The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-20


Manduit.
1t was this same love Of cleanliness which
forced the worthy person one day TO put thi
sign on her door: House for Sale" Ben
under the weight OF years, she no longe
felt strong enough TO sweep, brush, dust
wash, scrub, and seour each corner and nook
as in the past, of this spacious dwelling
and, since she would not have been able II
live in a place where the smallest square o
the floor did not shine like mirror, sh.
preferred TO get rid of a piece Of property
which she could not take care Of
The truth is, the old lady began TO stooI
in a most alarming manner, and, above all
from the day she had put the fatal sign or
her door, one might say that the furry and
excitement of such resolve had broken hel
definitely and placed her Oh the border O
the grave.
1t was Monsieur Planchon, a man of prop.
erty and member of the Building Council
who bought her house. The conditions she
proposed seemed SO advantageous to him
that he accepted them without discussion.
She sold him her place for $4,000 francs,
to be paid in - years, in annual INSTALL
ments of 1000 francs each, not counting the
interest. The sale would not be considered
final until after the payment of the last an
nuity. He being free to have said contract
signed by all his direct heirs. descendants,
contemporaries, and elders, if any one of
! these signers failed TO meet this last pay
ment in person, the house would then revert
| 10 Nile. Manduit While. on the other
side, If she died before the - years had ex-
pired. even within eight days after the sale,
the house would Immediately become the
property of Planchon, and without his hav-
] 10 avnapd ,lar roprord
| purchase Only, Mile Manduit reserved
for herself mp 10 the time of her death, the
two rooms with southern exposure on the
first foor. . "In short. a sale in
the the form of life insurance if
these conditions, Monsieur D
The aged spinster was rot able 10 finish
her sentence, a violent attack Of coughing
stopped the words on her lips, and seemed
almost TO sufIocate her She shook, and
grew so red in the face that poor PlanchOn
irembled, fearing that she would pass away
before his very eyes. Then she fell back in
a swoon, remained for moment perfectly
ine,t, and, finally, opening her eyes, asked:
Well, what do You say 10 it?"
/ accept" exclaimed the excellent man
with burst Of enthusiasm which contrasted
strongly with his usual prudence.
Good / viii send word to the notary 10
come here and prepare tie contract"
Planchon took leave, impatient to carry
the good news to his wife After having
acquainted all his family with the details
Of The affair, he concluded by saying:
There's only breath of life left in her,
poor woman! / fear, indeed, that
before the year is up, the house will belong
10 us 1t will not have cost me
dtari"
All the family signed the deed of ac-
QUESTION, accordingly: Planchon, and Nine.
Plancbon, with her haptisrnal name of Caro-
line; Planchon's son, Joseph, and Nine
Joseph; NJ. and Mime. Ancelin, parents of
the yonng woman: and Nine. Letellier, the
widowed sister Of PlaBchon.
Mile. LiSbeth was so weak that day that
they could not sign the paper at the notary's
but had 10 have il taken 10 the home Of the
owner. At the moment that her signature
was required the old lady was seized with
violent attack of coughing, followed by
fainting fit. which lasted quarter of an
hUur. The purchasers looked at one another
H3ortally afraid. Finally, she revived and
wrote her signature with n trembling hand
All breathed a sigh Of relief. The house was
theirs.
They installed themselves therein. without
comfortably arranged, save for the Enclosure
iormed by the two beautiful rooms with
southern exposure, which Mile. Lisbeth had
reserved for herself The installation was
laborious undeTtaking-Caro would
have liked TO have the sunny rooms, but
she had no intention OF icing rclegated to
the second floor. That would do very well
FOR Nine. Ancelin, Tie mother-in-law of
Joseph. Then, too, if she settled herself on
the first floor, she wou d Ee all ready to
move into the gnnny rooms directly poor
Nile. Lisbeth had taken her departure for
the other world, and that, alas, would b.
before very long NJ. and Nine. Panchon
chose, therefore, not without a sigh the
least bad of the rooms on The north side
leaving the other one 10 Nine. Letelier.
The Ancelins and the Josephs shared the |
second floor
Poor Mile Lisbeth became so feeble after
the day of the sale that her purchasers were
quite touched. They all had very kind |
hearts, and seeing her so near the tomb, re-
solved, as by one accord, TO soften her last |
moments, as far as lay in their power 10 do. |
TEey bestowed upon her ali manner of |
little attentions-tle day Of the JJOt-du-feu, /
Tor instance, Nine. Joseph carried good !
sours 10 her, 50 that thus she might be |
N. 1
Caroline sent her the wing Nine. Ancelin. |
who Yves really Gordon Glcu, never made a |
soufiie without putting aside a portion for /
her, and even Nine Letelier, notwithstand-
Ing ber usual indifference reserved always "a /
pot or bowl OF all the sweetmeais. iellies, |
aBd preserves with which sic was wont to |
iii the cupboards.
All these good people rejoiced TO see that,
thanks to so many attentions and so much |
care, they were prolonging the life of The old |
woman. Every morning they inquired Of /
each other about her health; and if she |
looked i'll, feeling OF sadness spread over the
Poor woman. !" Plancbon would say, 81
very much fear that one Of these mornings
we shall not iiud anyone there any longer!"
Al which ali the family puckcrcd their eye
brows. There were tears in the air,
One night Caroline remarked 10 her hus-
band that Mile Lisbelhs cough was no
longer heard. He rose, quite uneasy, and
listened at her door A soft, but regular
breathing reached hiEl distinctly. lie re-
turned 10 his wife and treasured her
There's nothing TO say; she is better,n
this latter. 1t IS all the same,
She has an even chance OF getting ahead of
us!n
The following day she had very pleasant
surprise. While she was in the garden, she
saw Mile. Lisbeth coming down, looking
lrigbtIr than usual, aud also carrying her
SELF more erect.
That evening she forgot TO send her the
chicken wing.
aud al1 na o.i |