The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-13

| an annuity of 25O0 francs a year from the Camusots, in return for which he would recognize them as the legal heirs.
 But want large sum of money down to pay a sacred debt,' said Schmuclke, suddenly rousing himself
 "Oh. these Germansr thought Gaudis- sart to himself. "They pretend to be so simplei'
 | ''Thore is only one man who shared my grief for poor Pons" said schmucke. He Is Topinard; Topinard. who lights the lamps for the orchestra. Pons liked him and used to help him. He has nice little | girl, with light hair that looks like | girl from my dear Germany, which I ought never to have left. Paris not good for Germans. They only get laughed at here"
 He is mad" said Gaudissart to him. self But he felt a compassion for the in- ] offensive, artess old man. ' 'I want" said schmucke, "SOOO francs for Topinard and BOO francs for the pretty little girl.''
 | Relentless parvenu as he was. Gaudis- sart was touched by Schmucke's magma nimity, and by his gratitude for an act | which, though it semed the veriest trifie ! in the eyes of the world, outweighed, like | Bossuet's glass of water the victories of | conquerors in the estimation of this meek | and humble christian.
 | You shall have all you ask for" said he. "I will do even more than that, my | dear Schmucke. I will make Topinard i cashier of the theatre"
 "oh, may God bless you" said Schmucke, and departed after promising to attend a notary's house in the after noon. As he went away, Gaudissart called l after him that he should retain his posi- | tion in the theatre as he had doRe, under | Pons.
 No" said schmucke "T shall not live"
 That afternoon he sat in the private of ] flee of notary who was related to the | Camusots. Around him was F'rasier | Tabareau and Gaudissart-all watching | this poor sheep about to be shorn. | The old man listened uncomprehending- | ly to the legal jargon that Frasier read to | him rapidly. He did not heed the fact | that the paper that was being thus read | to him purported to be statement by | himself in which he confesed that he had 1 extorted the will in his favor from Pons | after keeping him in close seclusion until | he was in a state of imbecility.
 They put a pen into his hand and Schmucke was on the point of signing the hideous lie when servant entered the room and reported that a man named Topinard insisted on seeing schmucke at once.
 Gaudissart hurried out and confronted the man. What brings you here?" asked he. 'It would seem that you don't care 4l, ,k,-a TT ! principal qualification for that post is- discretion"
 Monsieur, will not eat bread of which every mouthful would stick in my throat" cried Topinard. Raising his voice. he shouted, Monsieur Schmuclel"
 Undeterred by threats he warned Schmucke the he was being swindled and gave him a. letter from the notary who had drawn the will which said: Tt Is your duty to punish much wickedness by defending your own" Schmucke fell back almost in a swoon. He had signed the papers before Topinard entered the room. The revelation of the deceit that had been practiced on him gave the final blow to the simple old man.
 Everything seemed to swim before his sight, but he retained strength enough to hold out the money to Topinard.
 That humble friend took him home. where he lived for ten days more and then died without murmur. He was buried quietly and obscurely at Topinards ex- pense.
 The heroine of this story, the great Pons collection, went to Count Popinot, who bought it from his papa-in-law. All these great ones, who were not at all eager to claim even the most distant kinship with the poor living musician Pons. were ex- tremely proud to refer to their dead cousin Pons, the famous art collector.
 He was a charming man," said Mme. Camusot often and often This fan, painted by Watteau. which once belonged to Mme de Maintenon, was put into my hands one day with delightful compli- ment He was so attached to us that he dined with us three or four times a week.
 Thus everybody concerned, except poor. foolish Schmucke and the still more fool ish Topinard, profited both financially and socially by the great collection; all. that is, except Remonenqc, and he suf- fered merely through accident He had married Mme. Cibot almost as soon as her husband succumbed to his diet of oxidized copper. Like a prudent commercial person, he had the marriage contract so drawn that all the property would go to the survivor.
 One day when he had tasted connubial joys to as full extent as he considered desirable, he placed liquor glass full of | vitriol within reach of his wife's hand. in the natural expectation that she , would drink it.
 Unfortunately, Mime. Cibot, with the best intentions in the world, changed the position of the glass, and 1t was Remo- nenqc himself who tossed It of. Thus it cannot be said that Providence fails to | punish miscreants.
 l Next Sundays one-page classic will be ! ''The Little Mermaid by Hans Chris tian Andersen.
 The Rival Statesmen. | From Judges Library.
 A couple of salesmen for two rival | (. fa n act cb ba fA