The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-11-07
MASTER ana
SLAVE = Fl; il: THORPE
Copyright, 1901, by T. H. Thorpe.

|
| Having laid a coin upon the table,
| Constant was leading the way to
Mother Pierrot's. when Nine Goudeau
called:
"Hold, NJ. Constant. till 1 give you
your change
| mo change is coming to me, madame.
gave you gold dollar, and 20 cents
apiece for five .absinth anisettes is
cheap enough for a church fair"
mo, M. Constant, this is not ST.; it is
a five dollar piece.''
| "Oh, Nine. Goudeau, your sight is
failing like that! This comes of read
ing your prayer book so much. Put on
your spectacles, madame, and examine
the coin carefully, and if you find it
| five may stop again for the change"
And. bowling merrily, he moved on.
| "Well, that is handsome of Constant
and will get him two more votes for
Laure Luneau," remarked madame to
Maximilien Cantonet, an ancient ex-
justice Of the peace, who in religiously
| intoxicated condition devoutly assisted
her with the bottles and glasses.
Mother Pierrot bustlingly superin-
tended the carving by her mulatto man
and served five heaping plates of breast
and back, declaring one gobbler to have
been 20 pound bronze and the other
a cream yellow of equal weight and
both to have been fed on pecans for
three weeks prior to their martyrdom
In the cause Of the church. A pyramid
of steaming, faky rice fanked each
plate, beside which was set a bottle Of
bordeaux wine Of good body. There is
no need to discuss the efficacy Of the
absfnth. The fact is, the five portions
were disposed Of by the five men with
every indication of hunger, thirst and
appreciation.
lis our little Laure still ahead, NJ.
CONSTANT" inquired the old woman.
'She is and will remain ahead till
the poll closes at half past O'clock"
Quinebert replied confidently. Leon
idas Latiolais is no politician. He be-
lieved he could elect Estelle by simply
interesting the neighbors on Bayou des
CLASSES, while I have electioneered for
Laure not only on the bayou, but on
the prairie also. She has had votes to-
day from Marksville, Isle de Cote, LIE
Coigne, Par en- Haul, Bayou Blanc and
even Pointe Maigre."
"You have indeed been very active"
said Father Grhe. II am edited to see
you manifest such interest in a matter
of the church,
1T is not the church-no," Quillebert
protested; lit is politics with me- Who
ever enters a canvass against me can
not win by sitting quiet and looking
amiable. He has got to travel and
maybe get mud on his shoes. Good
Mother Pierrot, this will about pay for
our refreshment." he added, placing
coin in the old woman's palm.
"But this is $50, M. Constanty she
cried in amazement.
II said it would about pay for our
refreshment, and thank you." said he.
walking away.
"Such a generous man! I wish he
was on better terms with the church.
Certainly must get some more votes
for Laure," soliloquized Mother Pierrot
as she dropped the glittering golden
eagle into her silken purse.
Declining with thanks an invitation
to join the priests in pipes at Father
Grhe's house, Quillebert sauntered
along the grassy sidewalks of the
street and had proceeded but a short
distance when he encountered DR.. De
Roux and Leonidas Latiolais lounging
under Towering china tree. Latiolais
looked bored and worried. He knew
nothing Of the condition Of the contest,
but he felt he had not perfectly cham
pioned his grandchild's candidacy and
was apprehensive Of the result Her
defeat would grieve him deeply, and he
would lay it to his own supineness.
''Ah, my friends, this is slow affair
for full blooded men," remarked guile.
bert "YOu both look as thoroughly de-
jected as feel exhausted. Can we not
have a small game and hasten this aft
;ernoon off? Else l will go into the
graveyard and take a nap"
"Yes," said DR.. De Roux, ''let US go
to Dede Lebruns cabaret at the coulee
bridge and swap chips; either that or
l will 60 home. l cannot stand this
| any longer
Latiolais hesitated, then consented,
and the three proceeded to the one sto-
lied public house Of the village, where
In the back room they were joined by
the brothers Tailleur of Isle de Cote,
and, supplied by Dede, the stunted,
swarthy, peck pitted proprietor, with
cards, chips, rum and whisky toddies,
they were soon absorbed in the prob
lens Of American poker. Quillebert
was not without Interior aim in his
proposal. He was confident of Laure
Luneau's election should no especial
activity be displayed in her rivals in
terest and concluded that the surest
means to prevent that would be to Sc
duce her champion from the field;
hence he set about to make the game
unusually attractive by betting boldly
and drinking freely, and in a measure
his tactics proved successful, for soon
the attention of the players was so en-