The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-04-27
THE INSPIR, TON
OF JEAN WGNOL
BY FRANCOIS coPPEE
Copyright, 1905, by Joseph B. Bowles.)

~4AcduAuA dAu Observation-Disclosures ACtAOA
Tor the family story papers. He dealt
exclusively in conspiracies, murders,
stolen wills, kidnapings and substitu-
ttons of babes in the cradle. His works
are not so bad, of their kind. II you
ever have to go through long, tedious
tllness-which God grant you may not
you might do worse than while away
the hours Of convalescence by reading
his Mysteries Of Menilmontant," in
two fat paper-covered volumes.
Yet his practice was not large, and
sometimes he found it difficult to dis
pose of his copy" even at the most
meager space rates
His debut in letters had been ambi-
tious enough. To this day there repose
In the oblivion Of a-darK corner of a
bottom bureau drawer two early and I'M
published works, composed by him at the
time when he had hair on his head
and real artistic aspirations in his
heart
Unfortunately, these were not nego-
liable in the literary market-and Jean
Vignol had to live. It was in the Belle
vile quarter of Paris, on the fifth floor
OF sordid tenement. that he had
dwelt alone with his aged mother,
who was a martyr to rheumatism.
To earn a little money-little enough,
verily!-the poet had turned hack
novelist. in the same logged spirit
that an art-school graduate who has
failed at painting, takes to photogra-
ply.
While old Mamma Vignol lived, Jean,
a model of f1lial piety, had plodded
along contentedly enough. But since
her death, two years ago, he was alone
in the world-without parents or
friends, an habitual stay-at-home:
He was, at the time of which we
write, a sturdy little man of AZ years,
beginning to grow pudgy, with heavy
black beard, Socratic nose, a pair of
honest small eyes, and few sparse
bristles on the top Of his otherwise
denuded dome of thought
What a bother!" he exclaimed to
himself on a Christmas eve, as he
mounted slowly to his fifth floor-for
he was slightly asthmatic. Here is
the editor complaining that my latest,
Behind the Bars wants action-mean-
ing, of course, more bloodshed. Is
life worth lving?"
Entering mis- forlorn apartment, he
found whole series of petty annoy
ances awaiting him. In the first place
his coke fire had gone out and he must
start it afresh. Then, as he was cast
ting regretful look upon the old pipes
he was forbidden to smoke, his writ
ing lamp fickered out. A new wick
was required. And, come to look,
there were only two matches left in
the box.
Thunder and Mars!" growled Jean
Vignol, letting 60 his strongest oath.
@'Here am l in a pretty fix. A merry
Christmas eve, to be sure! Shall I
go down those five flights again for
matches? No! rather than that, I'll
borrow Of my neighbour
His neighbor was Mere Matthew, a
poor old widow whose daughter, vau-
.deville actress abandoned by her hus-
band, had died in childbirth the sum-
mer before, leaving the infant to be
brought up on the bottle by the afore-
said Mere Matthew. She supported her.
self by sewing for department store.
The novelist had "helped her out" with
a few francs on several occasions when
her need had been greater than his
own. Now he raped at her door and
called out:
"Mere Matthew! can you lend me a
few matches"
He stopped short as the door opened
end he looked in. There was the poor
woman knee4Ang on the floor, busily
engaged in rolling and tying up the
hair mattress which she had taken
from her bed, leaving revealed a limp
aookipg tick half filled with straw.
Close by, the baby slept peacefully in
q wicker cradle.
why, what are you up to now, Mere
Matthew? Going to move before rent
day comes around?"
"Oh, no, M. Vignol. am just going
to the pawn shop with this Mattress
1T is good for ten francs, at least:
must hurry, for they close at eight"
"What-and sleep on the straw"
Eyes; it won't be for the first time.
You see, my younger sister, who is a
widow like myself-the one who was
wardrobe mistress at the Varietes-has
fallen i'll again.. and they won't take
her at the hospital because they say
she is incurable. So must help her
= uttle-she has always been so good
TO me. In week or so, when get
my fortnightly wages from the store, 1
cau have the mattress back again. All
that bothers me now. .is-what to do
with the baby while go out. Usually
the janitor's wife takes care Of it for
me; but tonight being Christmas eve
they have company to dinner and are
going to celebrate the reveillon. SO /
don't know what to do with the young
one" 90. %.. x = !
Jean Vignol showed signs Of agita-
'tion, not to say emotion.
Don't do that, Mere Matthew, he
commanded. "DOr't % tO fha M wn