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

 two such congenial spirits met upon the wide ocean of humanity. There was a harmony of movement between them that extended even to getting up. They sup piled each others places in the lesson tours at need, and also in the theatre, for Schmucke, like Pons, was employed in the orchestra of the little, second-rate playhouse.
 In only one thing did they differ. Schmucke was as abstemous as Pons was gluttonous.
 In October, 1S44, the number of houses in which Pons could count on dinner had become so extremely limited that the poor musician was forced to conf1ne his evolutions to the family circle His passion for eating led him to give an over-liberal definition to the word fam ily"
 Pons had been cousin to the first wife of wealthy silk mercer, M. Camusot. When M. Camusot married second time Pons considered himself the cousin of the silk mercer's S children by his second wife. She had been a Mademoisene Cardot. Pons promptly introduced himself into the eXtenSlNe ldiiiiiy oi lhe Soiu uoe' e~' s relative.
 They had extensive branches for the bourgeoist families were powerful in that epoch Following in the wake of the Camusots and the Cardots, Pons planted himself upon the family of Count Popinot. who had advanced to the rank of a peer of France from an honorable career in the wholesaled rug trade.
 On this whole array of tribes the only real relative of Pons was the younger Canusot, the son of Camusot senior s first marriage And even he was a cousin twice removed.
 The young Camusot was president of one of the divisions of the Court Royal of Paris, and mighty man in his own estimation He had added to his own name that of his estate, and called him. self the President de Marville.
 Madame the President never gave cordial reception to her husbands poor cousin twice removed. She and her daughter, Cecile, rude young woman of 2s. were eager to rid themselves of him. The old gentleman tried with many pa- thetic wies to mollify these terrible rela- tives. One day he found glorious thing "a fan painted by Watteau, which Pons recognized at once as one that had been owned by Madame Pompadour! Proud as a king, he hurried to the President s house to offer his prize to Madame Ca musot.
 Unhappiy, that lady never had heard
 ext.- eI.- to the old collectors delighted account of how he had found the priceless object; and when he was done she told Pons that she had ordered dinner for him, but that he must eat 1t alone, as they were going out.
 Pons bowed and withdrew He put on his overcoat with tears binding his old eyes and descended the staircase, signing to himself: @rhe world hates old age and poverty-two ugly things. In future will go nowhere without an invitation
 He poured his woeful tale into Echmuckes loving ear, and Schmucke held his hand. Thus the two old men sat for a long time.
 The German, who knew as much about bric- a. brac as a fish does. and who con- cealed his crass ignorance only out of love for Pons, went to the length of prom ising that he would help in collecting the queer things if only Pons would dine with him every day. For his friend s sake, Schmucke threw aside his simple tastes and ordered better dinner every day than he could afford. Pons bore 1t for three months; but