The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-03-27

the walls Of Paris which tempted ever
man inside the walls to those walls
and that business was the battle thai
was raging. n had ragged since night.
fall, between the troops Of King Loui.
on n side under the grand constable
OF France, and the troops Of the Duke
Of Burgundy and his allies on the
other. Paris might have been thai
strange city of slumber told Of by the
wanderer in the Arabian tale, or tina,
poppied palace where the sleeping
coming Of the hero. II Asmodeu,
whisking his way on the wings Of thu
wind with any astonished travelling
companion in tow had paused vel
Paris and unroofed it for the beneh;
of his fellow voyager, most Of the room,
would have been found as empty as thu
streets.
But there was n spot in the city
an open place by the river, between az
ancient gate and the church of the Ce,
lestins-which was alive and busy will
a strange activity of it's own. It wal
empty enough and the windows Of 1t.
houses stared vacantly upon Its empti.
ness, but there were two men in pos
session of its tranquility who had beer
toiling hard at a singular piece Of work
They We're putting the finishing touche,
to h erection of a tall, gauNt gallow,
with It's steps and platform, which oc.
cupied a space midway between tn,
gateway and the grey old Gothit
church. In curious contrast to the sin,
lister grimness OF the gibbet, there rosl
opposite to it on the side Of the churcl
a dais, richly draped with royal velvet
splendidly Spangled with fieur-de-li,
and brave with armourial bearings.
The two men who were working a.
the gallows having finished their Job
came out into the open space ant
stretched themselves. One was a tai
thin, grave, poplar-tree of q man, clat
In s~ad-colored clothes and conspicuous
FOR a long rosary Of enormous bead,
which he carried around his neck ant
which from time to time he handled
with oStentatious sanctimony. TIL,
other was as complete a contrast to hi
companion as could be desired by tn,
humorous painter. He was a plump
spry little fellow, brightly dressed ane
bubbling over with merry, roguisl
spirits, which formed the most fantasti,
foil to the righteousness of his fellow
worker. Any good citizen of Paris
arising belated. If any such there ma,
have been, n hurrying to the walls t.
know how things went for the kings
cause, would have recognized readily
enough in these W. strange opposite,
two of the most dreaded of tn,
myrmidons of Tristan l'Hermite, no les,
than his two chief hangmen, Trois.
Echelles n Petit-Jean. Trois- Echelle
was the long, cadaverous hangman,
Petlt~Jean was the stout, droll hang.
nan but when it came to a push and
a pinch, both We're hangmen and hum
II. tho ca ma f. n nnnp &c r1% ,,l41. T.
same Petit-Jean pulled {
hagon of wine from under the platform
of the gallows, lifted it to his lips
drained a mighty draught, sighed will
satisfaction, and held out the bottl,
to his brother craftsman.
Drink and be merry"
Trois-Echelles. making gestures O
p~rotestation with his head but taktns
the bottle with his hand none the less
drew a deep daught from it's throttl,
and sighed as sadly as his friend sighed
gladly.
Il will drink but I cannot be merry
What's the good of building a mob,
gallows IL nobody looks at it? On,
might as well be building on a church.
Petit-Jean laughed good-naturedly.
All Paris is or the walls watchint
the battle. Lucky Parish"
Trois-Echelles laughed ill-humoredly
mot SO lucky If we don't win tn,
BATTLE"
Petit-Jean was complacent.
Whichever wins will need us to hans
the losers. Look at the bright side
man."
Trois- Echelles fumbled his bead.
furtively.
tive lost heart, I tell you. I haven'
hanged a man for a week."
AS he mourned over this me1anchoI,
retrospect, h door of a little hous,
hard by the church opened and an ole
woman, propping herself on q crutcl
stick, came hobbling slowly across tn,
open space towards the church. Petit
Jean knew her well enough, for the,
both lodged in the same house and boti
on the same floor of attics. He knew
she was the mother Of the creates
~scapegrace in all Paris, a rascal name{
Francois Villon, who had disappeared
Heaven alone knew where, to the OLE
lady's great despair. He saluted he,
good humoredly.
Good morrow to your nightcap
mother !: Have you found your los
Mother Villon shook her head visit
fully.
"They say he is banished, but he hal
sent me money, bless him! though
touch non f it, lest it be badly com,
by.
Trois- Echelles stopped fumbling hi
beads and advanced toards her, ex
tending his hand.
GIVE 1t to me to spend on masses? p
he asked sanctimoniously.
Petit-Jean danced between them.
Lend it to me for drink money" h
urged.
Continued Next Weekly