Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-08-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
Told Near Mont PeIee.
IOrIginaL.I

cred an extinct volcano and of no mo-
for strangers to climb It's sides and
look into its crater. st. Pierre was
sleepy town, whose Inhabitants, ener-
rated by the climate, spent most of the
time chatting about In belle France
and wishing for the means with which
to visit Paris. / went into little res
taurant one evening to get dinner
and, having dined, lighted n cigar and
sat smoking till should finish the bot
tie of light wine before me. A man
sat ut table near by eying my bottle
longingly. l had drunk all of 1t l
wanted and. was glad of an opportuni-
ty TO favor some one with the remain
der. 1 invited the man to my table
and babe him help himself. He did so
and while slipping the wine told me In
broken English the following story:
"Thees house Away solemn house TO
me. Why? l come here often some
time ago. know the people what live
here before thees house was restau-
rant. Ferry fine house then. NJ. Bour.
dolon dine here with his daughter.
Mile. Bourdolon. He rich man-not
richest man here, but rich. His daugh-
ter fine girl. She step ferry light, like
spirited horse. M'sieur Bourdolon
want Lucille to marry rich man like
himself. Lucille want marry ferry
fine poor man. Thees max big fight
between father and daughter. NJ. Bour-
dolon tell Jean lie Fevre, the fine poor
young man, that If he come near thees
house he shoot his head off.
Zone day rich sugar man come to
NJ. Bourdolon and say, M. Bourdolon,
1 like to marry your daughter NJ.
Bourdolon say, M. VignOn, how much
you worth% Five hundred thousand
francs That ferry much money in
them days; NJ. Bourdolon himself not
worth that much. So he say: M. Vi
gnon, you go ask my daughter. You be
careful. Lucille ferry good girl. but
ferry spirited girl. She want lots of
coaXing.'
M Vignon dress himself ferry fine,
with boutonniere and wax mus
tache, and put on lots perfume so he
smell like flower garden. Then he
come TO thees house and come In
thees room, which was parlor. Up
stairs Papa Bourdolon Hrgufy with his
daughter to persuade her to go down
and Ieestin to NJ. Vignon. Lucille fer
ry quiet; don't answer noting. Her
pa say; Good girl, nice girl. You do
what your papa wish Lucille 80
downstairs, come into thees parlor and
shut the door. N-
M. Bourdolon don't stay long here,
and mex day he go see Papa Bour-
dolon and say, 'M'sieur. 1 t'ink l not
get married Just now What you
meant say Papa Bourdolon, ferry
hot. I t'ink 1 like to live bachelor
some time longer You t'ink my
daughter not max you happy? My
daughter ferry good girl, ferry obedi-
ent girl. She go down last night to
accept your offer like little lamb
Your daughter, m'sieur, ferry fine
girl. / not speak disrespectful of your
daughter. but I t'ink l don't want
marry just now IF you insult my
daughter, you insult me. We go out
tomorrow morning on the side of Mont
Pelee with rapiers, and you gif me
satisfaction 'M'sieur, no insult you
or your daughter. Mademoiselle too
good for man like me. Mademoiselle
should marry great warrior. great gen
eral. She might fine lady. When she
come in parlor last night, l say:
"Mademoiselle, by permission of your
father l come TO express for you
adorable sentiments. I hat long ad-
mired you. mademolselle, you so beau
tlful, so gentle. so good, l would like
tak' you on my bosom like little pet
lamb. 1 offer you my heart, my hand
and my poor fortune, all of which are
not good enough for so divine got
no further Your daughter fine girl.
beautiful girl, brave girl. She deserve
a general for a husband. What you
t'ink she do? She not speek; she not
look at me. Her eyes all time on the
floor. Sudden she TAX long knife from
the folds of her dress and throw 1t at
me so hard that when dodge so it
can't stab me it strike on window
In the wood. BY Gar, she might fine
girl, Mile. Bourdolon"
''If you no t'ink I tell truth, If you
no t'inl1 thees ferry fine young lady do
what 1 say, look up there (pointing to
the window casing). and you see place
where the knife stuck In the wood"
| 1 raised my eyes. and there, sure
enough, was deep cut.
Mex day NJ. Bourdolon shut up
mademoiselle in thees house.
At not come here till the great earth
quake, ten years ago. Everybody
frightened to death. 1 run by here.
and Mile. Bourdolon stick her head
out of window and call to me to go get
priest. Somebody dier ask. Go get
priest 1 run and meet priest. ia
ther,' 1 say. come quick to give abso-
luton 1 bring priest in here in thees
ferry ROOM, NJ. Bourdolon not here.
He gone to look after his property.
Nobody here but Mile. Lucille; no, one
more-Jean lie Fevre. That priest had
to marry them two. Just when he fin
fish there was terrible rumble of the
earthquake, and mademoiselle say.