The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-13
1hr LHIrT fIERnAlD THOUGHT 1T VAS rHF 6RRT AND 0wt1 ARoVno4 4JbYouslH

, those around him he ran to Pons's rom and embraced the dead man. The gentle creature, whose only strength was love. had begun to enter into death with his friend All outward things was as noth- ing to him. He neither ate nor drank He heard nothing that was said. He dried his tears mechanically only to cry anew.
 Around this pathetic and noble sorrow there gathered the black ravens of greed. Frasier installed spies about him to pre- vent all disinterested persons from coming to his aid. Mime. Cibot tried to break through the cordon to get at him for her thief and cheat over Pons's corpse.
 Of course Frasier learned immediately of the will that blasted all chance of suc- cession to the estate by the Camusots. But the cunning pettifogger was not daunted. The notary who had drawn the will was too reputable to be approached. Frasier wasted no time in trying. He sim ply harassed Schmucke so cruelty that the helpless old man gave power of attorney to a notary named Tabareau to act for him; and Tabareau was under Frasisr's S thumb.
 The ravens hurried the funeral so suc- cessfully that only one friend attended. This was a humble man, Topinard, who had been employed as helper in the thea tre orchestra, to whom Pons had been accustomed to present five francs every month because he knew that the poor fel- low was trying to support a family on a meagre income
 Schmucke squeezed the mans hands gratefully. "I will share my bread with you now that Pons Is gone" said he simply. Topinard went with him to the grave and on the way learned enough from the conversation of the lawyer and his accomplices to fear that they meant to wroIfs~the old German. He determined to stay with him, and fought off the monument touts, swindlers of all kinds and other men of prey who beset him, so at least.
 Topinard did himself an III turn when he did the German good one. The thea tre in which he was employed was man. aged by a gentleman who owed every thing to Count Popinot. This manager, the Illustrious Gaudissart, had been a commercial traveller before the patronage of the President of Court had elevated him into the realm of dramatic art.
 He learned soon enough how Schmucke had inherited an estate that should have belonged to the family of his patrons, and he threatened to discharge Topnard if he meddled with affairs that did not concern him.
 IAaP ytt,rr I,f nc r1 took Schmucke home to his own narrow lodgings, where the heart-broken German was attended lovingly by this poor family the only human beings who had not been corrupted by a desire for gain at sight of wealth.
 The magtrates had sealed up all the dead mans effects and the German, ignor- ant of the fact that as sole legatee he had the right to an allowance till the will was proved, was quite penniless. If this had affected him alone he might have starved without trying to get money, but he would not be burden on others, and he gathered his wits enough to remember that the theatre owed him months salary.
 He called on the nlustrious Gaudissart for 1t. That clever man had an inspira- ton when he saw the state to which the German had been reduced by his friends death. "Schmucke." said he, there will be a lawsuit over this estate. Why do you not enter a compromise with the family?"
 ''I only want to live in peace" repp ' Schmucke sadly.
 Gaudissart followed his advantage