The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1870-11-01
NO 80 4FIoNEsTA, PA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER !, 1870

4 We went for the doctor a common
friend and old college comrade. A
good liver, with frank, merry face
and jovial eye, and ready to do any
! thing for us all. He took his case of
surgical instruments, slipped It into
his pocket aside that l might not see.
Lint, some bandages, a few little
phials, and bottle Of pure water,
which he gave to the coachman.
| All three of us breakfasted with de
b. The meal was gay, with oces-
sional moments Of unusual gravity.
Spite of the carelessness of my char
acter, | was afraid Of making a fool
of myself When no one saw me, l
stole glance at the clock; obviously
the waiting at once excited and ener.
waited me- What / dreaded was neith-
er wounds nor death, but the unknown;
in a word that insepsrable emotion Of
first debut, which has become pro-
verbal. l felt the need of locomotion,
of occupation. mental or physical. /
gave way to abrupt, nervous move
meats, hard bursts of laughter. And
yet was .notafraid. We talked a great
deal. and it was noticeable that when
ever the conversation wandered away
from the palpitating p.Tesent one US in
voluntarily recalledit. ~
"Tell me. Doctor" / said to nttscuia-
Plus, ''Do you consider four o'clock n
the afternoon a good time to 6ghtP"
"Assurediy," replied L---, tram
quilly; "you have no uncertainties
and tremors of too early rising; you
are at your ease; digestion is effected,
and that allows the.performance of an
operation"
Against my will / shuddered at that
phrase, performance of an operaption,
uttered with SO much placidity.
To turn it off went to the piano.
Just then the footman came to tell us
that our landau was at the door.
"Come," said George, "we have no
time to lose. We have.still to go for
the other gentleman who will take us
to Saint V-'s Park. Thatis where
the affair is to take place; nobody
will disturb US there. Come on"
l took my hat quickly. had the
honor of being the first outside, but in
the depths Of my heart | am afraid l
likened my friend George to the most
accomplished of torturers.
We got into the landau. The other
J gentlemen were all ready, and went on
before us. The way was long, too long
To me it seemed intsrminable. From
{ the back scat / gazed at the landscape
r smoking all the while with an absen
$ air. Opposite me was Georges pale
. face, his black mustache emphasizing
/ his manly countenance. His eyes nevel
5 lost sight of me. and now and agail
G his hand energeticafly pressed mine.
Beside me sat the doctors goot
o comfortable figure. In the bottom o
!; the carriage were the light swords
: with curved guards and large hilts
easy in hand, not too long, nor so Aex
ible as easily to turn the edge. fel
r a childish delight in unsheathing then
u as we drove along, and seeing hoy
r. they glittered after the grinding an
5, sharpening of the evening before
Then I pressed my finger over tn
l. point, as an epicure passes his finge
fs over his lips, and, in spite of myself,
10 secretly found them little too We
pointed. t
'e At last the end Of our route appeal
II ed. AS we turned to the left IpreceiN
le ed the park railing, at which some
:" thing seemed tighten suddenly abor
is my heart. But / lit another cigar, au
went on smoking with the greatest al
OF parent tranquility.
~ The carriages stopped. We ha
d. ceased to talk, k,--involutarily our vcic,
lr had become hOarse and hollow | pl
IL my head out of the door, and Georl
~ jumped down. The other gentlemC
'n parleyed with .he porter, who open'
n the gates. Not soul was about Il
chateau. The first carriage paoceed'
Ok slowly along the alley, conducted
a. the porter, cap in had. No one spok
ne The alley was narrow and shady. ~
ST. gates had been closed again. Nothil
ew now was heard save the wheels turnil
II, slowly and grating with a sharp soul
ea on the gravel Of the garde v
re- turned to right, then to left, with Fl
10 quent stoppages, as if following
neral procession. ] bent down to I
as doctors ear, and whispered with t
en- greatest coolness,-
at "Do you know if the family vault
his still some way Off" .ha
.tsi Tia Iaokad Al me In aatonishms