Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-03-03
Gales anb Skettbes.
A DEADLY FEUD.-A SKETCH.

NJ. Isidor Tisson, Professor of history al
the University of Montpelier, when he
was sixty-five years old. had one great
passion and one good friend he collected
rare books, liked to hear himself called
a bibliophile, and was biblioManiac in
the fullest sense of the word. His friend
was the pensioned Colonel Casimir Co:te.
whose age was the same as his own.
NJ. Tisson had been a widower for
thirty years His two daughters had.
after the death Of their mother. been
brought up by pious aunt in Mines, and
they knew their father-confessor better
than they did their own father. Since
their marriage they lived. one in Mines,
the other in Lunel. They were pion=. re-
spected ladies. both Of whom fulfilled
their Christian obligations without COM
planning and with ioyfulness. They held
the fourth commandment sacred. aud
made their father regular, formal visits at
rather short intervals always staying but
few hours, and never spending the
night in Montpelier disturbing in no
way the careful order prevailing in the
old professors house.
The Colonel was an old bachelor.
Isidor and Casimir, sixty years before,
had played together "a ncighbor's chill
dren They had been schoolmates, and
had parted for the first time when the
seventeen year old Tisson was sent to an
uncle in Toulouse TO attend the university
there for several terms. while Young
Coste prepared himself for an officers cX-
animation in St Cyr. Then for some
thing like thirty wears they heard nothing
from each other. and had been mutually
forgotten. During this long period VI.
Sisson had published several learned
works, and had been appointed professor
in his native city Costc had battlcd with
the Bedouins in Algicrs, won the cross of
the Legion of Honor, and ut last. i'll con-
sequence OF a severe wound received be-
fore Sebastopol had been obliged to re-
tire from the service. The weary. lonely
man had thercupon returned to his old
home, which he had not seen since his
youth. but for which he had always felt a
longing There he would end his rest
less and stormy life in peace.
Montpelier had changed but little dur
ing the long years of Coste's absence.
The old invalid found once more. in a
narrow, poorly paved street, the house
where his parents had lived and where he
was born; and it chanced that there was
a little lodging there to be let; it met his
modest wants he hired it. furnished it
simply. and soon took possession.
One September evening rs the Colonel
was walking in the garden. smoking his
short-pipe, he heard somebody calling his
name in way that startled him;
''Casimir' Casimir.
For forty years no person had called
him by his first name To his superiors
and subordnates. during that time. he had
never been anything but the lieutenant.
captain. major, or leutenant-colonel
Coste for his comrades. simply Coste :;
he had long since lost his mother. and
father, sisters or brothers he had never
had. He might have forgotten that he
was named Casimir; but now some one
called the old, familiar name
.'Casimir, Casimir,'
He looked around In the next house.
in the first story, an elderly gentleman
stood at an open window aud cordially
nodded and smiled at him. The Colonel
stood moment rs il petritied. Then he
swore mighty oath, as was usual with
him. whether he was glad, angry. as
tonished. or bored. and shouted back:
"My God, lsidor Is it possible -
Five minutes aiterward the two were
in the garden together. VI. TIsson re-
lated how he had returned from Il vaca-
ton journey that morning. and that an
hour before he had learned that the new
tenant in the ncighboring house was a ma
tive of Montpelier, a Colonel Coste.
81 wondered at once il that might not
perhaps be my old Casimir. and would
have come to YOU this evening to find out
if had not seen YOU in the garden, and
recognised YOU at once. You have not
changed
The Colonel laughed so loudly that the
sparrows in the trees flew away in alright.
WELL" said he. THAT is Just little en-
aggerated; when saw YOU off in the dill
ligence that was 10 take YOU to Toulouse
YOU were n handsome. slender fellow.
with some light down on your upper lip.
and with fine. dark curly hair; now you
have attained portly figure and have
grown gray-haired. my old Isidor. And
then was Il 'yellow-billed gosling' with
clear eyes. strong teeth. lively legs. and
bushy hair that sometimes parted on the
right. sometimes on the lett, accordingly
as | believed that one way or the other
was the most beco ming. Now | must
have glasses to read with. chew like a
rabbit because | have lost my back teeth.
limp on the right leg, in which was
wounded by the Russians. and have u bald
place that cover by combing the hair
from one ear to the other. Really re-
semble the Casimir, whom YOU recognized
as closely as the hen does the egg from
which it was hatched."
"Did not recognize you at once?' ans
wered the Professor. with friendly
laugh; "lwould have known you among
n hundred thousand and would have said
That is my old comradc. Casimir Coste. "
did | hesitate long in calling your
name p'' cried the Colonel.
And the two old gentlemen clasped
hands for the twentieth time and laughed
with tears in their eyes. and for ten min
utes neither would allow the other to
come to n word. Then followed short
questions and quick answers:
"Are YOU married."
mo. And YOU p"
II have been widowcr for thirty
years"
children ?'
Two married daughters.
Here in Montpelier"
mo: in Lunel and Mines Shall YOU
stay in Montpelier ?''
10 be sure. And vou?"
al Am "A Professor at TN, university :.