The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-01

was gl"ing no ball that night. Yet the ~
v ;Sau naa been signed in the name ri
| iscount dHarcOurt, the Presidents sa,r -
th.yt' ana mad conveyed in express terms
snat no guests would be admitted w;thnn.
lancy costumes; moreover. Mr.. Inf and h;s
IrienGs Prince Casino and the M.rom;s da
nlgcdon mad each pretended to have sim;
iar invitations, and it was at Mr. TIFF.
ss:Sses.ion that NJ. Pitache had arrave5
nii1selI IKE Cochin-China fowl. "for
sa'u She american, 1--WE had better all fonr
~ as poultry, and make a quadrille Of II. >,
-. 'rue mat Iarces are permissible in car
.ai .'ine, ana NJ. Pistache should have
. "ten On MS guard; but there are farces
as he rolled back to Paris in Ills r"tslaJ
plnmes; and such was his wrath thar he
screamed to the coachman to drive STRAIGHT
10 Inc club, instead of first going home tn
chahge his things. The truth is that the
thirst Ior vengeance made him forret.ul. Int
perhaps the yellow feathers that coated his
ieSs ana body, and the cocks head which h.,
carried under his arm as a Prussian officer
docs his helmet, somewhat detracted from
the outraged dignity Of his countenance as
ne bounded up the club staircase and pl,Iup
Gu towards the card room. All NJ Pistache's
torhentors are present-Prince Casino. who
stops halfway in his deal to roar: Young
h'Sodoh, who sinks onto sofa in spasms !:
and that diabolical American, who buries
MS sailOw face in his handkerchief and
screams like hyena.
"Ah, you taught" bowls NJ. Pistache.
whose plumage seems to bristle rpon end
with fury, and making a dart towards Mr..
luff's glass of mint julip, he dashes that
beverage with ragetul hand over the
Americans elaborate waistcoat. There
~ no retracting now, the deed is done.
NJ. Plstache is hurried down stairs into his
brOugham by the astounded bystanders. and
he is vaguely conscious as he speeds home
wards that he has mentioned two hussar
officers-the Marquis de Muguet and Count
MirllflOr, both spectators of the scene-to act
as his friends. Then an hour passes, and
after that another hour, and NJ. Pistache,
Invested OF his fancy costume, robed in a
dresslng-gown and feverlshly smoking a
cigar, sits by the fireside as the two hussars
enter to give him an account of their mis-
sion. If NJ. Pistache had caught them out
side the door, he might possibly have OBJ
served that they We're tittering and had
humorous twinkle in their eyes: bit as it is,
he notes only an aspect of the utmost seri-
BUSINESS on their features.
1T is gloomy business, my poor Pts
tache," begins NJ. de Muguet, and he unfolds
how the American, being a sanguinary char
acter, and having, as the insulted party, the
choice Of weapons, had stipulated for moth
ing less than that the two principals should
he let loose in the Bots de Vincennes, each
with rifle and fifty cartridges, and do their
best at each other from behind the trees
But we explained that this was impossible
because the shooting season was over, and
the forest rangers might WONDER" adds the
Marquis feelingly, "and then he was for y
COrsican duel-f0ot to foot, with two dag
gers apiece"
'GOod God! but the man is BRUTE" fall
ters NJ. Pistache, experiencing something like
Jumps Of ice running down his spine.
Eyes, he's a downright BRUTE" answers
the Marquis, "but we have obtained reason
able terms at last; you are each to have
pair of double barrelled pistols, to stand at
ten PAGES apart, and to fire at will, walking
toward each other"
"Ten paces-four bullets" answers NJ.
with eyes starting, and huge
lump rising to his throat; but he can add
no more, for this is mere murder-One Of
those unnatural, barbarOus combats which,
as abovesaid, are unworthy OF Frenchmen,
and NJ. Pistache sees that his doom is sealed.
g Thank you, my friends" he says, recover
ing deadly calm after the first moments
emotion. "Thanks. l shall be ready ""
aud the pair of hussars, wringing his hands
IN silence, promise to be with him at seven,
and Withdrew. 1t is then five o'clock, and
when the friends rcappear at seven, having
4 box of pistols in their brougham below, IA
1eap Of sealed envelopes are lying on NJ.
Pistache's table. M. Pistache has made his
will and hidden pathetic but untrembliDg
,ood-by to all his kinsfOlk and acquaint-
lnceS
A golden sun, blue sky, an open expanse
If turf for clear mile to north and south.
md the grand stand of the Vincennes
acting as shelter to the
last - such Is the smooth glad spot
where NJ. Pstache and Mr.. Turf are
,oing to eXternlinate one another. |
There is no waste of time in fOrmalities, for
hat glass Of mint julip must be obliterated
II gore without delay; so the principals and
seconds coldly bow, the ground is measured,
he pistols are loaded, and then NJ. Pstache
olemnly finds himself with deadly weapon
n each hand, waiting for the fall of Prince
Casinos handkerchief. He feels no rancor,
,nly heroic resignation; but he glances at
he Prince, and as the handkerchief tlutters
o the earth two rapid bangs are heard, and
hen a CHASTITY spectacle appears, for the
American, uttering fearful vail, tosses bis
rms aloft and bites the grass.
you've killed him!" eXclaims Prince
Iasino coldly.
YES and it was we'll shot," adds NJ. de
2igodon "but you must fly the country,
nd so must we, for there's prison, and per
laps hulks in this deed"
The heartlessaess of these men astounds
\. Pistache, who stands dumb and horror
tricken. He has killed a fellow creature;
,e has shot the life out Of man at whom
,e had first thrown mint julip, which was
urely insult and injury enough in all con-
cience. But let us draw curtain over
hese hideous feelings Of remorse. NJ. Pts
ache is pushed by the shoulders; he finds
himself running over turf, painting through
strip of wood, stumbling down q road and
lis four callous friends, who have left the body
,ehind them, are scurrying along with MIN,
tfriglted and br. athless, seeing pursuant
,endarmes in every twig which the wind
flows after them. How much OF this
was done by NJ. Pistache he has
ever since been able to tell, but it is full
oon before he scrambles, muddy and
,allid, into his lodgings, intending to pack
nd be gone far from the haunts OF French
nen. 1t is noon AS he bolts headlong into
is room, and there sees-Mr. Turf, quietly
making one Of his cigars and laughing!