The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-11-22
A YiCOrnfe'S
!. Vagary

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ticuIarly enjoyed firtations, which IL
not to be wondered at; but he prefer.
red them complicated, which, to my
mind, is mistake. In love. az in
cookery, the simplest Is the best, and,
moreover, does not pail so quickly.
He was forever dreaming of in.
trigues, DISCUSSES, and mysteries. II
he had had the task Of reconstructing
the old legends. he would have made
Romeo scale Juliet's balcony as O
telegraph-line repairer.
One day after q luncheon which
would have been dinner Ii the sun
had not still been up, SO much cham
payne had he consumed at it-Gaston
de Banville laid wager that before
six O'Clock that evening was then
nearly four-he would return with at
least three francs collected by singing
In the streets.
Twenty minutes later, an unkempt,
tattered. and generally suspicousaook-
ing individual emerged from the ia
nous restaurant where the party had
been dining, and stopped at large
house in an adjacent street. It was
CASTOR, who lacked nothing for his
role Of street-singer. An hour later,
his companions beheld him re-enter
the room where they were awaiting
him with the best patience in the
world.
There you are" he announced,
tossing on the table q louis and a
voluminous package. II have won
my bet, and stand fair chance of
winning q very pretty little woman"
I'm SO short timel" they cried.
'sBut what is the trophy?--the hus-
bands head?"
NO" said CASTOR, "onfy his trous-
ers. But can say no more, the tale
involves the honor of lady OF high
degree"
In vain did his friends endeavor to
extract anything more from him. Tip
sy as he was, the hero Of the after
moons adventure was dumb as an
oyster. Less discreet than he, shall
recount his adventures.
When De Banville entered the court
of No. 70, Rue Duphot, the Baronne
de Pompinet was leaning out Of win
dow, watching the movements Of her
pet fox-terrier, which was playing in
the court. Evidently the dog had no
ear for music, for no sooner did the
pretended beggar open his mouth to
sing-at the same time, from force Of
habit, directing an admiring glance
at the fair lady before him-than
Punch trotted up to him, and. on
hostile demonstration from the singer,
few at the latter and planted his
teeth in an undefended portion OF his
anatomy.
The baroness uttered shrek, and
CASTOR, foreseeing his inability to
collect the stipulated sum, and his
consequent loss of the bet, was de-
parting, furious, to repair his ward
robe, when a trim little maid came
running after him.
Here" she said, slipping a frame
into his hand; here is something the
baroness sends you. Is 1t enough?"
Enough" cried De Banville, with
disgust that was not all stimulated,
"why, my pants is all tore, to say
nothing of my wounds!"
well, you can come and settle the
matter with my mistress. 1t would be
better than going to the police"
Miss Annette could have added that
her mistress had already been defend
ant in a dozen suits for assaults Of
this kind committed by Punch, and
had lost every one Of them.
Half an hour later, CASTOR took
leave of the baroness, bearing away,
beside his twenty francs, collection
of delicious smiles, worn pair OF the
baron's trousers In place of his own,
which had suffered heavy losses in
the encounter with the dog, and even
a letter of credit on the druggist at
the corner. But the pretended beg
gar had no need of liniments and
calves, for Punch. for once in his
fife, had leaped too short and Gaston's
hide was whole.
AS he was going down the servants
stairway, the pretended invalid gall
lantly saluted Mile. Annette on her
blooming cheek. The girl did not get
angry, for the viscount was not so
badly grimed that he was not still q
good-looking young fellow.
What do you mean, sir?f" she
cried; "are you crazyT
"Yes," replied Punch's victim;
"your dog has given me hydrophobia.
and that's the way bite"
But De Banville was revolving IN
his brain a machiavellian scheme d.
rected against the peace Of the baro-
ness. who pleased him prodigiously.
That very evening he sent her anony-
mousiy handsome bouquet The next
day he appeared beneath her window
again. wearing the baron's trousers. a
| particularly delicate attention. Nine.
de Pompinet appeared again. and be-
slowed on him franc and a smile,
! on which latter he set very high val
| uation. The following day. another
smile and another piece Of money. bat
(, in an envelope this time. and with q
note. The affair was becoming inter