Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-07-18

stewards and factors obeyed incontinentIy.
Only one or two OF the heydukes refused
to make themselves hideous, but when he
began to promise the lower servants four
imperial ducats q head II they did their
duty, they also proceeded to snip off what
they had hitherto most carefully cherished
for years and years
On the fourth day, Of all his good
friends, officials. domestics and buffoons,
Mike Kis, Martin, the former Whitsun
king; Master Varga, the estate agent;
Palko, the old heyduke; and Vidra, the
gypsy, we're the only persons who remain.
ed with John Karpathy as he stood at
deaths ferry. Even the poet Gyarfa had
deserted him and FASTENED to congratulate
the new patron.
On the fifth day there was nobody to
bring away tidings FROM Karpathy castle.
Perchance they were already engaged In
burying the unfortunate wretch.
On the sixth day, however, horseman
galloped into Abellino's courtyard, whom
they Immediately recognized as Martin.
AS he dismounted from his horse the
steward Of the Pukkancs estate, one Of
the first deserters, looked down from the
tower and, slnilingly broadly, cried out
to him:
"Well, SO you have come, too, eh, Mar
tin, my sons What news from Karpat-
falvap"
He had come, Of course, to invite the
gentlemen to the funeral That was the
most natural superstition.
II have brought letter to you, Mr..
Bailiff," said Martin nonchalantly, and,
to the great disgust of the steward, he did
not even doh his cap before Abellino, who
was standing on the balcony.
"Look to your cap, you pumpkin! Why
don't you doff it, sirrahs Who sent this
letter."
At the first question Martin only shrug-
ged his shoulders. In answer to the SEQ
ond he replied that the steward Of the es-
tate had given it to him.
The bailif broke open the letter, and
green wheels danced before his eyes as he
peered into it. The letter, which was in
old John Karpathy's own handwriting,
begged to inform the bailiffs, heydukes
and domestics assembled round Abellino
that he had so far recovered as to be able
to rise from his bed and write them q
letter, and that he was very glad to hear
that they had found 80 much better q
master than himself, for which reason
he advised them to remain where they
were, for on no account were they to think
of coming back to him.
The bailiff pulled the sort Of face man
would naturally have who was compelled
to make merry on diet of crab apples,
and as he had no desire to keep the joyful
intelligence all to himself he passed the
letter on from hand to hand among his
colleagues, the other bailiffs, factors,
doorkeepers, shepherds, scribes and hey
dukes till it had gone the round of them
all. Under similar circumstances men
often find a great consolation In twirling
their mustaches, but now, alas, there was
not single mustache to twirl among the
lot Of themi They had neither places nor
mustaches left. Some of them scratched
their heads, some burst into tears, others
cursed and swore In their first fury they
knew not which to turn upon f1rst-Abel-
limo for not inheriting or Master Jock for
not dying as he ought to have done. To
make such fools of SO many innocent men
it was scanda lous!
Abellino was the last to whom with
fearful faces they carried the glad tidings.
The philosophical youth, who happened
at that moment to be slipping an egg beat
en- up in his tea, received the intelligence
with the utmost sangfroid.
"Enfnl" cried he II verify believe the
old chap means to live forever! '-Maurua
jokai in St. Louis GlobeD Democrat.