The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-29

y /
y, turned Monsieur Won Mier. at is a
IL ways to the ladies that one mu.
J. bow the head" Won Mier had NJ
e been notary of the theater for thil
o ty years for nothing. He was ga
liant to the tips of his much -patche
I boots. eyes, Madame, it is not to
: much for one who has drawn up you
!. will and has been honored with tn
+ confidence Of your economies to sa
/ that you have denied yourself to
I much.
t Tut, tut"
l "But yes, Madame; and it is m
| duty to urge you, now that vo
: Mier hesitated to mention the un
mentionable even to the old charwo
man, now that coughed the nota
ry, your years are those Of superio
wisdom, to be more generous will
yourself as to food and the fire."
"You mean, Monsieur" she said
"that | am growing old! Precisely
so l am, and therefore shall need less
For it is youth, Monsieur, that re-
Quires. When Marie Rose arrives
the little one, she must find wei,
come for her of clothes and toys and
books and sabots."
"Have you not saved and boarded
enough of all these?" the old man
asked. "For how many years now
has not the company, everyone, from
the greatest to the call boy, given
you presents at Easter, at Christ
mas, at St. Roses Day, and st. Ma
ries, also, for your Marie Rose?"
"True, Monsieur"
"And is it not also fact that not
one of these excellent personages but
believes that your Marie Rose is liv-
ing, growing, somewhere in the coun-
try! Only today at rehearsals, where
I was-owing to the illness of Mon
sieur Poirier | have to play his role
this evening-some one said to me,
We'll, now, that little Marie Rose
of Dame Menthe's must be growing
up. We shall have to club together
to buy her a young lady's Christmas
present this year"
"Thev said so?" Marie Rose in
ouired, with wide eyes.
Indeed, Madame. they did. And;
Madame, if you will permit an ola
friend to counsel YOU, I would say
that now you should dispel TINS nc
tion in the minds of your employer
and the company. Consult Pere Ia
Tulinpe. YOUR confessor at Notre
Dame. and see if ! am not right:
"Rut. Monsieur Won Mier, what is l.
.,,o,, +bo+ 7 should consult, or con-
fess. or dispel?" the old woman ask
ed anXiously, .ho4 hova
kent up for you all these many years
the secret none has guessed: the-
Madame, the Ile' yes
the legion of lies" =. ., -, o,d
"The secret? the lie?" the olu
charwoman repeated in an uncompleJ
banding tone, as her lappets waggeu
from side to side with hef sWay.9SS s,ySn9S
head "What is the lie, Monsieur
"Sapristi! Madame" cried the ageo o
,o+arv "the lie is that there Is no
,Tarie, ,E' Rose of the second generation
" We ali" Maitre Won Mier took
~ or@e ~ ninch of snuff to reinforce MS
,, aooond
no IN littlo Marie Rose of the SECOND
generation, Monsieur, she echIeG, ;nb4 n
curious, low voice. her plls l
'lue ewes were fixed upon the laGe O+ ~
,or visitor and this in turn was oc.o .L
',,or l tbe table where they sat VII"
In Wv four feet in the sand pool rath-
.r .e;r ;nterfered with by the garlands
r ln!eIie :ena 1Whv not? What do you
mean. Monsieur 49, no
Won Mier regarded her with pa.
lent interest. He had started IN NE ,
n he a poet, had written great trag- I
dies and wonderful dramas which no ,
ne would produce or act. tie tnere- :
gre found distinct sensations OF en-
ovment in looking at Marie Rose t
lenthe. whose round, apple counte- :
ance. russell cheeks and wistful eyes +
ignified to him, this failure-man' one
f the sonnets of, and to, Life. =
81 mean, Madame, that between 7
s. YOU and me, | representing fool,
ave for many years made a repetl- ,
icr of the story of the existence OF !
cur god-child, a certain Marie Rose r
es;ding in the country always and !
ever seen-so much so that all the
ompany, the director of the thea +
er, the critics, the star, all are inoc- :
lated with the idea that Marie Rose 4
:
"Well, Monsieur" the charwoman r
nswered, circumspectly. $50 she
s."
Madame, it is the hour to cease :
rom these fables"
What is it that must be done, 3
hen?" she inquired in blank voice. ,
Done, Madame Menthe! Done! ,
We must inform all these people that !
here is no such person as Marie Rose ,
f the new generation" ,
The charwoman looked at the old
with a perfect discre- 3
ion. 'No Marie Rose, no little Ma 9
lie Rose. But Monsieur Won Mier,
hat is your mistake. She is there!" ,
iarie Rose pointed to the cupboard, :
and there" She indicated the door l
tep, the inner room, the stool, the