Connecticut western news., 1921-09-01

For one reason or another he kept changing employers; he served now dissipated hidalgo, then an in- intriguing actress, then an aged liber- tine whose daughter, in gratitude for aiding her to win back her recreant lover, Don Luis Pacheco, gave him a hundred pistoles, and, on her fa- ther's death, got him a place with still another aged roue, Don Gonzales, whose dressing operations, when he arose at noon, reminded him of the resurrection of Lazarus.
 Here again he acted as intermedi- ary in love affair, but when he told his infatuated employer that he was being duped, he was turned off, though given a recommendation to the Mar quesa de Chaves, reputed the clever est woman in Madrid, because she was | as solemn as an owl, and rarely spoke. Her salon, called "the Fashionable h. stitution for Literature, Taste and Sci ence," was the resort for the wits and notables of Madrid.
 Here again he had easy work, but d compelled to leave the city. On his way to Toledo he rescued a young no- bleman, named Don Alfonso, from ar rest. They became friends and after Don Alfonso reached home, he and 1 his father became Gil Blas' patrons, placing him as secretary to their rela tive, the archbishop of Granada, who was inordinately vain and as broad as he was long.
 Gil Bias praised his sermons and was regarded as a young man of ex- cellent judgment until after the prel- i ates mind was affected by apOpleXy and his homilies became discordant rawlings. Gil Bias obeyed the arch [ bishops command to tell him if he fell short in his preaching and was ignominiously packed off. Reduced l to extremities once more, he passed as 1 the brother of a disreputable actress and thus secured the position as sec retary to a Portuguese grandee, the i Marquis de Marialva. The trick was 1 discovered. He returned to Madrid and after many amusing and not al- ways creditable adventures, was ap- l pointed under secretary to the duke of Lerma, prime minister to the king His duties may be gauged by his com ment: "One makes a merit of any dirty work in the service of the great"
 His experiences with the upper and the lower world, with actors, poets, libertines, physicians, bandits, adven- turers, and hidalgos and their serv- ants, had sharpened his wits, and his native ability and smattering of edu- cation gave him growing influence. He was courted, flattered and bribed; his conceit and avarice became colossal.
 He declared that ga court had all the soporific virtues of Lethe In the case of poor relations" and confessed that "every trace of his former gay and generous temper had disap- 1 peared"
 Pride came before a fall. Having been employed to procure a question able mistress for the heir-apparent he was arrested by the kings orders and thrown into the dungeon of Se- govia. The prince intervened, but he was exiled from the two Castiles. All his property was seized and his mer- cenary engagement to a wealthy jew eler's daughter was broken.
 Then his friend Don Alfonso, whom he had got appointed as governor of Valencia, presented him with a small estate near that city.
 On his way thither he stopped St his birthplace and found his uncle a mental wreck and his mother worn out in caring for his dying father He gave his father a pompOus funeral, and settled an annuity on his mother, but the towns people were so indig- nant with him for his neglect of his family that they threatened to mob him.
 Glad to escape with his life, he reached Valencia, where he was re- ceived at his new home by seven or eight servants provided by Don Al fonso. He got rid of most of them and lived frugally, marrying Antonia, daughter of his farmer, Don Basilio. But his idyllic happiness ended with the death of his wife in childbirth.
 Soon afterward the crown prince came to the throne and offered him a place of high responsibility. Gil Bias who had learned wisdom, replied that "all he wanted was a good situation, where there was no inducement to viO- late his conscience, and where the fa- vors of his prince were not likely to be bartered for filthy lucre."
 He was made confidant to the prime minister, who entrusted him with the education of his illegltlmate son and heir. This brought him a title.
 After some years when the duke lost the kings favor, Gil Bias followed him into retirement, and on his death was remembered with a bequest of 10000 pistoles. He returned to his beauti-