The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-08-05

"Of course, since | ask it,
"But that does not follow any more
than you do. People are always asking
advice they rarely follow it. Last year
In this very month"; and where we now sit,
you asked my opinion as to whether you
should marry. advised you to live and
die bachelor. Well, three months after
that had to pretend to be glad when /
saw you hauged-I mean married"
Vaugiron viciously kicked a pebble on
the gravel walk before him."
"Well, what is it about?" said Prethi-
baut.
Naugiron paused while. Well
said he, reluctantly, sits about my
wife"
"What, said Prethibaut, ALREADY ?"
"Come," said Vaugron, impatiently,
don't be getting idiolic ideas into your
head. l have nothing to reproach her
with
but you have something on your
| mind"
"Yes, | have. am jealous
"Of Maurice Boisgibert'
''llow do you know p ....
81 know, because | have seen"
''Seen,' shouted Vaugiron, bounding
| from his seat. 'Seen seen What have
you seen?"
"Come, now," said Prcthibaut, ''don't
be getting any idiotic ideas into your head.
| have seen nothing alarming. have
seen, however, that the 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
| poets write about-moon on the waves,
stars, and flowers, gentle zephyrs, angels,
| gondolas, sympathetic souls, and all sorts
of idiotc things"
Naturally said Prethibaut. 81 might
have known it But how did you come
to see this letter?'
"Why, Hortense brought it to me her
self, of cor g.
"She did, eh? Well, Vaugiron, | con
gratulate you on your wife. Now listen
to me. Will you follow my adyice?"
"Blindly.'
"Whatover may say or do, you will
not contradict or oppose me?"
81 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, wher
you see me take pinch of snuff, strike
the table with your fist, and say, in ;
cavemous voice: Il would do the same.
"IIum," said Vaugiron, "a cavernou,
voice, apinch of snuff. and blow OF
the table Why-what-
"Never mind, said Prethibaut; ''do az
l tell you, old boy, and you're all right.
That evening were gathered arounC
Vaugron's festive board eight gentle
men. Six vacant chairs showed that tn,
ladies had left them. Unnumberet
empty bottles showed that they wer,
good hunters and true. But one MAJ
had attempted to escape and Join th'
ladies. Several times Boisgibert made
move, but Prethibaut would invariabl,
ask, with much kindness, ''Are you no
well this evening, sir?" so he was forcet
to remain.
| OF all the merry crowd, Prethibau
alone seemed preoccupied. There was
gloomy expression upon his face, and i
finally attracted attention,
"What's the matter with you tonight
Prethibaut ?" asked one of the guests
"you look as if you were at funeral
"Pardon me, gentlemen" replied tn
gloomy one, ''there are certain anniver
saries in mans life-but no; the stor,
is not pleasant one"
"Never mind-what's the odds? G,
on and tell it any way" was the cry.
"Nery well, gentleman" said Prethi
baut placing his snuff box on the tabl
before him, and gazing on it with deel
melancholy, 81 will tell you the story
Thirty-iiye years ago to-day | was tn
chief actor in domestic tragedy"
"You" interrupted Vaugiron, "you il
domestic tragedy"
| For reply Prethibaut favored hi
friend with violent kick under the tabl
and went on:
, SAT that time | was but twenty five
my life was peaceful and happy, l had
wife whom / adored, daughter whom
idolized"
what you!" bawled Vaugiron.
"Yes,' went on Prethibaut, giving hin
another kick; "My estate was in tn
, Ardennes,a and was a passionate hunter
: Adjoining my property was that of
man little younger than |, He wa
about the same age as Maurice Boisgibcr
: here, and, by theway hemuch resemble
him. Well, We often met; we becau
a friends. lie came TO my house, and
gentlemen, but my blood boils when
1 think of it-he wrote some verses to n,
, wife"
S "Wcil I sought him out. told hi
that one OF us must die; that in ordert
Il avoid scandal, we would load our pec
n with buckshot, conceal ourselves on bot
sides of the trail, and when boar WI
$ drivenby US we would iire--but not at Il
c 'boaI