The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-20

1oung merchant, who, having arriv-
ed at an age when he wished to set
! tie down in life, sought wife. Pro-
viding she was sweet-tempered. witty,
rich, pretty. and of good family. he
was not particular about the rest.
for Michael knew that be mus, nlou-
crate in his desires. Unhappily. he
could not see in Gaillsc one who ap
peared worthy of his choice. All the
young girls had some known fault.
not to mention those which were not
known, At length he WAS told Of
young lady of Lavaur, endowed with
innumerabie good qualities and
dowry OF twenty thousand crowns.
| This sum was exactly that required by
Michael to establish himself In bust
ness: so he instantly fell in love with
the young lady OF Lavaur. He obtain
ed an introduction to the family, who
/ liked his appearance, and gave him q
rood reception. But the young heiress
had many suitors. from whom she
hesitated to make definite choice. Al
! ter several discussions 1t was decided
| by her parents that the contending
lovers should be brought together at
ball, and after having compared
them a choice should be made.
| On the appointed day Michael set
out for Lavaur. Hts portmanteau was
packed with his finest ciothes: an
apple green coat, lavender vest.
| breeches of black velvet, silk stock
ings with silver trees, buckled shoes,
! powder box, and a satin ribbon for
/ his queue. His horse was harnessed
with gay trapp!ngs. Furthermore, the
prudent traveller, not having a pistol
| TO put in his holsters, had slipped In
little bottle OF wine and several
slices OF almond cake, in order to have
something at hand to keep his courage
UP. For In reality now that the day
! had come he was In a very anxious
state, and when he saw in the dis
lance the church of Lavaur he felt
! ute taken aback. He slackened the
pace of his horse, then dismounted.
and in order to reflect upon what he
should do at the ball he entered a lit
tie wood and sat down on the turf
He drew from his holsters. to keep
him company, the almond cake ana
the bottle: the latter he placed be
tween his knees, 80 that without
1 thinking of It he varied his renee
tons by sips of wine and mouthruls
Of cake. These distractions some
what enliyened him and gave MN
confidence so much so that he began
to discover in himself number OF
+ virtues ana exeeiieaeess which -eetasa
not fail to insure him the victory.
the sun having disappeared from
the horizon he was about to pursue
his Journey. when he heard a SOUND
behind him among the leaves, as or
multitude of little footsteps tramping
the grass In tune to the music of a
flute and cymbals. Astonisheo, ne
perceived u troop OF fairies. who were
running headed by the King. ram
bourinet, In their rear, turning over
and over like wheel. was the buffoon
of the little people-Drak. the 1airy.
The fairies surrounded the traveller,
land gave him thousand welcomes
ana good wishes. Michael. who had
drunk too freely not to be brave. wei
coined them as old acquaintances, anu
seeing their little eyes hxed upon tIe
cake he began TO crumble ana throw
II to them as one would TO the oit~s
IN snite OF their numbers, each ohe
Va his crumh with the exception OF
Drak. who arrived when everyone haa l
entshsd Tambourinet next askeu
What vas in the bottle, and passed
from hand to hand till 1t reached tne
bufroon, who, finding II empty 'hie"
1t away.
Michael burst out LAUGHING -
"That ia Justice, my little man,
saia he to the fairy. For those w.
arrive late, there remains nothing p''
regret
~ will make you remember wha'
Won have lust said" cried brak IN a."
ger. ,,,
aApa how p" asked the traveller ron
tcally. do you think, now. sou
big enough to revenge Sou'seA
Drak disappeared without ahsweae
ing. and Michael. after taking Nasa 80, ~
re n,hourinet. mounted his horse again
Ha haa not gone a hundred PAGES.
| uhap the saddle turned and thre" mn.
,angh,v 70 the ground. He arose ~
iittIe stunned. rebuckled the straps'
ANA mounted his horse again: n
"a sarther on. as he Was gong Over
a bridge. the right stirrup peht -
liz and he found himself thlo"h -,
the middle OF the rivuiet. he ~. .ou
Iseaip in q very bad humot; anu 80
nc thtra time over the peoples III .he
ene hur,ing himself so much that
M could hardly proceed. he oesal'
~ hint ~ he persisted In ridins III
~. saddle he would be unable 10
| rresent himself at all TO the fauily VI
the Young lady, so he decioeo 10 i.ee
his horse barebacked, and take 'he
saddle upon his shoulder. In TINS man
nar he made his entry into Lavaur
amid the loud laughter OF the pe"pie
who were sitting at their ooofs'
| Laugh. laugh! you great st"p'"''
ml,rmured Michael; lis 1t very mar
yelons that "A. man should carry ms
saddle when it will not carry him
At length he reached the inn. where
he alighted. and asked for a room III
which to change his travelling clothes.
Having obtained "a chamber, ne pro
ceeded with much care to open ms
portnanteau and lay out carefully on
| the bed the articles for his toilet
His first consideration was whether
he should powder his hair whi,s or
Yellow. Having decided it. shos'id as
white. he seized the swans-down pow
der nun. and commenced the opera
ton on the right side. But at the
moment when he had finished that sue
he saw that an invisible hand nad
nowdered the other side yellow. so that
his heda had the appearance OF nair-
peeled lemon. Michael. stupehea; hasa
tened 10 mix the powder with the
comb. and finding himself too pressed
for time to seek to think out the rea-
son OF the mischance Che was always
a slow thinker, stretched out his hand
toward the reel on which the satin for