The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-09
A CHEAP DEATH.
BY Octave Birbeau.

| the next days soup. It was dark In the
| room. only partly dispelled by the
Pickering fire; candles cost money and
money was all that old Cormeau and
| his wife cared for in this world. A pot
| was boiling on the hot ashes and two
| shabby old cats were staring at it's bub-
bling contents Outside 1t was bitterly
| cold, as cold as 1t has not been since
| the year Of the big war.
"Cormeau!" his wife called in a
voice shivering from cold, hello, Cor
! meau!"
But Cormeau did not stir: he was
resting his elbows on his knees and
| burying his face in his hands and his
thoughts were wandering.
"Cormeau, do you hear met" his wife
shouted still louder. 1.-THE beets are
frozen"
At this moment there was a loud
knock on the door, which opened and
the poor, trembling form Of an old
tramp appeared In the opening. Cor
meau and his wife quickly turned
around, looking for anything like two
immense birds of prey, their profiles
outlined against the flaming back
"For the love Of God" the ragged old
man cried. give me shelter for the
might"
Cormeau's face turned as hard. as
stone and his eyes shot fire under the
shaggy brows.
Away from here. you old good-for-
nothing. we have no pity for people
who wont work."
"Oh, have pity. 1t is SO terribly cold
tonight and a person might easily
freeze to death In this snowstorm."
IF you do freeze to death 1t Is none
Of my business; get out Of here quick"
IF you would only give me place
to sleep In, your barn or stable, only
for few hours"
I'm my stable and let you steal milk
nothing In the morning? No. I know
better than that"
"Oh, please do not drive me away.
You are an old man yourself and you
must know how tired I am"
That's enough, get out Of here" Cor
meau roared. IF you were not too
lazy you would have enough to eat and
half dead from the cold you let in
here"
With a deep sigh the old beggar
picked up his empty bag, murmuring:
"Oh, God, that Is not right. That Is
cruel and you may live to regret your
hardness"
The door closed after him.
Hurry up. Marie Bolt the door, he
may come back. Then let him knock
until he gets tired"
His wife obeyed.
Cormeau sat looking into the fire
which was burning lower.
After while the woman again called
to him:
He! Cormeau. tell you the beets
are frozen"
No answer came.
Say. Cormeau! Are you deaf? Why
don't you move? Why don't you an
swer me or say something yourself.
instead of sitting there like a log Of
wood?"
Still no answer.
The woman got up from her seat.
II have nothing" Cormeau moaned.
You have nothing? What Is 1t that
you have not? You are surely sick.
You are all red In the face: yes, almost
violet"
II am not SICK" the old man whis-
pered.
Eyes, you are, Cormeau. You are
sick, tell you. Why do you sit and
stare like that?"
well. I do not feel quite well. There
are strange noises in my head and
shadows before my eyes. When was
walking home nearly fell on Remy's
field. But 1t Is nothing. I will walk
around little and 1 will be all right"
He tried to rise, but could not move.
His body felt like lead. His limbs were
TlSlQ anu weight SeeIHeQ 10 CRUSH ia
his chest. His hands were cold and
damp and his tongue seemed swollen to
twice it's size. The whole room seemed
to turn around. and now red flames
seemed to jump out of the fireplace
| and dance before his eyes. They came
closer and closer, and he thought that
| they would SINCE his eyelashes. Then
they disappeared and all was dark be-
fore him. He could not even see the
glowing coal in the fireDlaca
He sighed and grasped for breath.
His throat was parched and felt like
leather.
Yes, am dying. feel it; my time
has come"
What do you say?" his wife said.
with look Of horror. you are not go
ing to die now?"
Eyes, am. The death is in my head,
in my chest and in my bones. Lay me
down on the floor-I cannot breathe"
She lifted him up and laid him on the
| floor, and put pillow under his head.
do not go away" he whispered. II
have something to say to you. Come
closer, l cannot speak loud"
The woman bent down over him.
do you hear me?"
Yes, / hear YOU"
The cemetery is too SMALL know
1t Is too SMALL"
"Yes!"
'Ine village council Is going TO en-
large it, and I know that they are going
to buy Remy's field"
Yes"
But Remy knows nothing about it.
Now you must buy that field from
Remy, 1t is worth nothing now and
you pay him two hundred francs for
it."
But why should buy it, It is moth
ing but stones and sand?"
You shall buy it and give it to the
village as q present"
II should give the village two hum
dred francs! Cormeau, surely you must
be crazy"
Listen to me-you give 1t to the vii
lage in the condition that they give you
five square metres in the cemetery.
That is worth five hundred francs. Do
you understand? You pay two hun
dred and you get five hundred. You
make three thousand francs. But you
must hurry-hurry. do you hear? You
must go to Remy tomorrow, not later
than tomorrow. Do you promise?"
Yes, l promise"
give hundred francs-flve hundred
francs. Twenty-Five bright twenty
franc pieces to put away in the old
mattress until she could buy more gov
eminent bonds!" Her head was in the
whirl at the thought. She did not no.
tice that Cormeau had stopped talking;
she did not hear the death rattle in his
4 l.