The morning times., 1896-02-16
The Pope's
Boy
Goldsmith.
True Story of d Boy and
His Cruel Master.

Copyrighted, 1886, by Gerald Brenau.)
Little Rene Seguin looked up from his
work for a moment as a branch OF the great
crowd OF merrymakers came staggering
down the street of the Three Kings.
There was high holiday in the ancient
city OF AvigDou. The highways and by
ways were packed with people as the
boat from Majorca TO Marseines is with
oranges. Mailed knights on horseback
or afoct-squires and pages in gaudy
Earb-burghers and tradesmen Of the town
danes and damselS, surrounded by droves
OF roHicking children-peasants from the
plains Of Comtat or the vineyards of
Chauteauneuf-aH were there to lend noise
and color 10 the festival.
Little wonder was it that on such an
occasion the wits OF boy like Rene Seguin
should go wcol-gathering. 1t was well for
him. however. that his master, old Mathieu,
the goldsmith. happened to be cut OF doors
when The lads black eyes stTayed from their
occupation. Old Matthew was the yeriest
tyrant IN al AyignoD. and be ruled his
small apprentice with au iron rod.
ButlO-day M3thieu was abroad CDbusineSs
the most urgent, the most important! In
plain language the goldsmith had gone
60 ta6cpart 10 the grand competition for the
honor as ranking as gold and silversmith
10 The pope. Every contestant for this
enviable andlucrativc post had beennotified
70 bring with him to the palace some par
tCularly IBe specimen Of his skill. Themost
beautiful piece Of work was 10 be chosen
by the pope himself, and to its maker would
fan the victor. Now Matthew had taken
q splendid silver saltceilar, wrought into
a representation OF Provencal knights and
ladies. q lncing around the bowl-and with
the history OF this saltceIlar our story
has much TO do.
To begin with, it was not fashioned by
old Mathieu at all. The hands which had
planned it, belonged TO his despsed little
apprentice, Rene Leguin. The natural gifts
Of the boy had long ago outstripped those
of his master, so that most of the very
best things in Matthews workshops were
the ecreation Of his pupil. But crafty Matthew
kept this fact to himself and traded upon il.
SO Rene
OLD DOCTOR A FRIEND looked with
TO LITTLE RENE. fearful eyes
ing procession without. Suddenly the
doorway darkenei. and there entered
littleu elderly gentleman physician
who sometimes patronized the shop. Rene
knew and liked the old fellow, who was
kindly-spokcn in his queer broken Proyencal
for being a Frenchman he could notspeak
the golden language of the south flucntly.
What" exclaimed the newcomer, weep
ing. elI? ON the pope's Inauguration day,
too? BY st. Anne, that's not as it should
be. What is the matter?''
At first Rene, cowed by fear OF his master,
could not be persuaded to unhosom himself,
but after a great deal of coaXing and diplo-
macy on the part of the old physician, he
finally, amid a torrent Of tears, blurted out
the whole story. The visitor, who had
seen Rene work, believed him on the spot;
and very wroth with old Matthew he APP
peared to be, stamping up and down the
floor, and uttering many terrible sounding
French words, which it was perhaps just as
well for Rene that he did not understand.
IN the midst Of one OF his furious PRONG
Dades, however. he stopped bruptly, tapped
his forehead with his gold mounted staff,