The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-05
UNDER CANDLELIGHT.


candles threw out such mellow and seduc-
tive light as did those of Bangs last night
| when be closed the door behind him, ushered
| US into his coy rooms, and brought out some
old Manila cigars purchased on his return
from Calcutta. Late in the afternoon we had
received a note running thus: Old 1eAow'
Drop around to the room at Z; want to see
you, and our visit was the consequence.
There was something mysterious IN the at
mosphere. 1t is an unusual thing for an old
bachelor living in chambers to have six silver
candlesticks out and then, too, the room
completely turned upside down with guns
game bags, stuffed birds, etchings, dried flow
ers and the like. We looked around in amaze
ment.
"Going hunting" we inquired, feeling
that Bangs was not exactly all right and was
bound for paddle after the ducks.
"Not bit of II" said he; Give got all
the game want
No doubt those learned gentlemen who
first introduced language as means OF COM
munication between men, thought they had
completed a good job; but Bangs's express
sion, as he said that had never been seen
then. Neither Mr.. Webster nor Mr.. Wor-
cester, the inventor of that piquant sauce,
havn't got the words in their dictionaries
to meet the case.
He looked me full in the eye and repeated:
give got all the game | want" We don't
exactly know how man feels when that big
English gun just finished goes off over his
head, but, if he ever does enlighten the
world on that subject, just interline his re-
marks right here. Bangs, the reserved,
the retiring, the crusty old bach,
actually coming out in this style, with such
positiveness of manner, was astounding.
Thers was q twinkle in his eye, slight
movement of the lips, and then his entire ar
terial system was called upon to furnish all
the blood possible tor a perfect bonfire OF
bushes
"Sit down here" said he, pushing us into
large lounging chair; q" l want to tell you
some hing, and that's why l sent for you.
The truth is, Owl, my landlady doesn't suit
me. My wsfies yesterday were positively
horrible and then this noise on Canal street
bothers me so, 1, after mature celebration, have
arrived at the conclusion that I'd better
change quarters.
There was nothing in all this to excite the
surprise of any one. Roomers webster
hasn't got that word either frequently do
change their places of habitat SO, to the or
dinary individual, this would pass as nothing,
but when Bangs cast furtive glances at the
widows present of a watch case it was settled.
We knew the end had come.
The whole story came out he couldn't
stand this fighting in the last ditch of single
blessedness, and the widows battalions had
charged his lines, and the center gave way,
and the day had closed with surrender.
After many apologies for severing his frater-
nal intercourse with me, the servant brought
in some IA Burgundy and bowl with ice
When two old fellows like Bangs and my
self feel that the ship which is to bear the
other away has steam up, all the freight
aboard, lines ready to be cast loose, and the
passengers are beginning to wave their pocket
handkerchiefs, all waiting upon the new voy-
aper, naturally there is devilish sight more
thinking than talking So it was with u.s.
Bangs had his ticket for round trip on board
the old side-wheeler Wedlock, and was sim
ply one OF the crowd on the wharf.
Presently he opened. {" You see my traps
all out tonight, said he, coughing violently,
III,
This is the last of my dog and gun, my box
of water colors and my wild old days. I'm
bidding them adieu tonight and thought
with the rest of them, I'd say the same to
you; that is, so far as our old relationship
goes"
He was looking at bronze of Dante at the
time, and doubtless the symmetry of the
figure was not up to his assthetical ideas, for
he suddenly wheeled about and made stride
for the table and decanted two glasses of the
old and generous vintage. AS he passed my
delicate little glass the tiny piece of ice
tinkled against its side, and merry crystal
Naturalization was the consequence.
whats that?" said Bangs, looking at me
with an earnestness almost oppressive.
Don't YOU recognizes that sound?" We had
70 confess we didn't, but he hardly gave us
time to say so, when he jerked out, "Why,
it's the bells of the Madeleine in Paris. That
sound sends me back twenty five years, old
fellow You remember the summer you and
| were together students in the Quarter
Latin, and was SO desperately smitten with
Miss Fanny -, of Georgia? That after
noon we excused ourselves to you for ram
BILE, rushed back to me at the sorcery OF that
piece of ice in your glass, like an avalanche
down the Alps. Fanny and l had strolled
over to the bridge at Pont-au-Neuf, and
petitoning contrite hearts to service she
plighted her troth to me. Eheu she's mar
ried to Gen. =, and they say her son will
stand we'll to the front at Harvard next year.
For man about to reach his ultima thule,
Bangs didn't show up we'll just then.
It's the old thing over again, thought.
The bright-eyed daisies we toyed with, lolling
around in that old English pasture years
agone, have long since, underline organic action
of nature passed into other flowers, but when
the fresh fragrance is brought back to the
nostrils by the crushing of some other daisy.
that particular daisy comes back to us, and
the old elms in the pasture, the quiet parson-
age in the distance, and lords castle on the
hill follow it.
On mans bridal night let the rich per
fume of bunch of night asmine float toward
him, and the bride, for the moment, like the
ghost in Hamlet. melts away, and the groom
is whispering sweet sounds into the ear OF a
dainty little elf who long since has become a
maiden missionary to the Sandwich Islands.
Why don't some of our famous dislllers brew
some of that famous old beverage those happy
fellows in days back speak Of, yclept ne
A - AZ. IL