Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-07-28
THE EVICTION
OF MONSIEUR
.. Q. pIIyymmra
toopynght. isol, by Daily Story Pub. Co.,

n UT on the street he goes, bag ant
baggage" said Mrs. Raggett, "un'
less he pays me what he owes me. Ant
tomorrow morning, too"
II think Musseer Grande means all
right" demonstrated Capt. Gaggett
somewhat feebly.
you are a nice Judge Of people, you
are" retorted his wife, %scornfully
there's not a rum-sucking old sailor
about the wharves who hasn't borrowed
money from you, and they all mean well
You'd think the Old Boy meant well, ]
suppose, II he stuck you on his fork"
Capt. Raggett, guiltily conscious Of
having loaned Capt. Simon Bond a dol
lar, that very morning, held his peace.
For a whole month that old French.
mar has been promising me my money
continued Mrs. Raggett, says he's Q
letter coming from France with a lot Of
money In It. Where's the letter, 10
like to know? won't be made a fool Of
nc more"
wal until tomorrow night" pleaded
Capt. Raggett. the letter may ONE to.
morrow"
Letter from the MOON" shifted bis
wife, there's no letter, you ninny; he's
only playing of on me for time"
III you please" said a gentle voice
from the staircase, lis 1t that the post
has come not YETI"
eyes, he's come, gone and forgot It,"
replied Mrs. Raggett, roughly.
And no letter." cried Monsieur
Grande, with a gesture Of despair. lam
dssolated, Madame Raggett. Again ]
cannot fulfil my promise. But patience.
Madame, It must come, II must come"
There may have been gales at sea"
put in Capt. Raggett,
Eyes, yes" exclaimed the Monsieur.
'and held the ships ahead, no aback;
patience, Madame, patience"
The old man assembled the stairs to his
room, supperless, for Mrs. Raggett had
made nc hospitable sign.
Monsieur Grande wal the sole boarder
at the Raggett mansion. The tall, thin,
old Frenchman, with the oval Of his face
accentuated by the grey imperial at his
chin, with his gentle manners and per-
petual struggle with the idioms of the
Englisb language, had made many
friends In the neighborhood, but he had
never made q favorable impression on
Mrs. Raggett- That strenuous lady de-
nounced his gentleness as weakness,
and his mistakes In language. stupidity.
At first the Monsieur made a meagre
living, writing for some Franch news
paper, but, latterly, his contributions
seemed u~nwelcome, and he became back
In his board. Then q letter came from
France, and the Monsieur came to Mrs.
Ragsett, his face as radiant as q sunny
day In June. In his excited manner he
read that q legal matter had been settled
IN Francs, and that q remlttanceo Of 3 1000
trans would be made the monsieur BY
the next mall. Monsieur trod on the
air. He invited both the captain and
his wife to q dinner at q French restau-
rant. and to the theatre Afterwards. He
promised treats. galore, to the neigh.
oors, and presents to the dirty children.
who loved TO play tricks on the old
FrenchmAn. +,
But day succeeded day, and the letter
came not Day By day the irony Of Ms.
Rasgett changed 10 insulting mockery,
and the gentle old man was over
whelmed with shame. wistfully he
watched for the postman each day, and
'adly be bowed his head, a. he passed j
The house, without leaving the expected
nissive. /,
Capt Rasgstt entering his room. ,
Iteaithily. found the old man sitting
nth his face on his banda
-AhoS. mussesr." said the captain, I
'oftly, here's . BIT Of bread and am !
sloked from the safe. Eatit" :
I am ~desolAted," groansd TIE mon !
asar. win the letter nsvairs comet"
-NussssF.- said the captain, uunennE
RON throat obstruction. you'd better
y roady 10 veigh anchor to-morrov.- :
~ccmmantf- asked he monsieur.
~ A1aNnn N "a - a- - A. =