The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-12-24

sion. uneasy ard slightly i~ntenDe,
struck Bernardet at once. That white
face, with it's black beard, with its
cleaning eyes was not to be passed
by with a casual glance. The waiter
placed a glass of brandy before him:
he placed his elbows on the table and
leaned his chin upon his hands. He
was evidently not a habitue of tbs
place nor a resident of the quarter.
Their was something foreign about his
appearance. His glance was steady. as
that of one who searches the horizon,
locks at running water, contemplates
the sea, asking for some good luck
of the
ut would be strange thought Her-
nardet, IF a simple hat and no other
clew should put us upon the track of
N MAJ for whom we are searching"
AT once, with the ingenuity of a
master of dramatic art, the agent be-
gan to plot and to put into action what
awyers pleading and turning and
twisting a cause this way and that.
manager informed them hat they were
about to pass into the cave OF death
and gave them all an invitation into
the adjoining hall; then, profting by
the general movement, he approached
the unknown. and, almost shoulder to
snoulder, he walked along beside him,
through a narrow, dark passage to a
little room, where, on q narrow stage,
stood upright an empty coffin.
1t was a doleful spectacle which the
Cabaret du Squelette (the wineshop OF
the skeleton) offered to It's clientele of
seekers attracted to it's halls by these
exhibitions. Bernardet knew it all
very we'll, and he knew by Just what
play of lights, what common chemical
Examinations they gave to the lockers
on the sinister illusion of the decom-
position of a corpse in Its narrow home.
This phantasmagoria, to which the
people from the boulevard came in or
der to be amused, he had seen many
times in the little theaters in the fairs
at Neuilly. The proprietor of the ca
haret had explained 1t to him.. He kad
been curious and very keen about it,
and SO he followed the crowd INTO MS
little hall to look once more at the
image OF a man in the coffin. He knew
well to what purpose he could put it.
The place was full. Men and women
were standing about. The black walls
made the narrow place look still
smaller. Occasional bizarre pleasant
tries We're heard and nervous laughs
rang out. Why is it that, no matter
how skeptical people may be, the idea,
the proximity, the appearance of death
give them an impression of uneasi-
ness, q singular sensation which is
often displayed in nervous laughs or
sepulchral drolleries?
Bernardet had not left the side of
the young mar with the gray felt hat.
He could see his face distinctly in the
light of the little hall, and could study
1t at his case. In the shadows which
lurlled about them the u mans
face seemed like a white spot. The Of
ficers sharp eyes never left 1t for a
moment.
The manager now asked if some one
would try the experiment. This was to
step into the open cofin-that box, as
he said--".from which your friends.
your neighbors. a see you dema-
terialize and return to n~othingness."
Come, my friends" he continued, in
his ironical tones, this is a fine thing.
1t will permit your best friends to see
0 d~eliquesce. Are there any married
people here? 1t is. only, a question of
tasting in advance the pleasures of a
WidoWhood. Would you like to see
your husband disappear, my sister?
My brother, do you wish to see your
wife decompose? Sacrifice yourselves,
l beg of you. Come, come up here!
Death awaits you!"
They laughed, but here and there a
laugh sounded strident OF hysterical.
The laugh did not ring true, but had
the sound of cracked crystal. No one
stirred. This parody of death affected
even these hardened spectators.
'.Oh, well, my friends. there is a ca
daver belonging to the establishment
- - 80 "a ~ - y ~ HE W
may readily understand that we do not
take he dead for companions"
AS no n among h spectators
would enter the coffin the manager.
with a gesture, ordered one of the
supernumeraries OF the cabaret to en-
ter. From an open DOR the figurant
glided acros the stage and entered the
coffin. standing upright. The manager
wrapped him about with a shroud,
leaving only h pale face of the pre-
tended dead man exposed above this
whiteness. The maj smiled.
laughs. messieurs. he laughs
still" said the manager. You will
soon see him pay for that laugh. Rome
rit ct mourut,' as Bassuet said"
Some OF the audience shouted APP
plause to this quotation from a famous
author Bernardet did not listen. He
was studying from a corner of his eye
his neighbours face. h man gazed
with a sort of fascination at this fan
tastic performance which was taking
place before him. He frowned; he bic
his lips; his eyes We're almost Zero
cious in expression. The flgurant in
the coffin continued to laugh.
Continued Next Week.l
W EGA HN