Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-28
dreaming, sir" retorted Prethibaut! 81
smoke like chimney, sir" and lighting
u larger cigar, he pulled defantlw

smoke like chimney, sir" and lighting
a larger cigar, he pulled defantly
At the expiration of ten minutes the
two gentlemen were 80 shrouded in
smoke that they could not see across
the compartment.
But all things have an end. The
train at last reached the expected sta
ton, and there was Vaugiron's carriage
awaiting them. A brisk drive of q few
minutes across the country, and they
were at Verrieres.
AS they descended in the court yard,
Vaugiron advanced. He pressed Pre-
thibaut warmly by the hand, greeted
Bosglbert with less warmth, and babe
the servant show the latter gentleman
to his room.
CAS- for You, my old friend" said he
to Prcthibaut, ''come into the garden,
and let us seat ourselves over there in
that summer house. | have something
! want to say toyou. want to ask your
advice"
"But will you follow t"
"Of course, since ] ask it,
''But that does not follow any more
than you do People are always asking
advice; they very rarely follow it. Last
year. IN this very month, and where we
now sit, you asked my advice as to
whether you should marry. | advised
you to live and die q bachelor. Well,
three months later, / had to pretend to
be glad when ] saw you hanged mean
married"
Vaugiron vigorously kicked q pebble
on the gravel walk before him.
"Well, what is it aboutr p said Pre-
thibaut.
Vaugron paused for while, "Well,"
said he, reluctantly, ats about my
wife"
"Whatw said Prethibaut, "already "
Come" said Vaugiron, impatiently,
"don't be getting any idiotic ideas into
your head. have nothing to reproach
her with"
"But you have something on Your
mind ?"
eyes, / have. | am jealous"
"Of Maurice Boisgibert."
GLOW do you know 7"
"Come, now" said Pretbibaut, "don't
be getting any idiotic ideas into your
head have seen that young puppy,
Boisgibert, is altogether too attentive
to your wife"
"Well, that's what wanted to speak
about. The fellow has presumed to ad-
dress some verses to her."
what are they about"
"What are they about' Oh, what all
the poets write abOut-mOon on the
waves, stars and flowers, gentle zephyrs,
angels, gondolas, sympathetic souls, and
ill sorts of idiotic things"
"NaturalIy," said Prethibaut. ~
might have known it. But how did
you come to see this letter3'
"Why, Hortense brought it to me her
self, ofcourse."
"She did, ell? Well. Vaugiron, | con,
gratulate you on your wife. Now, lis.
ten to me. Will you follow my advice'
"Blindly."
"Whatever | may say or do, you will
not contradict or oppose ne"
II promise"
every well, then. Young Boisgibert
will not favor us with his company dur
ing the shooting season. Here is what
YOU must do: Tonight, at dinner
when you see me take pinch of snuff
strike the table with your fist and say
| in q cavernous voice; | would do thu
same.'
"Hum," Esaid Vaugiron, "a cavern
Gus voice, q pinch Of snuff and blow OF
the table, Why-what-hOw-"
"Never mind" said Prethibaut, ''d'
as | tell you, old boy, and you're al
right"
That evening there were gathered
around Vaugiron's festive board eigh
gentlemen. Six vacant chairs Shove,
that the ladies had left them. Unnum
bered empty bottles showed that the,
were good hunters and true. But OIL
man had attempted to escape to jcil
the ladies'. Several times had BOisgi
bert made move, but Prethibaut woul
invariably ask with much kindness
care you not well this evening, sir :
so he was forced to remain.
Of all the merry crowd, Prethibau
alone seemed preoccupied. There wa
gloomy expression upon his face, an
| - E,,1l,- a +fro cta1 attention