River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-07-28
THE EVICTION
OF MONSIEUR
By
:. c. PLUMMER
Copyright. 1904. by Daily Story Pub. Coz

n VI on the street he goes, Dag anu
baggage" said Mrs. Raggett, "un-
less 70 pays me what he owes me- And
Tomorrow morning, too"
81 think Musseer Grande means all
right" demonstrated Capt. Gaggett.
somewhat feebly.
You are nice judge of people, you
are" retorted his wife, scOrntully,
there's not 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, if he stuck you on his fork"
Capt. Raggett, guiltily conscious OF
having loaned Capt Simon Bond dol
La, that very morning, held his peace.
For a whole month that old French
man has been promising me my money,
continued Mrs. Raggett, 'says he's a
letter coming from France with lot of
money in it, Where's the letter, I'd
like to know? l won't be made fool OF
no more"
wait until tomorrow night" pleaded
Capt. Raggett, ''the letter may come to-
morrow"
htLLcI lIOu Tue ulOOuJ hAS
wife, there's no letter, you ninny; he's
only playing off on me for time"
IF you please" said gentle voice
from the staircase, lis it that the post
has come not YETI"
eyes, he's come, gone and forgot 1t"
replied Mrs. Raggett, roughly.
"And no letter" cried Monsieur
rrando with a IF dacnaiT m
desolated. Madame Raggett. Again l
cannot fulfil my promise But patience,
Madame, it must come, it must come"
There may have been gales at sea-"
put in Capt. Raggett.
Eyes, yes" exclaimed the Monsieur,
sand held the ships ahead, no aback;
patience, Madame, patience"
The old man assembled the stairs to his
room, supperless, for Mrs. Raggett had
made no hospitable sign.
Monsieur Grande was the sole boarder
at the Raggett mansion. The tall, thin,
old Frenchman, with the oval of his face
accumulated by the grey imperial at his
chin, with his gentle manners and per-
petual struggle with the idiOms of the
English language, had made many
friends in the neighborhCOd, but he had
never made 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 welcome, and he became back
in his board. Then letter came from
France, and the Monsieur came to Mrs.
Raggett, his face as radiant as sunny
day in June. In his excited manner he
read that legal matter had been settled
in France, and that a remittance of 1000
trans would be made the monsieur by
the next mail. Monsieur trod on the
air He invited both the captain and
his wife to dinner at French restau-
rant, and to the theatre afterwards. He
promised treats, galore, to the neigh
bors, 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 Mrs.
Raggett changed to insulting mockery,
and the gentle old man was over
wheImed with shame. Wistfully he
watched for the postman each day, and
sadly he bowed his head, as he passed
the house, without leaving the expected
missive.
Capt. Raggett, entering his room,
stealthily, found the old man sitting
with his face on his hands.
Alloy, musseer," said the captain,
softly, here's bit of bread and am
hooked from the safe. Eat it."
81 am desolated," groaned the mon
sieur will the letter nevaire Gomez"
'Musseer," said the captain, suffering
from a throat obstruction, you'd better
get ready to weigh anchor tomorrow"
"Comment?" asked the monsieur.
''The missus II ask you to get out to-
morrow" explained the captain, still
suffering with impeded utterance. Il
want to give you the word"
81 must leave; is it that must leave?"
That's what she says" said the cap
tain. land you come straight down to
the schooner Nautilus. I'll give you
berth"
But, my letter, captain. 1t will come
here, and l must be here to get it.
Capt. Raggett shook his head, sadly.
He did not believe in the letter, but not
for the world would he have had the
monsieur suspect his doubts.
Mrs Raggett arose the next morning,
in a first rate humOr for an eviction.