The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-04
FARMING THE TAXES

Mining to take up my abode, when not
in Paris, at Villebon, where I had late
~ enlarged my property, went thither
from -Rouen with my wife, to superin-
tend the building and mark out certain
plantations which I had projected. As
he heat that month was great, and the
dust OF the train annoying, I made each
stage in the evening and on horseback,
leaving my wife to proceed at her leis-
ure. IN this way l was able, by taking
rough paths, to do in two or three
hours distance which her coaches
had scarcely covered in the day; but
on the third evening, intending to make
short cut by a ford on the Vaucou-
1eurs, I found, to my chagrin, the ad-
vantage on the other side, the ford
when I reached il at sunset proving
1mpracticable. AS there was every
prospect, however. that the water
Would fall within a few hours. I de-
ternnined to wait where 1 was until
morning and complete my journey TO
Houdan in the early hours.
There was a poor inn near the ford,
to which made my way with Maignan
and La Trape, who formed, with two
grooms, my only attendants. On COM
ing near the house and looking about
with a curious eye, I remarked some
thing which fixed my attention, and
for the moment, brought me to a halt
This was the spectacle of three horses
OF lair quality feeding in a field Of
growing corn near the inn. They were
camping and spelling more than they
ate. and supposing that they had
strayed into the place, and the house
showing no signs of life, I babe my
grooms fetch them out.
Suddenly man came round the cor
ner of the house, and seeing US, and
What my men were doing, began to
HTrr#@ IL
sound. He ran up to my stirrup, his
face flushed and sullen.
Do you want to see US all ruined?"
he muttered. And he begged me to
call my men out of the corn.
You are more likely to be ruined
that way" I answered, looking down
at him. why, man, is it the custom
IN your country to turn horses into
the half-ripe corn?"
He shook his fist stealthily. God
forbid" he said. But the devil is
within doors, and we must do his bid
ding"
"AhI' I replied, my curiosity aroused.
i should like to see him"
The boor shaded his eyes and looked
at me sulkily from under his matted
and tangled hair. You are not of his
company" he said, with suspicion.
Il hope not I answered, smiling at
his simplicity. But your corn is your
OWL ! VIII call the men OUT OIl
which I made q sign 10 them to return.
Nov" I said, as I walked my horse
slowly toward the house, while he
tramped along beside me, who is.
within?"
Monsieur Gringuet," he said, with
another stealthy gesture. The tax
gatherer."
oh! and those are his horses?"
He nodded.
s'StilI, I do not see why they are in
the corn?''
Ct have no hay"
But there is grass.
'Ays' the innkeeper answered bitter
ly, and he said that might eat it. It
was not good enough for his horses.
They must have hay or corn; and if I
had none, so much the worse for me -
, Full OF Indignation, I made in my
mind a note Of Monsieur Gringuet's
name; but at the moment said no
= 1ofe, and we proceeded TO the house.
ne exterior OF which, though meagre
wand even miserable, gave me an i'm
preston of neatness. From the inside
however, q. hOaTse, continuous noise
was issuing, which resolved itself, as
we crossed the threshold, into a, mans
Voice The speaker was out of sight,
IN an upper room, to which the ladder
gave access, but his oaths, complaints
and imprecations almost shook the
house. a middle-aged woman, scantily
dressed, was busy on the hearth; but
perhaps that which, next % the per-
petual scolding that was going on
above most took my attention was q
great lump Of salt that stood on the
table at the woman's elbow, and
seemed 10 be evidence Of greater lux
ury-for the gdbelle had not at that
time been reduced-that I could assO-
eiats with the place.
The roar and clustering continuing
-
constituent. rs that Monsieur Grin
gnet?" I said at last.
The innkeeper nodded sulIenly, while
his wife stared at me. What is the
matter with him ?' I said
The govt. But for that he would
have been gone these two days to col
lect- at lie .-MeSnL-
AM I answered, beginning TO IN
derstand, 'and the salt is for a bath
for his feet, is it?''
The woman nodded
well" I said, as Maignan came in
with my saddlebags, and laid them on
the floor, The viii swear still louder
when he gets the bill, should think"
'BilI?" the housewife answered hit
tsrlE-Iooking up again from her pots. |
a tax-gatherer's bill2 co to the dead
man and ask for the price of his coffin,
or to the babe for q nurse fee, You
will get paid as soon. a tax-gatherer's /
II
the dish with the sop"
While I stood in the middle Of the
kitchen, debating whether I should or
der the servants to fling the fellow
out, and bid him appear before me 1t
Vlllebon instead, or should have him
brought up there and the, the mans
coarse voice, which had never ceased
TO grovel and snarl above US, rose on a /
sudden still louder. Something fell on /
the floor over our heads and rolled /
across it, and Immediately a young
girl barefoot and shoTt-skirted, scram- /
bied hurriedly and blindIy down the 1
ladder and landed among US.
She was sObbing and a little blood /
was flowing from a cut in her lip; and /
she trembled all over. At sight Of the
blood and her tears the woman seemed /
70 be transported Snatching up q /
saucepan, she sprang toward the lad /
der with gesture Of rage and in a /
moment would have assembled If her 4