The Opelousas courier., 1900-03-17

ASA0 NAO w 1
(about $216) which I offer to lose i
within an hour I do not make yol
see, you who are so positive, the fac
of one of your friends that you wi!
name, let him be dead for ten years
and if, after having recognized him,
you dare to permit his mouth to kiss
yours"
The Spaniard had an air SO terrible
in saying these words that we al
started. My neighbor alone preserved
his laughing, hooking manner and
replied:
"You will do this-you?"
EYES," replied the Spaniard, sand ]
will lose 80 quadruples if I do not dc
it, ON condition hat you will lose an
equal amountif keep my promise and
you acknowledge it."
The young man was silent a mo.
ment, then he said, gayly:
Thirty q%uadruples! My worthy
sorcerer, this is more than q student
of Toulouse ever possessed; but if you
will keep you word for the five quad,
ruples which are here, I am your
man."
The Spaniard took his purse again,
and said, scornfully:
"Ah, you back out, my little gentle
MANI"
II back out!' cried the young man.
"Ah, if I had the 80 quadruples, you
would see if I backed out"
"Here are four" cried ], Switch I
add to your stake"
had no sooner made this PROPOSE
ton than FIVE or six persons. attracted
like myself by the singularity of this
challenge, offered to take part in it,
and in less than no time the Spaniard's
amount was covered. This man
seemed 10 sure of his work that he
confided the stake to the young stu
dent, and we got ready for the demon
stration.
To that end we selected a small
pavilion, perfectly isolated, in the
garden, SO that there could be no de-
ception. We searched it infinitely;
we assured ourselves that there were
no other opening than a window, Sc
curely fastened, and a door, which was
closed in the same manner, and at
which we all stood after We had left
the young man alone in the pavilion.
We had placed writing materials on
the table, and took away all the lights.
We were eagerly interested in the
issue of the scene, and were all keep
ing q profound silence, when the
Spaniard, who had remained among
us, commenced to sing in a sweet and
sad voice a song, which may be rem
dered as follows:
"Noiselessly cracking. the coffin has broken
in the half-opened tomb,
And the white phantom's black foot is rest
ing on the grass, bold and green"
At the first verse he raised his voice
%solemnly, and said:
"You have asked to see your friend,
Francois Violot, who was drowned
three years ago in crossing the PEN
sagnoles ferry. What do You sect"
II see," replied the young man, ga
pale light which has risen near the
window, but it has no form, and is
only an indistinct mist"
"Are you afraid?" said the Spaniard,
in o strong voice.
II am not afraid" replied the stu.
dent, in a voice no less confident.
W1Ssarcely breathed. The Span
lard wa silent for a moment, then he
began AZ at once TO sing again, but IN
O higherand more sombre voice:
.And the wste phantom. whose face has bean
wither d by the surge of the waves,
Wipes wills shroud the water from his
81 fments and hair"
Thd song finished, the spaniard
turned again toward the door. and. in
al accent o and more solemn, he
said:
ssYon, who wished to pry into the
mysteries Of the tomb, what do you
see?"
W. listened with anxiety. The
student replied, in a calm voice, but
like a man who is describing q thing
as it happens:
II see this vapor, which grows
larger a d larger and takes the form
Of q phantom; this phantom has the
head covered with a VEIL"
Are you afraids" asked the Span
lard, in an insulting voice.
The voice of the young man replied:
II am not afraid"
We dared not look at each other. so
great was our surprise, SO occupied
were we in following the singular
movements of the Spaniard, who began
to raise his arms above his head. while
invoking three times a name horrible
to pronounce; after which he chanted
the third verse of his Internal song.
but in 9 voice ~singularly triumphant:
And the phantom said, in leaving the tomb.
In order that he may recognize me.
! will go toward my friend, proud. smiling
and beautiful as in my youth
Thospaniard finished his verse and
repeated his question:
"What do you see2n
!" see, replied the student. s.the
phantom advanee--it raises its veil
It is Francois Violot-he approaches
the fable-he whistle has written:
it is his signntureIs
A4re ron afreid2ss or;od ~ c..