Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-06-28

mind If he dined with widow old
enough to be his mother and rich
enough to pay for q bottle Of nice wine,
especially if she was a devout creature
and suffered from loneliness He was
stupid enough to tell me that ''fine
feathers do not make fine birdsw l
hope he will not find out who my friend
Is and do anything to spoil my fun
1T was only a few days after this
that Coralie had some information for
me. 1 think NJ. Hanotaux is a judge
J she said, with an important air. 4
asked him last night why he got
masses said for the executed He did
not seem to like my question. but he
said at last: "AIy child, l am func-
tionary Of the state. My duties as it's
faithful servant oblige me to be stern
toward crime. There should be re-
ward for duty, but sometimes what is
done for the citizens is resented by the
citizens on him who upholds the law
SO try to see that some assistance Is
offered to those who suffer from the
law since l know myself the ngrati-
tude toward those who carry it out
Fate has thrust hard lot on me-"
And then he changed the subject add
ed Coralie. He is SO modest. l am
glad | have been able to tighten his
lonely hours. He has never married,
/ and he has 10 ties. 1t is very sad
told him | thought he ought to marry.
He looked at me with his clear eyes
and his lovely cold dignity and said:
"MademoiseIle, have been welded to
my profession for 45 years, ever since
was boy Of Is. 1 shall shortly re-
tire, | hope, and live the rest of my
days in some quiet country spot where
l can hear the birds sing. If I could
have wife to share that with me, l
would not object. But fear that will
not be-" and he shook his head slowly.
looking at me- replied Coralie signifi-
cantly.
-''Its tlIne Tor Augusue TO 90 some
thing, l said, laughing, 'or the first
thing he knows you will be la femme
de monsieur lie JUICE. Do you care for
him, Coralie?'
I feel for him, but Of course love
Auguste-if he We're not such tyrant
| of firebrand. l am afraid may have
| to let one of them go, for Auguste is
more annoying than ever
''It was only few days after when
she came and, with pout and shrug
of her pretty shoulders, exclaimed:
What do you suppose Auguste has
done now? Last night he reproached
me bitterly and had the impertinence
to say: 81 ought to let you go on, and
| If did not love you more than such
coquette deserves l would, and my re-
venge would come later. But you are
fool" He called me foolv ejaculat-
| ed Coralie. And l think | am, for
am really fond of this little Auguste
He is truly great when he gets into
passion. OF course he adores me- So
l said: "Pauvre cher enfant! You are
foolish to take these little things so Sc
riously. will so anywhere with you
If you ask me when have no engage
ment." he had not mentioned Nj.
| Hanotaux, but knew what the trou-
BILE was. And then,' cried Coralie dra-
matically, to what pleasant fete, what
diversion, do you suppose he invited
me? 10 bal masque? No. To a
students dance? No. To an excur-
sion? No. To an execution at La Ro-
| Quette tomorrow morning at o'clock!
| The camille that will be there! And
you know hate to get up before 10!
But had promised him, and so said
l would go. l will be reasonable, al
though he is not The savage-to like
such spectacle as that! But, mon
sieur, continued Coralie imploringly,
1 am afraid to go there alone with
Auguste. He might say unpleasant
things, and l know l should have an
attack of the nerves and could not
count on him to help me. So won't
you be good and come with us? That
will restrain Auguste. and 1 shall feel
more comfn"."hla'
well, l was with Auguste. L felt
that Coralie was extending more relief
to the man of lonely hours than was
necessary, and after his late remark to
her about country home and birds
and a wife l was sure Auguste needed
to clinch his hold on the feather headed
little thing. did not think it was
very polite way of doing it by taking
her to see mans head cut off at an
unearthly hour Of the morning, but l
could understand that Auguste might
think such Il concession a convincing
proof Of Coralie's straight dealing with
him. l think it was myself l had
seen everything in Paris except gull
lotining and had a sneaking desire to
witness one and compare this method
of capital punishment with hanging, Of
which | was once spectator. So
consented.
'The next morning when we got to
the Place de la RoQuette the square
was crowded, although it was such an
early hour. Auguste pushed his way
through until he got us to spot where
a good view was had Of the long side of
the guillotine. Have you ever been I'D
early enough to know how depressing
the raw gray hours are before the sun
comes? 1t was chilly and damp. and
those two uprights. with the triangular
blade of blue steel at the ton woitinp IN