Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-13

1
the house shouted, That will do,
Stop them! He'll kill him. Then,
at last, NJ. Isidore Sack managed to
run away"
Then the ghost had not broken his
lee;!" asked NJ. Moncharmin, little
vexed that his figure had made so lit
tie impression on Name CRY.
He did break 1t for him, sir" re-
Piled Name CRY haughtily. He
broke it for him on the grand stair
case. which he ran down too fast, sir.
ana 1t will be long before the poor
gentleman will be able to go up 1t 1
again!'
Did the ghost tell you what he said
in M. Maniera's right carr" asked M.
Moncharmin, with gravity which he
thought exceedingly humorous.
No, sir, it was NJ Maniera him.
self. So"
But you have spoken to the ghost.
my good LADY,"
AS I'm speaking to you now, my
good sir" Name CRY replied.
And when the ghost speaks to you,
what does he say?"
We'll, he tells me to bring him a |
footstool!"
This time, Richard burst out laugh |
ing. as did Moncharmin and Remy,
the secretary. Only the inspector,
warned by experience, was careful not
to laugh, while Name CRY ventured
to adopt an attitude that was positive !
ly threatening.
Instead Of laughing" she cried in
disnantly, you'd do better to do as NJ.
Poligny did, who found out for him.
self"
Found out about what?'' asked
Moncharmin, who had never been SO
much amused in his life.
About the ghost, of course! :.
Look here -
She suddenly Gained herself, feel.
ing that this was a solemn moment in
her life:
Look here" she repeated. They
were playing La Juive. NJ. Poligny
thought he would watch the perform
ance from the ghosts box Well,
when Leopold cries. Let US fy!'-you
know-and Eleazer stops them and
says, Whittier go YEP well,
NJ, Poligny-I was watching him from
the back Of the next box. which was
empty-M. Poligny got up and walked
out quite stifiy, like a statue, and be-
fore had time to ask him, Whittier
go ye? like Eleazer, he was down the
staircase, but without breaking his
leg
Still, that doesn't let US know how
the opera ghost came to ask you for
a footstool," insisted NJ. Moncharmin.
We'll, from that evening, no one
tried to take the ghosts private box
from him. The manager gave orders
that he was to have it at each per-
Torrance. And, whenever he came,
he asked me for a footstool."
tut, tut! A ghost asking for q
footstool! Then this ghost OF yours
. is g. woman?"
mo, the ghost is man."
How do you know"
HE has a mans voice, oh, such a
lovely mans voice! This is what
, happens: When he comes to the
opera, it's usually in the middle Of
the first act He gives three little
taps on the door of Box Five. The
. first time I heard those three taps
when 1 knew there was no one II
the box, you can think how puzzled
!: was! I opened the door, listened
looked; nobody! And then heard I
voice say, Name Jules'-my poo
husbands name was Jules-'a foot
, stool, please Saving your presence
| gentlemen, it made me feel ali-over
J ish like. But the voice went on
Don't be frightened, Name Jules, In
| the opera ghost!' And the voice wa
so soft and kind that I hardly fel
frightened. The voice was sitting Il
the corner chair, on the right, in tn
front row."
WAS there any one In the box Of
= the right of Box FLYER" asked Nor
: charmin.
"No; Box Seven, and Box Three, tn
3 one on the left, were both empty. Th
!. curtain had only just gone up"
s "And what did you do?"
well, 1 brought the fcotstool Q
S course. 1t wasn't for himself he wan
i ed it, but for his lady! But l neve
i heard her nor saw her"
J, 'Eh? What? So now the ghost 1
married." The eyes Of the two mar
h ayers travelled from Name CRY t
= the inspector, who, standing benin
y the box-keeper, was waving his srmi
n to attract their attention. He tapped
J. his forehead with a distressful fore
n finger, to convey his opinion that tn,
|, widow Jules CRY was most certainl!
[. mad, a piece of pantomime whicl
e confirmed NJ. Richard in his determ'
e nation to get rid of an inspector VIII
: kept a lunatic in his service. Near
while, the worthy lady went on abou
her ghost, now painting his genei
osity.
''At the end of the performance, b
always gives me two francs, some
times five, sometimes even ten, whe
he has been many days without con
ing. Only, since people have begu
to annoy him again, he gives m
nothing at all. :"
Excuse me, my good woman" sal
Moncharmin, while Name CRY tosse
the feathers in her dingy hat at thi
persistent familiarity, excuse M
how does the ghost manage to Civ
you your two francs?"