Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-05
NO. 55.
Gales ano Skettbes.
1 DEADLY TECD...l SKETCH.
(Contim ID from Yesterday. }

Then the professor. by special permis-
sion. began his summer.vacation journey
earlier than usual For ten wears Coste
had always accompanied him all through
the vacation. The two had been together
in Paris. in the Pvrenees. in Auvergne,
and in Switzerland Everywhere they
had had delightful times. Now the Pro
fessor iourneved alone He would 90 to
Paris iirst-and thence-hc did not vet
know whittier. Only away from Mont
pelier. He could stand it there no
longer.
The Colonel hidleu behind the curtin.
stood at the chamber window when the
carriage came up before the door of the
next house. His breast seemed 10 be
bound together with cords, His dry eyes
burned like fire as he saw the Professor
feeble and bent leave the house and step
into the carriage. The carriage rolled
away. Coste covered his worn face with
his bonv hands and wept: but he felt
sort of relief in the knowledge that his
lost friend was no longer in his immedi-
ate neighborhood. For several days he
walked in the garden with gloomy
thoughts, disturbed and observed by no
one. Then certain calmness come over
him; one morning. rs soon rs he had
left his bed, he wrote the following letter;
DEAR IsrpoR: | have concluded to
leave Montpelier and 90 to Algiers to
live. There shall find my old regiment
and several old comrades, with whom I
shall stay. They cannot replace what !
have lost. but shall not he so entirely
alone with them rs am here. Before |
go. never to see You again, ! would like
to be with You together once more rs in
the good old times. So | make the fol-
lowing proposition: Write me when
you receive this letter. and give me rem
devious in Paris. Then as two wears ago
we can look around at the sights of the
great city. eat together in the evening and
then wish each other good night, Just as
we used to every evening for ten years
The next morning shall be gone. You
shall then think of me without anger. as
of a departed friend from whom You have
taken leave in peace and friendship; and
you shall he the same as ever to me. My
anger with you lasted only II few days;
since my rage subsidized and came to my
sell have felt them same toward You rs
of old. and remain as of old. and | re-
main even if you do not accep, my propo-
sition, Your true friend
CAsIMIE CosrE."
Old Pascal had given the Colonel
the address of her master in Paris He
had put up at little hotel in the Rue
de Helder. the landlord of which was II
native of Montpelier and at which Costc
and Tisson had previously often lodged.
On the second day after the letter had
been sent to the Professor. the Colonel re-
ceived letter from Paris. He recognized
the writing of his friend at once. and tore
open the envelope with trembling hands.
The letter contained only few hastily
written and almost illegibc lines:
II have sworn never to speak the words
that you would have TO hear in order to
enter my house; but may venture to
write you how hard it has grown for me
to keep my oath. Forgive me the wrong
that did you in anger. | have atoned
for if. and have remained unto death.
''Your faithful old friend. j. r."
The letter dropped from the Colonel's
hands. The air grew black before his
eyes. As soon as he had revived a little.
he fastened to Pascal. She had received
no news from her master, thereupon Costc
telegraphed 10 the landlord in Paris. ask
ing for immediate .tidings about the con
dtion of Professor Tisson, of Montpelier.
few hours later, an answer was received
from Paris Professor Tisson had died
suddenly on the morning of the previous
day he had been found dead in his room
the funeral was to take place tomorrow
the daughters OF the deceased had been
notified of the sad event.
Coste left for Paris that evening and
arrived there few hours after the burial
Of his friend lie met both daughters and
the sons-in-law of The deceased in the ho-
tel. They wore the deepest mourning.
and bore the misfortune that had befalen
them with great dignity. They looked
distantly at the old man who entered their
room unapnounced. in dusty travelling.
suit. and with agitated men and they
gave short precise answers to his ques-
tions about the last moments OF their
father. He had had a stroke Of apo
plexy; he went 10 bed about ten O'Clock
in the evening. well and III good spirits
twelve hours later he had been found dead
in his bed. and already cold. He had
probably passed away at about eleven
O'Clock in the evening-without pain. they
would hope.
Coste asked to be conducted to the new
made grave the next morning. When he
had returned from the graveyard to the
hotel, he learned that the '.ladies and gen.
tlcmen from southern France had already
departed, after they had ordered a ''hand-
some" tombstone to be erected over the
grave Of Monsieur the Professor
The landlord, NJ. Doucet. a talkative
man, had known the Colonel for years,
and usually was glad to converse with
him; but, when the Colonel attempted to
find out from him the particulars of his
friends death, he became reserved and
chary of his words. Costc saw very well
that they were concealing the truth from
him. He wanted to know the facts of the
case. He bribed the waiter who had
charge Of the room in which Tisson had
died. At first the man would say nothing
about it; but, after Coste had solemnly
promised not to betray him, he told him
the following, with frightened face:
NJ. Tisson had arrived five days before,
He looked most pitiably-so melancholy
and weak. lie had gone out but little
had eaten alone in his room and spoken
with nobody in the house. On Friday
evening he wrote some letters, which he
took to the post himself then at about ten
o'clock he ordered tea, and told him (the