Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-17
"well. what is it about % said Prethi.

"Come," said Vaugiron, impatiently
"don't be getting any idiotic ideas mt
your head. l have nothing to reproacl
her with"
But you have something on you
mind %
Yes, have. am Jealous"
"Ot Maurice Boisgibert ?"
How do you know y
9 know, because | have seen"
SEEM shouted Vaugiron, boundin,
from his seat. Seen seen WHAT haY
you seen p
Come, now, said Perthibaut, don
be getting any idiotic ideas into your head
l have seen nothing alarming. l hav
seen, however, that that young puppy
Boisgibert, is altogether too attentive t
your wife.
Well, that's what wanted to speal
about. The fellow has presumed to ad
dress some verses to her.
g WHAT are they about ?"
What are they about Oh, what al
poets write about-moon on the waves
stars and flowers, gentle zephyrs, angels
gondolas, sympathetic souls, and ali sort
of idiotic things"
4" Naturally, said Perthibaut. "Imighr
have known it. But how did you come tt
see this letter."
"Why, Hortense brought it to me her
self, of course.
eShe did, ell ? Well. lYaugiron, l con
gratulate you on your wife. Now, lister
to me. Win you follow my advice?'
"Bliadly."
Whatever may say or do, you vii
not contradict or oppose me
(" promise,
Every well, then. Young Boisgiber
will not favor us with his company durin.
the shoot ne. season. Here is what yol
must do: Tonight, at dinner, when yor
see me take pinch of snuff, strike tht
table with your fist and say in cayernoul
voice: l would do the same. /"
Hum, said the Vaugiron, "a cavern
GUS voice, pinch of snuff, and blow on
the table. hy-what-how-"
Never mind, said Prethibaut, edo al
l tell you, old boy. and you're all right
That evening there were gathered around
Vaugiron's festive board eight gentlemen
Six vacant chairs showed that the ladies
had left them. Unnumbered empty bot
ties showed that they We're good hunter
and true. But one man had attempted Il
escape to join the ladies. Several timei
had Boisgibert made a move, but Prethi
baut would invariably ask with much kind
ness, care you not we'll this evening, sir 2
so he was forced to remain.
OF all the merry crowd, Prethibaut alon,
seemed preoccupied. There was gloomy
expression upon his face, and 1t finally at
tracted attention.
What's the matter with you tonight
Prethibaut?" asked one of the guests
lyon look as il you were at funeral. +"
. Pardon me, gentlemen" replied tht
gloomy one, there are certain anniversa
ries in mans life-but no, the story il
not pleasant one, u
+" Never mind-what's the odds? Go OF
and tell it anyway, was the cry.
Very well, gentlemen" said Prethi
bault, placing his snuff-box on the table
before him, and gazing on it with deeI
melancholy, 81 will tell you the story
Thirty five years ago to-day was the chic
actor in a domestic tragedy"
You interrupted Yaugiron, you il
domestic tragedy"
For reply Prethibaut ignored his FRIEND
with a violent kick under the table anC
went on:
cat that time I was but %; my life
was peaceful and happy. had VIII,
whom l adored, daughter whom l idol.
lied.
What, you bawled vaugiron.
eyes" went on Prethibaut, giving hin
another kick. g My estate was in the Ar.
dennes, and | was passionate hunter,
Adjoining my property was that of man
little younger than l. He was about the
same age as Maurice Boisgibert here, and
by the way, he much resembled him
Well, we often met; we became friends
He came TO my house, and-excuse me
think of it-he wrote some verses to my
wife.
Well, sought him out. told hin
that one of US must die that, IN order t.
avoid scandal, we would load our pieces
with buckshot, conceal ourselves on botl
sides of trail, and when boar wa
driven by us we would fiTe-but not at tn,
boar.
It was done. Thirty.fve years ag,
to-day we lay crouched there, glariDg a
each other across the trail. We heard tn
boar coming we fired. Whether con
seriousness of guilt had unnerved NJ,
friends hand, or not, do not know, yet
was uniniured. But both loads from IN,
gun struck him, and he fell back, his hea,
and breast pierced with balls, a mangled
bleeding corpse. There is not much NOR
to tell I was arrested, and released, a
on the surface it was accidental. My wifi
died in a mad house, my daughter die,
shortly after, and now l am alone. Cal
you wonder, gentlemen, that l am melan
choly when the years bring around the ia,
on which 1 slew my friend ?"
He shook his head gloomily, and took
pinch of snuff.
vaugiron struck the table violen
blow, which made the glasses ring.
g would do the same, he cried. ''Yo
were perfectly right. I would do tn
same"
At breakfast the next morning it wa
noticed that Maurice Boisgibert was at
sent The host found a note from him a
! his place, however, which he read aloud
IN. Boisgibert has received a lette
which forces him to leave for Paris a
once. Important business. He begs N
! Vaugiron to receive his excuses, and niue
regrets that he cannot remain with tn
pleasant party at the Chateau de Verrieres.
"Well, said Prethibaut, IN whispe
to the host, what did tell you p
Prethibaut, replied Yaugiron, wit
an admiring glance, "what dreadful liza
you are - From the French Of Albert
Secord.
- -
! DISCARD THE PIsToL. used to fet
az times as though here in this Wester
l.nrr1 try ra n.a-.o hnr-inr, ,oroNhrr lnnnsn11