The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-04-24

successful. On the contrary, it had
broken into blaze, and a changeful
light played in the chinks of door and
window and revived his terror for the
authorities and Paris gibbet
He returned to the hotel with the
porch and CROPPED about upon the
snow for the money he had thrown
away in his childish passion. But he
could only find one white; the other
had probably struck sideways and
sunk deeply in. With a single white in
his pocket all his projects for rous-
ing night in some wild tavern vanish
ed utterly away. And it was not only
pleasure that fed laughing from his
grasp; positive discomfort, positive
pain, attacked him as he stood ruefully
before the porch. His perspiration had
dried upon him, and although the wind
had now fallen binding frost was
setting In stronger with every hour.
and he felt benumbed and sick at
heart. What was to be done? Late as
was the hour, improbable as was sue
cess, he would try the house of his
adopted father, the chaplain of St. Be
mott.
he ran there all the way and knock
ed timidly. There was no answer. He
knocked again and again. taking heart
with every stroke. and at last steps
were heard approaching from within.
A barred wicket fell open in the iron
studded door and emitted gush of
yellow light.
"Hold up your face to the wicket"
said the chaplain from within.
Its only me-" whimpered villon.
"Oh. it's only you. is it?'' returned
the chaplain, and he cursed him with
foul, unpriestly oaths for disturbing
him at such an hour and bade him be
off to hell where he came from.
my hands are blue to the wrist"
pleaded Villon; my feet are dead and
full Of twings; my nose aches with the
sharp air; the cold lies at my heart.
may be dead before morning. Only
this once. father, and. before God. l
will never ask again."
"You should have come earlier" said
the ecclesiastic coolly. Young men
require lesson now and then" He
shut the wicket and retired deliberate
~ into the interior Of the house.
Villon was beside himself. He beat
upon the door with his hands and feet
and shouted hoarsely after the chap
lain.
A door shut in the interior, family
audible to the poet down long pas
sages. He passed his hand over his
mouth with an oath. And then the
humor of the situation struck him, and
he laughed and looked lightly up to
heaven. where the stars seemed to be
wfnking over his discontinue.
| What was to be done? It looked
very like night in the frosty streets
The idea Of the dead woman popped
into his imagination and gave him a
hearty fright; what had happened to
her in the early night might very we'll
happen to him before morning.
He passed all his chances under re-
view. turning the white between his
thumb and forefnger. Unfortunately
he was on bad terms with some old
friends who would once have taken
pity on him In such plight. He had
Iampooned them in verses; he had
beaten and cheated them, and yet now,
when he was In SO close pinch, be
thought there was at least one who
might perhaps relent. 1t was a chance.
1t was worth trying at least, and be
would go aud see.
He passed corner where not 80
long before woman and her child had
been devoured By wolves. He remem
bered his mother telling him the story
and pointing out the spot while hp was
yet child. His mother: If he onl,
knew where she lived he might make
sure at least Of shelter. He deter
mined he would inquire upon the NOR
row-nay. he would go and see her.
too. poor old girl! So thinking. ne ar
rived at his destination his last hone,
for the night.
The house was quite dark. like IT.
neighbors. and yet after a few taps
be heard movement overhead. a door
opening and a cautious voice asking
who was there. The poet named him.
self in a loud whisper and waited. not
without some trepidation, the result.
Nor had he to wait long. A window
was suddenly opened and a pailful of
Stops splashed down upon the doorstep.
Villon had not been unprepared for
something Of the sort and had put him.
self as much in shelter as the nature
of the porch admitted h,lt for a n TINT
he was deplorably drenched below the
waist. His hose began to freeze al.
most at once. Death from cold and
exposure stared him in the face. He
remembered he was Of phthisical tend
ency. and began coughing tentatively.
But the gravity Of the danger steadied
his nerves. He stopped few hundred
yards from the door where he had been
so rudely used and reflected with his
finger to his nose. He could see onIy
one way of getting lodging and that
was to take 1t. He had noticed
house not far away which looked as IL
it might be easily broken into. and
thitber he betook himself promptly.
entertaining himself on the way with
the idea Of a room still hot, with a tn.
BILE still loaded with the remains of
supper. where he might pass the rest
Of the black hours and whence he
should issue on the morrow with an
armful Of valuable plate. He even
considered on what viands and what
wines he should prefer. and as be was
oo11fnu Tho roll NJ HE "a COs{<o Aoi,ss x><,