The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-20
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ire as he had done under Pons
 'No" said Schmucke, T shall nov live" That afternoon he sat In the private effiee of notary who va, related to the Camusots. Around nm were Frasier Tabareau and Gaudissart all watching this poor sheep apou' to be shorn.
 The old man listened uncomprehend- inRly to the legal jargon that Frasier read to him rapidly. He did not neeo the fact that the paper that was be- ing thus read to him purported 70 pe a statement by himself In which ne | confessed that he had extorted tns will in his favor from Pons after keeping him in close seelusion unth | he was in state of imbeciiify. They put a pen into his hand ane Sehmuci<e was on the point of sfgn- | ing the hideous lie when servant en- tered the room and reported tnat q man named Topinard insisted on see- | ing Schmucke at once. Caudissart hurried out and confront- cd the man. What brings you herey- asked he. Tt would seem that you don't care about being treasurer or the theatre The principal qualification for that pos. is-- discretion" Monsieur, I will not eat bread oi which every mouthful would ssick is my throatr' cried Topinard. Raising his voice he shouted, Monsieur Schmucke.
 Iyndeterred by threats he warned gchmuc1e that he was being swindiec | and gave him a letter from the notary 1 who had drawn the will which said; Tt Is your duty to punish so muea wickedness by defending your own" Echmucke fell back almost In swoon, He had signed the papers be- l fore Topinard entered the room. The | revelation of the deceit that had been practised on ,im gave the final blow to I the simply olA man.
 Everything seemed to swim Defore his sight, but he retained strength en- ough to hold out the money to Topi' nard.
 That humble friend took him home | where he lived for ten days more and | then died without a murreur. He was buried quietly and obscurely at Topi- nard's expense.
 The heroine of this story. the great Pons collection went to Count Popi. not. who bought 1t from his papa-in- law. All these great ones, who were not all eager to claim even the most distant kinship with the poor living muscician Pons. were extremely proud to refer to their dead cousin Pons, the | famous art collector
 "FIe was a charming man." said Mme l Camusot often and often. This fan
 nainted by watteau. which once be. | ionged to Mime. de Mainenon, was put
 into my haands one day with delight.
 fui compliment He was so attached
 to us that he dined with -us thre oi
 four times a week.
 Thus everybody concerned excepi 1 poor. foolish Schmucke and the stif more foolish Popinard. proated both
 financially and socially by the greai
 collection: all that is except Remon. enuc and he suffered merely through
 an accident.
 He had married Mime. Cibot almost
 as soon as her husband succumbed tt
 his diet of oxidized copper. Like [ prudent commercial person. he had tht
 marriage contract so drawn that ali
 the property would go to the survivor
 One day. when he had tasted connu.
 biaI joys to as full an extent as ht
 considered desirable. lie placed liquoi
 glass full of vitrioi within reach oi
 his wife's hand. in the naturar expecs tation that she would drink it.
 Unfortunately, Mime. Cibot. with tho
 best intentions fin the world, changed
 the position of the glass. and 1t wal
 Remonendc himself who tossed 1t of
 Thus it cannot be said that Providence
 fails to punish miscreants.
 Next Sundays One-Pnge CIssslc will
 be "The Little Mermaid,@ By Hana Christian Andersen.