The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-06-15
0frsnbach,s Early Days.

l.sr~t- "a. -rlT itGf
The New York correspondent of the
Boston Gazette, writes: have this an
ecdote from 0ffenbach's own lips. He
tells it admirably Money had become
more than rare with him, and, one fine
morning he woke up and could not find
one cent in his pocket. A man NAV on
a pinch go without breakfast, but to
have no dinner on the same day is a
hard fate, especially when one has the
appetite of the sixteenth year. 1t need
not be said that he thought of home, of
his parents, of his brothers and sisters
he had left at Cologne. Jacques Often
bach did not, however. indulge in many
lamentations; he knew the future be-
longs to men of energy, and that where
there is a will there is a way He
buried his head in his hands, he
thought, and presently said s'Why, to-
day is Thursday. Mons. X, who
lives in Rue Montmartre, made me
promise to come to dine with him this
afternoon I shall take very good care
not to be so impelite as to forget his in
vitatiop.' y He walked until five o'clock
D. m, every step he took sharpening
his Appetite qAt FIVE O'Clock b. M he
returned home to dress little and take
his famous violoncello, to which Che
did not attempt to disguise it) he owed
/ the, majority of his invitations. The
cool, balmy air, the unbroken fast, the
active exercise, had given him an
appetite+4such an Q appetite AS
the clock was striking six Ofenbach
was ringing the door-bell at Mons.
X -A-'s, after having previously left his
violoncello at the janitor's lodge. The
chambermaid answered the. bell "Both
master and mistress are out" Often
bach, shocked as if a pistol-shot had
been fred close to his ear, exclaimed:
s'Eonsensei Mons. X himself in
vited ME to come and dine with him to-
day, Thursday" These words were
scarcely out of Offenbach's mouth when
Mons. y appearedi and holding
out both hands to 0fenbach,' said:
ayes, my dear friend, you are right.
What an excellent memory you have !
This is indeed Thursday" Offenbach
exclaimed in a triumphant tone, begin
ming to pull off his gloves as he spoke:
''That is Just what l was telling your
servant. 81 Mons. X A-Grejoined: ''But
we don't stand upon ceremony with
an old friend like you'll must tell you
the truth. We don't dine here to-day.
1 have promised my wife to take her to
the country to dinner.'' rOffenbach
turned a little pale, but he did not show
much enlbarrassment as he stamner-
ed: ssThat's IAN excellent suggestion!'
Mons. " added . Sand YOU IL return
next Thursday to dine with us-won't
youPAits agreed, eh?" Offenbach gasp
ed: "Why, yes-to be sure-to.be sure
that suits me to q T-iust the thing
Just the thing Mons. x did
not wait for Offenbach to end his phrase,
but interrupted him with, J" Goodbye.
Thursday is the day; don't, forget
Offenbach put his gloves into shape,
and as he bowed said, SIZES, Thursday
is the day" Hitherto poor young Ofen-
bach had-may be not breakfasted
every day-at least not gone without
I'dinner-and now he was mehaeed with
seeing dinners become rare as break
fasts. The most terrible Of. all was that,
being entirely withoutcredit, had he al
lowed the people high in position,
whose intercourse he had sought, to
suspect that he had fallen to these
depths of poverty, he would forever
have been a ruined man. Engrossed by
these reflections, .goaded by an appe-
tite each minute sharper, Offenbach re-
covered consciousness only when he
reached Boulevard, des Italiens. He
never knew how he got there. The
restaurants were filled with customers
Jacques Offenbach,s with melancholy en-
w, looked through the windows at
those lucky ones of earth whose chief
care was TO ascertain whether their par
fridge was done brown, and whether
their roast beef was thoroughly cooked
and yet deliciously raw. Offenbach,
for the first time since he reached
Paris, felt his eyes. trimming with an
ger and Indignation. He had, up to
that very hour, believed in his good
luck, in his star, and he was reduced to
die of hunger. Would it not be just as
well to Jump off Point Neuf and into the
river, and there the end of all? While
mentally making fate these reproaches
Offenbach had walked rapidly and had
reached the Passage de FOpera. Sud
denly passer tapped him on the Shout
der and asked: 81 beg pardon, but
have not the honor to address NJ. Of
fenbachP" The hungry pedestrian an
swered Yes, sir. What do you want
of me?" 'ssHere are 81" -Four dol
larsl For whom? For what?" 81
owe your brother 81, and | should be
extremely obliged if you would be good
enough to give them to him =" The
passer made low bow and disappear
ed. Offenbach smiled and said to him
self: 81 know this is all dream, but
l do hope shan't wake before have
dined. . 4 Ten minutes afterwards he
was seated in Cafe Anglais, hobnobbing
with a partridge Che TODD and a bottle
tof St. julien wine AS he quilted the
restaurant with a toothpick in his mouth
he said to himself, 6 knew perfectly
we'll l had a good star" Then he
added: "And now if the dream pass
away and wake | don't care, for Pm