Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-04-07

C.H liz l-NlS, the cODDlef. pushed
UP his spectacles and gave me q
whimsical glance.
Its GURUS" he remarked, sits Gu
rus what difference il makes to a
mans family how he is put out OF the
world Hang him. and his folks feel
disgraced forever: cut Oft his head with
gllillotine. md"
The old man made a flourish with
his head. as though the matter were
one for serious congratulaticn.
"Leastways." he added. returning to
his mending ngain. that's the way
some folks think. Lorll how set up
NJ. Lafitte was about It. to be sure. and
all on account of an ancestor of his who
happened to lose his head on the scat
fold with Louis XvIl
"Who was NJ. Lafitte? Well, he was
n Fronchman who once took lo6rin's
on the upper floor of this house. an old
ramshackle aft,ir now. but once a mani
sion. as you can see. and as fashionable
street as there was in London"
$50 | have heard" assented.
III,
''wus a man somewhere about 60 years
of age. tall and stiff in his bearing: and
though his clothes were worn and shah
by-loolsin'. his linen. | noticed. was neat
and tidy. and as white as snow"
bloomsbury said he, when had
showed him the room-I'm the care
taker of the building. you see. sir-'ees
IA respectable quataire of the city.
ces it not so. Meester Concierge?'
"'More than respectable. mossoo.
said |. trifle tartly. 1T was once a
fashionable part of London
HE sighed as he looked about the
room.
'Eet win do. Meester Concierge
he would always call me that. sir.
though | told him time and again it
wasn't my name-'eet will do for the
praisant. with flourish of his white
hand. as though the next month would
find him in Park Lane; and so he en-
gaged the room. and paid for II in adj
vance.
''In few hours they moved in-him.
his sick wife. his daughter. Mile. JUS
tine. and Polly. as cunning parrot as
| ever see.
"Purty? Well. don't know. For
a foreigner ma'm'selle might hev been
called purity. She was slight little
thing. with great big eyes. and long
eyelashes throwing deep shadders into
EN- like grasses into brook"
~ n
hands. as though the matter of looks
was of no consequence.
but. Lordi" he exclaimed with sud-
den animation. "how she could sing!
Gay songs. too. in French and Eye
Italian. with sometimes an English bal
lad or SO. Why. sir" giving the boot a
tremendous wback, there was fortin'
in her voice. a fortin' as big as PATHS;
and only for the fact Of that precious
ancestor of hers a-losin' of his head on
the scaffold with Louis XVI. she'd
made it, too. as easy as--that." giving
the boot another whack.
'But the mossool How stiff he did
draw himself up. to be Sure. at the
very mention of IL.
Understand me-. the cobbler ex-
planned. lit wasn't out of any officious
meddiecomeness that first suggested
the thing to him. No; it wasH't till he
was behindhand in his rent. and his
poor eyes-he was diamond cutter.
You sec. sir. and sat all day with his eye
glued to n g'ass-was giving cut. that
thought of some way in which mann
selle could help him better than by en-
hroidering.
THE Cay the diamond got lost. my.
how they did go onl I thought the
house was ATTIRE; ard when run up TO
see. there was the old lady moaning.
ard ma'm'selle and uossoo a-turnin'
ererything topsy-turvy in the room.
What diamond?' says |. wonderin
q they all had gone crazy. and then
between the old lady and her husband.
! found that she had been more ailing
than usual that day. and in one of his
JOURNEYS from his bench to the bed.
a-waiiin' on her. he had lost the dia-
nlend he was cuttin'. an ex;ry large and
fac one.
High and low we searched for it. in
every crack and corner. The bedding.
the old rug. everything was shook out.
Twas no use. though. and finally
We give it up: and what was worse. of
ruurse the roor gentleman had 10 make
ii up. II was tough. / can tell You. for
a the hest Of times they only about
made ends meet.
i thought Of ma MUSCLES voice. rare
enough 10 bring a guinea for every
note. but thanks to that aristocrat