minds with foolish
notions of greatness, Poor old Cesaire
himself-rest to his bones-was o
like this peacock. CeSaire knew his
place bon vieux! \ miller is 4 miller
if his head be crammed with Latin or
flour DUST
Everyone pitied Zephrin, of course,
on account of his great bereavement
and the business of the mill suffered no
serious retrogression in consequence of
his singular demeanor. This exclusive
ness. this hauteur, however. was taken
Eighty by the young folks of the village
and often of a summers evening. like
this one for instance, they passed by the
mill crying up at Zephrin, who invaria-
bly pored over his books in the little
Gormer window: Behold the king of
h MILL Then with gestures of mock
gravity: Think OF his mighty empire
of rats
Quite 50" said Barbon, they taunt-
cd him into insanity with these gibes.
The crown! the robes: l see now how
they came!"
Indirectly these taunts may have
affected his mind, monsieur. His curl
Gus attire and mien are obviously sug-
~sestive OF the fact; but il is my opinion
At -,1 lerannpment IS only nartlV due /