The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-04

lists nowhere out of the chateau de Rayonne.
The marquise gave me the sample, saying
that she would not accept anything merely
approaching it closely or initiating it, but
only the Identical fabric woven ION the same
loom. She added that if l found the fabric
L must at once send sample of it to her
chateau in Normandy, the address of which
she gave me; or, still better, bring it myself
Il have often thought. as I recall the sweet
and affable manner Of this beautiful and Gull
tured woman and her kindness to poor lad
how unjust it is to call people above us in
rank hard and proud and grasping because
their lot is noble and ours is humble. You
may imagine l lost no time in carrying the
news to my dear mother. | was to be paid
francs day by the marquise for the by
no means disagreeab.e task of walking
through all the shops Of Paris In search OF
the brown velvet brocade: to interview brok-
ers and dealers, and ransack pawnshops and
inspect peddlers' wares and hunt up Old
families who might have this fabric and be
willing to sell it for a good price.
Il went to every old house in the Eau
bourg Saint German to which l could gain
access; also to every cd chateau in the Seine
and in the Seine-et-Oise; | attended every
sale Of furniture and read all the ADVERTISE
ments of family effects that could be had
by purchase, private or public l went to
every private sale and every public auction,
and to the sales of old museum duplicates;
in fact, | taxed my conscience day by day
that should leave no means untried by
which l could search for the brown brocaded
velvet. and honestly earn my francs a day
While I diligently prosecuting my
search two odd things happened. About two
months after l accepted my mission
thought had got the article at last There
was to be sale Of furniture at an old cha
teau near Pontoise, where great many we'll
known second -hand dealers and amateur col
lectors for. miles around would congregate
and there saw roll of about thirty yards
of brown brocaded velvet, as I thought
identically of the same pattern and weave
could not restrain a cry OF Joy and surprise
But. alas! is was not quite the same Two
small details in the design differed and the
lighter tint OF brown in the background was
more accumulated. | was on the point of
writing about it to madame la marquise so
beautiful was this fabric, and so impossible
did IT appear to me to get anything better
or as good If l lost this chance. But l hest
tated, for l remembered she protested that
nothing but the identical thing-absolutely
the same brocade-would be accepted And
l reasoned If 1 could not be successful I
could at least be obedient
The second incident was really startling
At the end Of the fourth month l got to be
so well known-and so had my sample Of bro
cade-that all the second hand shopkeepers
began to laugh at me as a sort of crank and
cali me Old Monsieur Brown
az Here comes old Brown Brocade' they
would cry whenever they saw me-
But 1 did not heed their badinage On
the contrary, 1t rather spurred me on to
greater assiduity. If by their noisy mockery
they would make others aware that some
one was searching for web OF old brocade
there was all the more hope OF the news
reaching the family who might be in nos
session Of the very thing l wanted and their
raillery would act as sort of free advertise
ment
LAS l thought it would be the news got
about that a man was searching for a mar
ticuar pattern of old brown brocaded velvet
and offers came to me from a surprising
number OF places.
One day, on reaching home quite weary
and footsore after a long days search 7
found gentleman waiting for me, who
said:
4" Is it true, monsieur. that you are search
ing for twenty-five yards of old brown bro
caded velvet?
" 1t is quite true. monsieur
And that you will pay any price for it?'
will pay fair price for it, monsieur
but not an extortonate one'
VIII you show me your stuff?
" Certainly
After examining it, he said to me: 7 am
undertake to make you that Identical bro
cade for 1,0do francs a yard Be discreet and
they will never know the difference for I
can make ii look ancient as the sample
by an admirable process OF my own inven-
ton. The Rayonne de Clunys are immense
~ wealthy people and. moreover, extrava-
CANT. They care absolutely nothing what
they pay for anything If they fancy it, WHY
not pay the price | ask and get the material
from me and end your fatiguing quest?
guarantee that 1t shall be of the best ma
teriai and perfect copy. and you can de-
duct as commission zoo francs on the yard.
What do you say?'
" No, monsieur
+" And why not7'
" Because what I seek is an authentic
ancient brpcade, and copy of this present
century will not do
" I tell you that I guarantee to produce
the fabric so exactly that no one. not even