Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-23

decided, then turned the handle in silence
| Instantly something moved on the other
| side-somet hing heavy and soIt-the door
was pushed open with steady. resistless
| pressure that forced the Mouse back fat
against the wall.
1t was then that the Mouse. peeping over
! his shoulder. felt his blood freeze and his
| shabby knees give way. For staring up
| into his face stood a ful-grown lioness
! with her brilliant eyes fixed his. He
would have shrieked If he could. but terror
| paralyzed him. He felt that he was going
| to swoom. Suddenly there came the sound
| OF voices, distant door opened, steps
echoed across a tiled hallway. and two
| girls entered the shop from the further
loom. The lioness turned her head at the
sound. hesitated. glanced back at the
Mouse, and finally skunk hastily away. only
| to be seized and held by one of the girls.
| while the other alternately slapped, cuffed
| and kissed her.
| ''Scheherazade ought to be slapped in
stead of kissed" cried the taller girl. show
| ing the anxious but docile lioness toward
| the doorway. Really, Yolette. you spoil
/ her; some day she'll run out into the street
| and then they'll shoot her."
| Poor darling" said Yolette, "she didn [
mean to be naughty. Somebody must have
left the door open-Scheherazade can't turn
the knob, you know" As she spoke. she
laid one hand on the neck of the honess.
| Come naughty one," she said, and urged
| the great creature toward the inner room
| calling back to her sister, Hide, dear.
| shut the door,
I've mind to shut it on Scheherazade' s
| TAIL" said Hide; shes frightened the
! birds and animals nearly to death. Our
| squirrel is going mad, believe.
! The parrot clamored on its perch, and
she went over to quiet 1t, talking all the
while.
| Poor little Mehemet Ali, did the big
| lion brighten him? There! There!A poor
little Rocco tool" turning toward the shiv-
! ering monkey. Its perfect shame-it Is,
indeed"
i lat no hut fhn l1a1
| lette from the inner room. I'm going to
give Sheherazade her ball to play with, and
| then I'll come out"
| Hide gave one last pat to the parrot 5
| head and went toward the door. AS she
| laid her hand on the knob her eyes encoun-
| tered pair of dusty, fiat shoes. portrud-
ing beneath the sill. The shoes covered
| the feet of the Mouse, and as she threw bac k
| the door with startled exclamation, the
Mouse himself stood revealed, terribly bag
gard from the effects of his recent fright,
| but now sufficiently recovered to bound
| with much agility into the street.
| What are you doing here" stammered
Hide following him to the outer door.
Up said the Mouse, recovering his COM
posture little and crossing one foot before
| the other.
Il, mademoiselle. am an authorized agent
for the public defense
I 'If you are soliciting subscriptions why
did you not ring the door bell or knock?"
| asked Hide, as folette entered and stood
| at her side.
| why. 10 tell the truth, said the Mouse,
| bowling impudently, II only intended to
| ask for match. l knocked politely. as l
was taught to do in my youth, but
IF you please, Will you go away inter-
| rupted Yoleste quickly.
| II have the honor said the Mouse re-
| moving his greasy, peaked cap with flour
| ish and smoothing the lovelocks plastered
| over each ear, Il have the honor to obey.
| Always at the service of ladies-always
| devoted he f1ourshed his pipe with dig
nity-"although l had hoped for the small
| courtesy of match
| Hide. whispered Eolette, "he will go
| away if you give him a match
Hide stepped to the counter, found n
| card of matches. and returned to the door.
| The Mouse's small eye followed every ex-
| preston on The two girlish faces. He took
| the matches with condescension. smirked
| and continued impudently: Ladies, in the
| present unfortunate condition of public
| affairs, in the face of a revolution which,
| within week, has changed the govern
| ment of France from empire to a re-
public, in the face of the impending ad-
vance of the Prussian armies and the ulti-
| mate investment of the city of Paris may
venture tc solicit a small contribution
| for the purpose Of adding to the patriotic
fund, destined to arm the fortiications
| yonder with new and improved breech-
| loading cannon"
He glanced from Hide to Yolette, his
| wary eye narrowing to slit.
II don't believe he's an agent whisper
| ed Hill don't give him anything"
Iolette drew small purse from her
gown and looked at the Mouse with sin
cere eyes.
| fense?' she asked. "Or-if you are hungry
and need it for yourself"
| Don't do it, murmured Hide: ''he is
not honest"
The Mouses eyes filed with tears, his
| lips Guivered.
Honesty is often clothed in rags" he
sniv alied, drawing himself up. II thank
you for your courtesy. l will 60"
| He moved away, furtively brushing a
tear from his cheek. Yolette stepped across
| the threshold and touched his ragged elbow
start. accepted the small silver coin. then
| stalk I'd aclCss the street his head on his
breast. his arms folded. Presently the
stalk relapsed into walk. then into a
| shuttle, then into SLOUGH. The sunshine
lay warm on the grass-grown fortifica-
tions; where it lay warmest the Mouse sat
him down and crossed his legs.
| When re had lighted his pipe he stretched
out at full length. both arms behind his
| head. cap tilted to shade his single eye.
Under the peak of the cap he could see the
pipe smoke curl. He could also see the
| long, yellow road, stretching way into the
| country from the Porte Rouge Out there
neutrality-suspicious. very far, perhaps very
near-tke Prussian armies were moving
! across France toward Paris, The thought
| amused the Mouse. He scratched one large
| would come bombardment, with lombard
| ment would come panic, with panic might
| come anarchy, and with anarchy would
come pllage.
The Mouse smacked his lips over the pipe
| stem. He reflected that the revolution. &C
| complished five days previous, had brought
| with it no piunder far he was con-
| cerned. 1t had been a stupid revolution
| shouting, jostling the bourgeoise. a rush at
the Tuilleries. whack over the head from
a rife stock. but no pillaSe. In vain had
| he, the Mouse, in company with two am
| bilious companions, Bib la Goutte and
| no "a lc
| of Montparnasse with the frank intention
/ of rurmaging the Tuilleries-and perhaps
| some houses of the stupid citizens In vain
| had Bib la Goutte bawled anarchy and
| treason in vain mad Mon Oncle demanded
! EsSS4-Hi2 SNN--l
= %6zf7m |