The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-02

is nothing u a puppet, planned
To wear the regal bravery
OF silken coat and gilded wand.
Not so we Frenchmen understand
The lord of lions heart and glance,
And such q one would take command
If Villon were the king Of France!"
The kings face was a study in sar
doniCs. Tristan was poppy-red with
age. The gang applauded n Villon
glowed with their applause.
His counsellors are rogues, Perdie!
While men of honest mind are banned,
TIC creak upon the gallows tree,
Or Squeal in prisons Over-mann'd;
We want a chief to Dear the brand,
And bid the damned Burgundians
dance;
God! Where the orifamme should
stand
If Villon We're the king of France!"
Mugs and cans clattered approval.
The rhymer's eyes widened as he drew
breath to blow forth the envoi Of his
ballade.
Louis the Little, play the grand;
Buffet the foe with sword n lance;
tbs what would happen, by this hand,
If Villon were the king of France!"
A roa of enthusiasm came.from the
full Threats of the band Montigny
slapped Villon on the back with a We'll
crowed, Chanticleer!" Huguette flung
l1Cl n ~ oAouAAN ~ SiAN NS5 ANAtA
as she cried ~passionately: Il forgive
you much, for hat light in your eyes"
But the poet seemed weary after so
much heat. He pushed the girl away
and dropped on his hogshead. The
rogues ratified away to their table again,
and Villon was left alone with Louis,
who questioned him drily: You call
yourself a patriot, / s~uppose?"
Villon had recovered sufficient energy
to drain d mug of wine. He turned to
the king, passing his hand over his
forehead. by no such high-sounding
title,' he answered. Il am but Il poor
devil with a heart too big for his body
and a hope too large for his hoop. Had
1 been begotten in a brocaded bed, l
might have led armies and served
France; have loved ladies without fear
Of cudgellings, and told kings truths
without dread of the halter, while as 1t
is, I consort with sharps and wantons,
and make my complaint to a dull little
buzzard like you, old noodle! Oh, It's
a FOOLS play and it were we'll to be out
Of it,"
"You won't have long to worry" iris
tan muttered to himself under his
breath, and found great comfort in the
thought. Louis merely said: you are
sententiouS!"
Villon took him up quickly. THE
quintessence Of envy, no less. l have
great thoughts, great desires, great
ambitions, great appetites, what you
will. I might have changed the world
and left q memory. AS it is l sleep In a
garnet under the shadow of the galloWs,
and shall be forgotten tomorrow, even
by the wolves l pack with. But this is
dry thinking; let's to d~rinking!" AS
| he spoke Villon rose to- join his COM
rades, when his quick eye noted tina
Robin Turgis had fallen asleep on his
bench. Villon skipped lightly toward
him, dexterously unlocked his bunch OF
keys from his girdle, and, with a tri-
umphant gesture, made on tptoe for
the cellar door, which he unlocked ana
through which he disappeared. Louis
looked after him with an acid smile.
Tristan leaned forward and plucked at
the kings sleeve. "Shall I hang him
tomorrow" he asked, hoarsely. The
king turned, musing, to his henchman.
1--WE shall see! File is a loose-ltpped
! fellow, but he might have been a man.
He has set me thinking Of my dream.
I was a swine rioting in the streets or
Paris and I found a pearl--Well, well.
Let us kill the time with cards till Thl-
baut d'Aussigny comes" Tristan pro
duced a pack of cards from his pouch
and laid them on the table. DO you
think he will Gomez" he asked.
"He does not expect to find me here,
I promise you,' Lou answered. lie
would not come If he did. Barber Oil
yier is to warn me of his coming" AS
he spoke the inn door opened @ little
! and the king, hearing the click OF the
lcatch, asked: "Is that he"
y Tristanglanced round over his Shout
der. The doorSwas pushed partly open,
and an. old,5stooped women was peep
ing c~uriously into the room. Tristan
shrugged his shoulders.
"ISo, sire" he snarled; another OLD
wonpan."
BH this time the king had arranged
! the cards to his satisfaction. He made
| an imperative gesture to his companion
to seat himself, and in a few seconds
| had forgotten everything else in the ex-
| citetnent Of the game. Meanwhile the
| old woman, having pushed the door
| WidlG open, came softly into the room
| Sh / was a quiet, mild-faced creature
eneI of those human shadows who sug-
GEES. without tragedy faded youth and
| witlhered comeliness. She was very
| poorly but very neatly dressed, in worn
graf, and rusty black, and the liner
| folc. ; about her lined face were scru-
pul 55usly clean. She looked anxiously
| around her, shading her eyes with he1
| harxd, in the dim light Of the tavern
untrole to discern much, but evidently
! eaaer to discern something.
Hene de M%ontigny. tired Of teasing
| Isstbeau, SUDDENLY looked up and caught
| siSht of the old woman as h stood
very helpless and wlstful, peering about
ther. An impish spirit fioated leaf-like
on the surface of his mind. He rose tc
his feet and danced towards her in 9
Fantastic manner sweeping her a pro-
found salutation as he approached her
.rYo1lr pleasure, sweet princess?" he
ahaid with mock Difference.
Y The old woman turned her wrinkleG
\ visage up to his in wonder.
SIS Master Francois Villon in this
Accompany, sir?" she faltered.
II Montigny treated her to another pro.
Mound bow.
\ Sweet creature" he simpered, :.
kiss your hand and inquire"
TIE turned to his companions at tht
table and his eye rested mockingly or
the> bowed figure Of Huguette. Aftel
Master Villon had told his tale HUI