Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-05-27
How PIacide Won
the Capital Prize
copyright, BY J. B. LIppincott Cos
ry FRANCIS LYNDE-

tween Its panels bearing the legend
N. PLAcIDE Keynes. ARTIST
The building is Of the hamboyant
type OF the Louis Seize period, with a
BARRIERS shop on the ground floor and
ornate iron balconies to screen the
upper windows and what lies beyond
them. | saw 1t first on the earliest Of
many rambles through the old French
quarter. and was moved to wonder
why an artist should choose such an
environment.
Later, when mature curiosity finally
turned the knob Of the high-plated
door and entered. the mystery re-
solved Enthusiastically. i was going
to say, though that is scarcely the
word. The street door gave directly
into the BARRIERS shop. and a brisk lit
tie man in immaculate white jacket
and snowy spats clicked his heels to-
gether and bowed me to the waiting
chair.
Pardon" said l. Il am looking for
M. Placide Keynes. the artist Can
you direct me?"
He bowed again, tapping the middle
fold of his shirt front with the index
finger of hand as delicate and shape
ly as a woman's.
"C'est moi, M'sieu' Shall mex the
trim Of the beard. or the cut of the
hair? l do my utmos' possib to pliz
Msieu'," was the rejoinder; and !
was made to remember that one twig
Of the many branched tree Of arts is
the tonsorial.
AS 1t CHANGED. / was only an hour
or two out Of the BARRIERS chair at my
hotel. but there was no resisting the
gentle appeal in voice and gesture. So
put myself under the deft, womanish
hands, and thereupon our acqualnt-
ance began.
It was an idler's interest in trivial
things that prompted other visits to
the neglected little shop in Royal
street.
No hermit Of the cloisters ever lived
a life less eventful than that of the lit
tie barber of the French quarter.
Twice day. for the 11-o'clock break
fast. and again for the six-o'cl din
ner, he would close and lock his door
and patter soberly around the corner
to a low-browed cafe with Bismarck
at HIS heels. At all other hours he
was to be found in the parlor-like lit
tie shop, waiting with the serene pa
thence of a polite and good-tempered
spider for the infrequent fly Of Gus
tom
But one day the plummet of espial
found bottom Unexpectedly. Return
ing from mornings sketching in the
dim old cathedral, had a glimpse Of
Placide walking briskly cityward I
followed. The chase ended before a
subtreasury-like building in the pur-
lieus beyond the St Charles hotel.
and the secret was out. When I came
up behind him. Placide was eagerly
coming the double columns Of printed
figures on a freshly pasted bulletin.
$50 you play the lottery. do you,
Placide?" said that afternoon. when
the son Of hope had creamed my head
for the weekly shampoo.
"Oui M'sieu'; h--every month"
"Have you ever drawn anythlng?"
zone time, yes; hIn tex fifty dol
lar"
Would you mind telling me what
you did with it?''
'Pourquoi non? h-Tn pay him back
to M'sieu' Dauphin h-every month
till he is all gone, me-"
Il should think you would have kept
It to set over against the losings, "
said l.
Placide's laugh was decorously con,
temptuous.
What for I'll gone kip fifty dollar
Msieu? h-rn tink bout what the
big Englishman say one time to M
ladder: Eet is the sprat for catchinl
the whale. nest ce pas?"
"Oh, so you are after the big fish
the capital prizei Tell me what yoU
would do with 1t, Placide."
"A-h-h-h!" the exclamation was /,
long-drawn sigh Of anticipative trl
umph; "h-Ill JUS put on my at anC
90 and buy the YER bigges' ting wha
can find. me. M'sieu'. Quiz
Jotting it down after the fact,
sighed to think that one might neve
know what Placides biggest thing
would be- But fate was kinder to M
than l dared hope. Three month
later l planned to take the steame
at Natchez for a river trip to Ney
Orleans. It was after nightfall whel
the downriver boat came to the land
ing. hurried aboard with my sketch
ing traps, secured stateroom. an
made my way to the hurricane deck t
look down upon a stirring scene tina
never loses it's fascination for tn
river-born-the loading and unloadin
OF steamer at night.
There was silent figure standin
beside the great bella figure in
capped topcoat and a broad brinlme
silk hat Of the '70s Something abol
the statuesque pose struck me as b.
ing oddly familiar / looked again.
was Placide.
A moment later he was bowling [
me across the great bell. hand O
heart
ssThis Is YER great 'appfness. Msie