urels. She hides her poverty
under her flowers, and although she would willingly have given all her
flowers to Jasmin, yet her rules prevented her. She called Jasmin to
her bosom, and gave him the heartiest of welcomes. But the honour was
there--the honour of being invited to join a brotherhood of illustrious
men.

The title of Maitre-es-jeux is a rare distinction, awarded only to the
highest celebrities. The ceremony of installing Jasmin took place on the
6th of February, 1854. The great Salle des Illustres was crowded long
before he made his appearance, while the Place de Capitol was filled
with a vast number of his admirers. The archbishop, the prefect, the
mayor, the magistrates, and the principal citizens of Toulouse were
present, with the most beautiful women in the city. Many of the southern
bishops were present, having desired to enjoy the pleasure of assisting
at the ceremony.

After an address of congratulation, Jasmin was enrolled amongst the
members, and presented with his diploma of Maitre-es-jeux. Though it was
only a piece of parchment, he considered it the rarest of distinctions.
It connected the poet, through five centuries, with the last of the
Troubadours, whose language he had so splendidly revived. Jasmin
valued his bit of parchment more highly than all the other gifts he had
received. In answer to his enrolment, he said:

"I have now enough! I want no more! All things smile upon me. My muse
went proudly from the forty of Toulouse to the forty of Paris. She is
more than proud to-day, she is completely happy; for she sees my name,
which Isaure blessed, come from the forty of Paris to the forty of
Toulouse,"

After his enrolment, the poet-barber left the salon. A large crowd
had assembled in the court, under the peristyle, in the Place of the
Capitol. Every head was uncovered as he passed through their ranks, and
those who accompanied him to his lodging, called out, "Vive Jasmin! Vive
Jasmin!" Never had such a scene been witnessed before.

Although Jasmin had declared to the Academy of Jeux Floreaux that he
wanted nothing more than the diploma they had given him, yet another
triumph was waiting him. The citizens of Agen capped all the previous
honours of the poet. They awarded him a crown of gold, which must have
been the greatest recompense of all. They had known him during almost
his entire life--the son of a humpbacked tailor and a crippled
mother, of poor but honest people, whose means had b