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


A DEADLY FEUD.
From the German Of Rudolph Lindau.l
NJ. Isidor Tisson, Professor of History q,
the University of Montpelier, when be was
sixty-five years old, had one great passion
and one good friend; he collected rare books.
liked to hear himself called bibliophile, and
was bibliomaniac in the fullest sense OF the
word. His friend was the pensioned Colonel,
Casimir Coste, 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 a pious
aunt in Mines, and they knew their father
confessor better than they did their own faith
er. Since their marriage they lived, one in
Mines the other in Lunel. They we're pious,
respected ladies', both of whom fulfilled their
Christian obligations without complaining and
without joyfulness. They held the fourth
commandment sacred, and made their father
regular, formal visits at rather short intervals
always staying but a few hours, and never
spendingthe night in ontpellier-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 as neighbors' children. They had
oech scnoOlLhatesi anu hao pafteu iOr the nrst
time when the seyenteen.years-oldI Iisson was
sent 10 an uncle IN toulouse 10 attend the
Coste prepared himself for an officers exami-
nation in st. Cyr. Then for something like
thirty years they heard as good as nothing
from each other, and had been mutually for
gotten. During this long period n. Tisson
had published several learned works, and had
been appointed professor in his native city
Ooste had Datued win tne bedoulns IN Algiers,
won the cross OF the Legion OF Honor, and at
lAst, IN consequence OF severe wound re-
ceiveu DeIore oeDastoPoi, had been Obliged to
ie'ire from service Inc weary, lonely man
hsd tnerenPon returned to his old home,
when ne had not seen since bis youth, but
ior Which ne mad always ielt longing. There
nc "ouio emu MS RESTLESS anu stormy hfe IN
peace.
Montpelier had changed but little during
.ne long years Oh Oostes ABSENCE Ihe old
lnvahd round once more, IN a narrow, poorly
paved street. the mouse where MS parents had
nv, HNeu ana Where ne was porn and II cnanced
that theIe was htle lodging there TO be let;
IL met ms modest wants ne hlred II, furn-
lshed II simply, and soon TOOK possession.
one september evening as the Colonel was
walking IN the garden, smoking his shortpipe,
ne hearu somebody cailng MS name In way
tnat starued MIN
Casimlr' Caslmir
For iorty years no person had called him by
MS nrst name; 10 his suPeriors and subordi-
mates duIlng tnAt ume, ne had never been any
ihihg out the lieutenant, captain, major, or
Coste Tor his comrades,
simply Coste ne had long since lost his moth
er ana iather sisters or brothers he never
had' he might nave forgotten that he was
named CaglmlF but now aOma nallad iha
OLD, IamlIar name
Casimir Casimr
lie looked around. In the next house, In
the hrst story, an eidevly gentleman stood at
an open WINDOW ana eordlally nodded and
smiled at MN. Ihe Colonel stood a moment
as II petrihed- Ihen he swore mighty oath,
as was usual with him, whether he was glad,
angry, astonished' or bored, and shouted
back
My God, lsidor Is II possible 2
rive minutes aiterward the two were in the
garden together. M. Iisson related how he
had returned from vacation journey that
morning, and that an hour before he had
learned that the new tenant In the neighbor-
ing house was a native OF Montpelier, Col
onel Coste
Il wondered at once II that might not per-
haps be my Old Casimir, and would have
come to you this evening to lind out If had
not seen you IN the garden, and recognized
you at once. You have not changed.
The Colonel laughed SO loudly that the spar
rows IN the trees bew away IN alright. well,
SAID he, that is Just a little exaggerated;
when saw you on in the diligence that was
20 take you 10 toulouse you were handsome,
slender fellow, with some light down on your
upper lip, and with fine, dark, curly hair
now you have attained portly hgure and
have grown gray haired, my old Isidor. And
then was a 'yellow-billed gosling with
clear eyes, strong teeth, lively legs, and
bushy hair that sometimes parted on the
right, sometimes on the left, accordingly as
believed that one way or the other was the
most becoming. Now must have glasses TO
read with, chew like rabbit because l have
lost my back teeth, limp on the right leg, in
which was wounded by the Russians, and
have bald place that cover by combing the
hair from one ear to the other. Really l
resemble the Casimir, whom you recognized,
rs closely as the hen does the egg from which
/ was hatched."
did not recognize you at once p an
'wered the Professor, with friendly laugh
Il would have known you among hundred
thousand and would have said, That is my
Did eomEade, Casimir Ooste.
did hesitate long in calling your name Z"
cried the Colonel.
And the two old gentlemen clasped hands
ior the twentieth time, and laughed with
ears in their eyes, and for ten minutes neither
would allow the other TO come TO word.
Then followed short questions and quick an
Iwers
Are you married|