The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-23
uMATTHgw. EAyE you KY cAssocK?"

MATTHEW, FAVE O NY CAssoCK?'
q heart less light, than usual. Care ir-
ritated and troubled his serene beneyo-
lence and checked his compassion for
others, his forgiveness of wrongdoing.
Play actors were Installed opposite the
rectory, at the Hotel du Dauphin, at
the other side Of the square. What q
trial it had been for him! For ten
days they had been there. Soulaire had
seemed as though seized with a fever.
At each corner OF the street many col
ored posters were TO be seen, and in
front OF them groups of people gath
cred, commenting upon the spectacle of
the previous night or that heralded for
the coming evening. The streets, which,
as a rule, were deserted at 8 O'clock,
were thronged until after midnight.
From end to end of the little town the
merits of the respective players were
talked of.
A roll of drums was heard beneath
the window, and NJ. Lamier sprang to
his feet. The nasal voice of Father
Onesime, the public crier and game
keeper, was heard distinctly calling
aloud in the same tone as the worthy
man ordinarily invited the citizens to
kill the white worms or to muzzle their
dogs:
.Hochary Troupe. Soulaire Theatre
Grain Market, this evening. For the
first time the great success, The Able
C~onstantin,' comedy by Ludovic Ha-
levy of the Academic Franchise. M.
Artemon Of the Chatelet viii fill the
role of the Able Constantin. Nile
Valerie, from the theaters Of Brest and
Algeria, viii appear as Bettina. The
usual price of admission"
a roll Of wheels announced the ar
rival Of the diligence, which halted at
the hotel opposite, and the passengers
alighted with a great deal Of noise, the
women pre~cipitating themselves from
the interior ike a cloud of wasps, deaf
ening the driver.
Late. as usual, Matthew. Where
is my new mun? Matthew, where is
TotoTs mechanical horse?"
And Matthew, with his fat face
flushed and framed in the ear laps Of
his cap, diyed down into the hood of
the imperial, which was inflated like a
balloon, and withdrew packages and
boxes.
"Come, Matthew, the abbe's new
cassock." said Jeanne.
Matthew, have you my cassock?'
suddenly cried from a window in the
Hotel du Dauphin a man who display
ed a face covered with soap, a napkin
around his neck and a shaving brush
in his hand.
The driver introduced his arm anew
into the hood and after a careful
search drew forth two parcels of I'M.
equal size.
Here is something for you, Mile.
Jeanne. And here, II. Artemon, is all
that was given me for NJ. Hochary's
company" &And from the top of the
diligence he held out a long, narrow
card box to the comedian, who leaned
forward to receive 1t. In its aerial
transit the cover, which had been bad
ly tied on, fell to the ground, and q
wig Of yellow hair was caught by
Artemon on the wing, like a flag float
ing In the wind.
.Bettina's wig" exclaimed the ex-
cited actor. @Bettina's wig and not
my cassock, the cassock of the Able
C~onstantin. Where the devil have you
put it, rascal?"
ION M word of honor, I have moth
ing else," asserted Matthew, display
ing his empty hands,
How annoying, fellow! There has
been some mistake. mademoiselle.
AademoiseIle,D he called despairingly
TO Jeanne, who had turned away With
a majestic air. 4are you sure that you
have not the eassockY
scamp said the naughty house,
keeper disdafngaiIy.
Down the stairs ~. Artemon few,
four steps at d time, aud rushed into
the greenrooFn, where the rest Of tho
eoniDany we're assembled. His hurried