Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-03-18


ment had taken possession Of the entire
French people. The two friends we're both
attacked by It. The glad, contented spirit of
the last years had vanished for them. They
touched not a card in the club, and the
'maip' balls lay covered with dust in a cor
ner. They studied the newspapers with fe-
verish curiosity and tireless attention made
stragetic plans and discussed them with So
robustness and zeal as II armies would obey
their decisions against all probability hoped
for sudden turn in the fortunes of the war
and did not despair TO the last, for it seemed
to them impossible that France, the beauti-
full mighty country, could be overthrown in
battle by any other nation and they felt as
il dashed TO the ground when their eyes were
opened to the simple terrible truth, ana they
saw clearly and plainly that France had been
beaten and had placed herself at the mercy
of the victors. For days they walked togeth-
er in silence and gloom, more closely united
in sorrow than they had been in the peaceful
calm Of the past years. But despite their
age they had, to a certain degree at least, re-
tanned the elasticity Of spirit Of their south
ern countrymen, and they soon reused them
selves out Of the heavy, speechless sadness in
which they had lived for a while. Only a
great bitterness, q diseased irritability, re-
mained and manifested itself in frequent out
breaks of rage against tho real, and also the
supposed, originator Of the misfortune under
which they suffered in common with all pat
riots
Then the papers brought the news that a
revolution had broken out in Paris, and that
the communists had seized the reins of gov
ernment. The friends received the tidings
rather indifferently at first. The wounds in
Aicted by the foreign foe were still so fresh
that, 10 a certain extent, thev were insensi-
bic to all other pain. But after several weeks
their attention was attracted more aud more
toward the civil war. 1t was now the main
topic Of universal discussion the interest in
the struggle for Paris, where Frenchmen
fought against Frenchmen, rose above ev-
erything else.
1t was June 3, 1871, six oclock in the even
ing. The day had been oppressively hot
black, gloomy thunder-clouds had overcast
the sky, and they threatened every moment
TO burst in tempest The air was sultry,
dread.inspiring.
The Professor paced uneasily to and fro in
his dining-room, and waited for the Colonel
TO come to dinner. The latter was q quarter
of an hour late. He had lot Of half-opened,
crumpled newspapers in his hand, and he
threw them on the table. He looked pale
and agitated.
II waited for the arrival of the Paris news.
papers said he. Read It is fearful, un-
heard of, incredible"
Tisson took the newspapers and glanced
through several Of them.
Pascal had brought on the soup, and the
full plates stood steaming hot before the old
gentlemen but neither of the two thought
of touching them. The newspapers told
about the barbarities of the communists of
the destruction Of the Tuileries, of the Hotel l
de Vile, OF the palace of the Ministry, of the
numbering Of the prisoners, Of the raging |
street conflicts, and, at tho same time, of the
fearful bath of blood that the Versailles |
troops had caused among ''the enemies of So
ciety."
Tisson looked up with cleaning eyes, and
said God be praised The good cause has |
1T might have triumphed with less pitt |
lessness," answered Coste frowningly
''You are not making yourself an advocate |
Of the communists, that bloodthirsty band OF |
robbers and thieves ?" cried Tisson.
NO, not that" answered Coste, pale and |
"But they might have proceeded |
with more humanity. Fifty thousand-Tis-
son, only think what that means-ffty thou
sand unfortnnates--the newspapers say So
fifty thousand human lives have been sacr-
feed. Fifty thousand-oh horrible They
spared neither women nor children they |
strangled and murdered them as il they were
lighting wild beasts"
"And they did well :" cried Tisson. ''They
did have wild beasts to fght!' The scum OF
humanity, robbers, murderers, bandits, in
cendaries They should not have let sin
gle one of the good-for-nothing rough-sculT
escape"
''Tisson, Tisson consider what you are
saying You are talking about Frenchmen
about children Of our own race, about
80 Va,,,. k-otl -, 10 49,, iii, NJ - l..
God! 1 have nothing m common with
knaves and cut-throats -
Neither have l."
Yes! For you venture to defend them !"
Venture, Tisson Y-Tisson, you are not in
your right mind when you talk TO me in that
way"
"Yes am in my right mind and 1 tell
7ou, in full and bitter earnestness, it is dis
graceful for you TO say a word in defense of
he Commune. You should be ashamed Of
of yourself Coste !"
Take that back, Tisson! Take that back,
'r, by by" .,o,,, :. ..,..,., >, ,.,,...,,,
Bah! For shame!"
At this the Colonel struck the table with
,linched fist, so that the dishes and glasses
,lattered. And then he rose, and, deathly
oale, with red, glowing eyes, he swore a ter
ible oath, that he would never again sit at
hat table, never again enter that house, un-
il Tisson begged his forgiveness for the
wrong he had done him.
And declare, without the utterance of
many blasphemous words" said the Profess
or, with sudden calm, but Just as pale and
rembling as his old friend, THAT the words
'ou wish to hear shall never pass my lips"
Tho Colonel neared the door, took hat and
ane without looking back, and vanished.
Cisson heard his imping, heavy step upon
he stairs, heard the door open, and close be-
lind him-and then ali was still as death.
For three days the Colonel and the Profess
or cherished their bitter resentment; then
heir rage had spent itself and they under
TODD what they had mutually lost. The
oneliness in which they lived became a he'll
o them. Coste did not venture to leave his
ooh for fear of meeting his old friend the
after sneaked like thief out of the house
Vhen his official duties compelled him to go
ut and still the two old hearts longed with
II their power TO be reoonciled again. But
hat was impossible. Hundreds of times
hey reheArsed in their minds the unhappy
Gene which parted them; they recalled eV-
ry word, every look
"He should not have insulted me in his
wn house. at his own table, f." said the Colo
el to himself. And he felt that his honor
Tould not allow him to take back the oath he
ad sworn.
"An the blame is on his side" said the Pro-
essor to himself. "How could he have at
smpted to defend the greatest evil-doers the
'orld ever saw" And he thought with q
hudder that he had solemnly vowed that the
Tord should never pass his lips TINT Coste
nust hear from him in order to enter his
ouse again.
One morning old Pascal came to the Colo
el.
Monsieur Colonel" she lamented, 'what
ave you done to my poor master He hard
! touches his food now he sleeps no more
q sits all day long in his room without look [
ng at book, without touching pen, and he
ill see nobody and speak with nobody he
] wearing himself away; he is perishing 1
Ionsieur Colonel, what have you done to {
i'm Save my poor masterl"
The Colonel was liz no way too proud 10 [
Xix with old Pascal as with AN equal. He |
Did her all HAnd Vou see Pascal " ha end. | .