Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-02
PISTOLS AND CHERRIES.
(CONCLUDED.)

(CONCLUDED.)
With these words he flung his cup up
on the shelf and began to stride up and
down tho room lake a tiger in his cage,
listened to him motionloss and torment
ed by thousand different sentiments
A servant entered and announced that
the horses were ready, Silviopressed my
hand. He mounted little carriage, on
VIII CHI there were two cases, one contain
ing his pistols, and another his baggage.
We said adieu once more and the horses
started.
A few years passed and family affairs
compelled me to exile myself little
village in the district of-Busy with
my own interests did not cease. to sigh
when | thought of the noisy, careless
life that | had hitherto led. What /
found most painful was to aCcustom
myself to pass the spring and winter
evening in complete solitude. Until
dinner-time | contrived to kill time in
one way or another, but as soon as it
began to grow dark did not know
what to do.
At a distance of four versts was a fine
property belonging to the Count b,
but her steward alone was there: the
countess had only lived at the chateau
once in the first year of her marriage,
and then she had only staid a month.
ne day in the second spring ofmy her
mit's life | learned that the countess
and her husband would pass the summer
at the chateau. They arrived, indeed, in
the month of June.
The arrival of rich neighbOr marks
an epoch in the life of country folks. For
my part, | was dying with impatence
to see her the first Sunday of her arrival
! went to pay my respects as being her
closest neighbor and her most humble
servant. AIlacky conducted ne to the
cabinet of the count, which was furnish
ed with the most COnsumate luxury.
The door opened, and ] saw enter a
handsome young man of thirty two
years Of age, who received me in the
most frank and amiable manner. We
were just settling down into easy con-
versation when the countess appeared,
She was really a beauty. The count in
PRODUCED me. wished to assume an
easy air, but the more tried the more
awkward and embarrassed | became. NV
hosts, to give me time to recover myself,
began to talk to each other to show that
they treated me already as a neighbor
and without ceremony. | walked about
the room looking at the books and pic.
lures, am no cOnnOiSeur, but | stopped
before a view of Switzerland, not so
much because | was struck by the merits
of tho picture but because it was pierced
by two bullets, which had evidently
been fired through the same hole, one
after the other.
That was fine shot s9:,i, turning
toward the count.
Yes said he, "a strange shot, indeed,
Are you an adept with the pistol sir 2
TO certain degree replied, de-
lighted to fine some topic of converse
ton within my powers. AT thirty PAGES
| could hit card, of course with pistol
that | knew
Indeed? said the countess, with an
air of interest. And, you, my dear,
could you hit card at thirty PAGES p
We will seo,' said the count. In my
time Twas not bad shot, but | have not
touched a pistol for four years
Then, count said, l dare bet that
you would miss even at twenty PAGES.
Pistol shooting requires constant pratice.
| know it by experience. The best |
over knew used to shoot every day at
least three shots before dinner He
never missed, any more than he missed
taking his glass Of cognac before the
soup
And how did he do it 2 asked the
count,