Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-30


drollr'
Il don't care. I'll marry Jaquette in
spite of YOU
81 don't care So brays the ass"
$50 brays old crooked nose bnndy
legs, perhaps" said Dece, springing up,
with a jerk Mt his apron strings, and
without another word he put on his
coat and hat and went Off In n huff to
LIE Loup, leaving his parent who,
alas, was little vain of his bodily
beauty, to vince under this harsh, I'M.
fllial TRADE.
When he had gone, Caliste removed
his spectacles very gravely and care
fully and set his lips-in pucker, as If
ptofferlng kiss, the chin slightly ele-
waited, showing the long throat, with
an admirable Adams apple midway.
1t was a characteristic pose, no doubt,
inspiring among the younger folk of
the village the nickname by which he
was known in their monde, "Cld Kiss
Me Never" Yet was 1t very sweet
pose and one much admired by elderly
spinsters and ambitious widows, for
Caliste was an eligible, with only u
very slight sprinkling Of gray. Then
he kicked aside the knee strap and
fondled the last In his lap after time
honored meditative custom. 1t was n
nasty thing for a son to say to the fa-
Their who had reared him and been
kind to him always. That was plain.
After he had pondered thus bitterly
upon Dece's ingratitude for some time
Caliste began to reflect upon the pos
sible verify of the lads words True,
an unfortunate accident of childhood
had set his nose slightly awry; but,
regarding his legs. he would not admit,
even to himself, they were not the
straightest and shapeliest limbs in the
whole province of Quebec. This last
was a most vile calumny
The bench might have given them q
slight inclination Mt the knees, but that
was never noticeable. He tossed the
last into a heap of Its fellows, always
an evidence of brilliant tniuctions, and
shook OFF some leather parings with a
pleasant, coquettsh gesture, as when
n woman f1icks her apron to alright
chickens. A smile budded at his lips.
Then he said aloud:
"Wcll, we shall see, mon enfant."
1t shall not be said Caliste was pre-
cipitate His very business had en-
gendered circumspection and method
In his bones. Whatsoever plans he had
lalready formed he was determined to
carry out In the shadow of the rose.
The same evening he called upon his
friend Tricotte, the tailor. The visit
was merely friendly call, an evidence
of good will, as 1t were, a commercial
courtesy. After some considerable con-
versatton upon the state of business
Caliste manifested suddenly certain
genuine interest in the rolls of cloth
Tricotte invariably paraded before his
visitors, whether through force of habit
or with insidious designs upon their,
Isusceptibilities must not be mooted.
At a certain piece Caliste declared he
had never found anything that SO took
his fancy. 1t was a perfect aggrava-
ton, he deplored, with times SO hard.
When he finally succumhed with every
evidence Of disgust for his weakness,
Tricotte prepared to take the little
mans measure quickly lest some sud
den shift of wind should veer the vane
from this fine, unusual cupidity He,
was somewhat exhilarated with his
business cunning, which he had come
to regard as genius pure and simple.
This last was master stroke. he
thought, for Caliste was notoriously
close. There was one thing which puz-
lied the tailor not a little the repeated,
anxious remark of his friend, repeated
even through the crack of the door at
parting, "Be sure to make the trousers
wide wide as you can.''
Now, a plausible reason for wearing
the Forthcoming habiliments must BIO
found, and Caliste very well knew to
blossom out suddenly upon the parish
In such attire would be to create n SEN
sation. Good! 1t was well known that
q railway company had had land lately
surveyed in st. Pyx and was even then
negotiating with number OF the vii
layers for the purchase of IT. Promi-
nent among these was Caliste himself.
Now he found his plans to accumulate
beautifully in this last inspiration He
would go down to Montreal on this
business of the railway. Incidentally
there were certain hairdressers and
surgeons in that city whose fame had
reached even such an out of the way
place US st. Pyx.
So to Montreal went Caliste, and,
though he did not really anticipate It
before starting, he readily disposed OF
the land and came home with snug
roll of bank bills In the pockets of his
glorious new trousers. Everybody COM
mented on the wonderful benefit the
trip had been to the little shoemaker,
how 1t had enhanced his looks and per-
sonal appearance-th hair sloe black,
the nose as exactly ordered as that Of
the Apollo Belvedere. No one could
tell altogether what had happened, but
! there was an inordinate fiuttering
among the spinsters as well as a deal
Of comment In certain sage coteries up
on the degenerating influences of city
life. None marveled so much as did
Deco at this great and sudden change
In his parent. Even his manner and
opinions had changed, for now he re-
$,uioSsA Will SNSAJ ShAt4ASutAoA ullu
pleasure the approaching nuptials of
his son and Jaquette Dion. Now, u
whisper ran, as whispers will run when
| the pacific surface of rustic life is ruff
fled, that Caliste had come mysterious
ly and suddenly into great good for
tune.
Dece was elevated Immediately from
the ignominious level of "A meier do well
to an eminency of considerable distinc-
ton and promise, and hence Jaquette,
lately tainted with weird prophecies Of
future unhappiness through Dece's evil
doings. was now regarded as a very
fortunate girl In having succeeded in
landing such desirable catch. These
things, coming to Dece's ears. gave him
suddenly certain airs that were not
overpleasing to his fancee. His sprees