Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-07-13
, TERRIBLE Dl FL.

One August evening | was taking a
s s+roII along the Champs-Elysees, Paris.
!. ras little after nine, and around ME
vas the usual gay crowd OF summer
III Promenaders by the hundred;
4 ,nerry people seated at the little tables
N fr1nt OF the.cafes, talking, drinking,
and chatting. To the right, cafe-con-
cert. its front covered with colored Ian
terns Before me the long Avenue des
Il Cbsmps-E -Elvsees extended, Its hundreds
s. a Iicbts glimmering like glow-worms IN
4 tba dark Suddenly L saw a familiar
face by the light OF a street lamp. 1t
was Gustaye Raisant.
Hello, Major," said 1, extending my
hand. well met
"Ah. is it you?" said, he langmdly.
Il am glad 10 see you.
i His tone struck me. / looked at him
atteutivelv. He seemed to have aged
4 much since | had seen him before
4 Already there were gray hairs showing
4 around his temples. Linking my arm
with his. | said
= Come, lets take 4 stroll.
Willingly
After We had walked some little dis
tance l gave up attempting to make him
4 converse. He seemed entirely destitute
4 Of interest in any topic that L might
bring up. and plunged into melancholy.
Come. come. Gustave," said '.you
i have something on your mind, haven't
yOu?'
He hesitated a moment, but finally
replied
Yes"
"A love affair, III be sworn"
He was silent, and l repeated my some
what brusque remark. There are some
wounds that viii not bear probing.
Suddenly he spoke
Listen, SAID he, ''and / shall tell
4 Won the cause of my melancholy. Per
haps [ am wrong to chafe under 1t as
do; perhaps you may give me some
good advice. In any event | shall tell
YOU nv story. Since / last saw you
there has been tragical event III my
life. Oh, YOU have heard nothing of 1t.
Thanks to the people at headquarters,
the papers were silenced, and won't
bore you-my story isn't long; and, he
added bitterly, Il think ii is interesting.
But II is old-the old story of the parents
sins being expiat9d by the children. y
4 He knocked the ash from his cigar, and
then he slowly told his story
Last June, as you may know, the
reserve forces were ordered out for their
yearly service We had some of them
at Maubeuge. where 1 had been stationed
with the Fifty sixth for a month. One
morning | was about to start for Lille,
on regimental business, IN company with
brother officer of my regiment. We
stepped into large eating-hOuse to take
chop before the train left. 1t was a
very large establishment, with marble
tables around the room, and at one end
was long bar, where those with light
4 purses We're allowed TO take refreshments.
our table was near the bar, and at the
time We seated ourselves there was a
long line of private soldiers and laborers
drinking there. We talked of various
matters, and finally my companion said
Have You the son of any celebrity
among your recruits?
Yes, said l, young Myrian, son OF
the wei-nown printer, is in my COM
mand- And your
Well, have the son of a celebrity,
too, but of different kind 1t is young
George de Ferrisset.'
What, not the son of Madame de
Ferrissetg
1.-The same.
= I,,,c,l,J +
Well, WE'LL So De Ferrisset has a
grown up son, has she? How the time
flies! ! was dreadfully in love with the
woman once, but another fellow won her
not undivided favors.'
And 1, too, replied my companion,
1 was little spooney on her; but then,
you know, | always had scruples about
married women
On, you were wrong, | replied
She was well worth the trouble. And
then poor De Ferrisseti The type of al
ansuspecting husband She had twenty
lovers to my knowledge, and he nevel
knew it.
Il had scarcely finished speaking
when STRIPPING soldier quilted hi,
4 %A-AA lOA LII
lace Was as white as a sheet. His emo
uon was so great that he trembled as h,
walked, with his saber gathering at hi
heels. When he reached our table h,
Slared at me for moment with wild We
hGeciSlye eyes, and raised his hand Il
Strlke me. There was a hurried move
ment, an outcry, and several of the sol
diers around leaped upon him, and he'll
ms hand He struggled for moment
lhe9 was calm Still gazing at me, he
said; In choking voice: She is m,
mother
In moment / realized the hideou
Insult had offered him / tingled wit
shame. What could have possessed m
that morning do not know. No Office
:" gentleman would ever speak i'll of
"oman-least of all in public.
Let him go,'' l cried to the soldiers
said
-. Sir, place myself at your disposi
AT this moment the whistle of th
ppfoachlng train was heard. Ny frien'
iasped my aim and dragged me to tn
station without, where We took the tran
for Lille.
As soon as l could do so, / hastene,
tne general commanding our division
tod HIM all As you may imagine, h
iepnmanded me severely.
What said he, 'an officer of you
rank to babble thus in public, like raw
Doy Just out Of the military school? /
S Z, the fault of the War Department
Ihey should not promote men SO youn,
aS You to positions of Importance
/ privately thought that if 1 ha,