The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-02-12

~ tue OuSVetSuty OI I 0btSs We Vet0
gay set. who frequented the restua-
rant of my esteemed friend Adolphe
Bauleau. who has now been dead
come Eve years
Poor Adolphe! The politest Of
Frenchmen and most obliging Of
landlords; his wines were always
good and his dishes unexcepti0nable.
Peace to his ashes! ! we'll remember
the last dinner l took at his house, not
20 much from the delicacy Of the
viands and the perfection Of the cook
ery, which latter exceeded anything
in the Quarter Latin. as from IN &C.
currence of which Was an unwilling
spectator, and to q certain extent .
participant in.
1t was the last day Of my university
life; and in commemorative of three
years Of companionship with some Of
the noblest hearts / had ever met. ]
gave an entertainment to my init.
mates, and Bauleau's was the place
selected for the meeting. Our party
consisted of but twelve. myself in.
cluded; and 6o'clock was the hour
named for sitting down IL the table.
At $50 We were mostly all Assem-.
bled, as I had specially insisted on
punctuality, and no Gne wished to
disappoint me. The intervening
moments passed quickly away in
pleasant chat concerning the manifold
incidents of our student life-forever
oast on my part-until the hours Of
the clock proclaimed the hour appoint
ed, at which instant the head-waiter
entered the apartment and announced
dinner. Upon counting noses. We
found there vas but one absentee,
Victop Lemoyne: and a. be was
generally behind-hand in everything.
was not much surprised, although q
little vexed.
"Well." said Jules Laroque, "are
We to wait for Lemoyne until the soup
gets cold :"
"By no MEANS" replied Maurice
Delavigue. "Victor Lemoyne merely
stays away to be consistent. Were he
to arrive in time his reputation for
tariiness would be lost"
There was q general laugh at this
SALLY, which,. however. had hardly
died away when the door opened, and
in stalked Lemoyne, and with him .
stranger, a young man of about his
own age, whom he introduced as the
Count de Vautrin. There was no
necessity for further delay. and We
Immediately adjourned to the dinner
table. which / had ordered to be set in
the second-story back room over
leaking the garden, where our festivity
would not he interrupted bv the noise
and hustle of the street. We reached
the room, and had all taken our seats.
with the exception Of Maurice Della
vigne, who remained standing, and
with good reason, too-every place
was occupied.
"How now. waiter" exclaimed he.
with mock gravity; IAN l to eat on
my feet:"
ga mistake Of mine. monsieur" re-
sponded that worthy functionary, 81
thought had covers, for twelve"
$50 you did," answered Maurice.
"but there are thirteen of US"
The fresh cover was brought.
Delavigne ensconced himself snuxly
upon my left, the dinner then pro-
ceeded.
Frenchmen are the most companion.
able fellows in the world. and by the
time the second basket of champagne
had been opened, no happier party
could have been found within the
walls Of Paris, As the liquor began
to take effect, the fun became fast
and furious.
Al first We contented ourselves with
singing and shouting. but gradually
becoming more and more reckless. We
threw the fruit, Of which Adolphe
had provided a plentiful supply, At
the pictures which adorned the walls.
Finally. Delavigne leaped upon the
table with a champagne bottle in
each hand, and commenced q wild
extravagant dance. in which he Was
joined by several Others. while the rest
INDUCED in the same fantastic gvra-
tons upon the floor, yelling all the
time at the top of their voices.
It was at this moment that Bauleau
(the landlord) entered. He said
nothing about the destruction of his
china and pictures, for which be knew
he would be paid, but he besought us
in the most heartrending tones to
moderate our glee. The gendarmes.
he said, would be in the house in FIVE
minutes, and after arresting US, would
revoke his license.
The poor fellow was actually pale
with fright, and heated as I was. /
deemed it my duty to second his ex.
hortatioa. and had already begun.
when Maurice Delavigne. with an air
of drunken gravity perfectly irresis-
tib!e, advanced to the side of the
trembling Ronitsce, and seiziug him
by the ear with q firm hand. led him
to the door. and having placed him
outside. locked it, and put the key in
his pocket. Poor Ado;phe piteously
murmured something about his wife
and children. as he was being elected,
The little episode which have just
described had the effect of momen-
tarily arresting our frenzy, and when
Delavigne returned to the table, and
demanded our attention, there vas .
profound silence.
Gentlemen" said he, 'are you
aware Of the superstition which attach
rs itself to dinner party Of thirteen?"
No one spoke, and he continued:
at is this, that before the year Is out,
one Of the number will die q violent