The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-07-09

hOIu Ou lAtiC- osliSi tAO NOAChNi,
s'that ere cigar is lit"
Certainly it is" gasped Foulon, his
lips quiyering in spite OF himself
Well" said the Colonel with grin,
..you bent such darned fool as to put
a lighted cigar into keg Of powder,
be ycu? When WAS you born?'
Sir" replied the lieutenant, yainly
endeatoring TO hold the cigar motion
less in his shaking hand. - have given
my word that il l lost the toss-up
should put this lit cigar"
Hold on; you didn't say lii"
"Weil, the cigar L was smoking"
''Put it out them
''Sir, you have run the risk that l
ran. have lost, and | but do as you
would have done. Twill put this lighted
cigar into this bung-hole-"
Put in the chawed-up end, ther."
You insult me again, sir!'
"Bless your heart! You fire up a
darned sight easier than this ere pow
der ever will. Do you think that
would put the burning end of a cigar
into the bung-hole OF q key full of pow
der? Great Jerusalem?"
81 have told you again, and l repeat
it, that you are no gentleman. But /
| am a man of honor. Bah! You shall
see me die as one. | keep my prom
ise.''
Foulon slowly advanced the burning
cigar toward the opening in the keg
beneath.
go away here, you shall be kill!'
shouted Vicaire to the Colonel; but the
latter remained quietly beside the vic
tim. Nicaire covered his face with his
hands, and waited for the awful mo-
ment which was to blow his friend to
atoms. There was dead silence, and
then slight hiss was heard. Vicaire
looked up. Foulon, his face purple
with rage, was holding his cigar, after
repeatedly poking it into the bung-hole.
The Colonel was one broad grin.
''ls this POWDER" asked Foulon.
Tooth powder" answered the Co.
lionel; "cost almighty"
But" said FouIon, shaking with
rage instead of fear, IF you had lost
the toss-up our keg was full of gun
powder. What thcn?"
I'D have put the cigar out BEFORE l
put it in," said the Colonel.
"Ahn' murmured Foulon.
''Or stuck in the chewed-up end. Hold
on to the terms you know"
Foulon calmly walked to his carriage
He and Vicaire hoisted in their keg of
gunpowder and followed it themselves.
''Sir!" shouted Foulon to the Colo
mel, Il said you were no gentleman. l
say now you are a coward. "
The Colonel smiled.
For three days the friends walked
about Paris and saw both Foulon and
Nicaire several times. They were not
posted in the cafes, for the Frenchmen
feared the storm of ridicule which a
knowledge of the grotesque duel would
bring upon them Neither were they
horsewhipped, for Nicaire argued that
they would probably retaliate, and in
such a case the whipping would be on
ly modified form of the duel la clup
rempli.
On the fourth day after this "duel"
the three friends happened to be on one
OF the large and beautiful steamboats,
carrying excursions down the Seine.
Colonel Skerrett, like a consistent Yam
kee, was in the pilot house, watching
the working OF the wheel. He came
down afterward and sauntcrcd back to
where his two friends were standing.
Near them were no less individuals
than Foulon and V.icaire. Neither par
ty addressed the other. The boat was
in the middle of the river. For long
distance on either side the banks were
straight, and the tide was flowing di-
rectly down the middle channel. Sud-
denly arose a cry of fire. \ wild stam-
pede of passengers in the bow OF the
boat was made toward the stern, and
Foulon, who was standing near an
opening in the railing was thrown from
his balance. AS he was falling over
board the Colonel stretched out his
long arm, grasped him by the collar
and pulled him in again. The French
mans hat had fallen off The Colonel
picked it up, and with friendly smile
handed it to his late adversary. Fou-
Ion cOlored UP and said eagerly:
Colonel Skerrett, l beg your pardon.
You are gentleman"
In the meantime the panic increased.
All the bow OF the boat was in bright
blaze, and the fire reached the pilot
house. The pilot rushed out with
singed beard and eyebrows, and the
boat slowly driftcd down the stream.
The colonel caught hold of the pilot
and dragged him to Foulon.
SIT" said he, ''.sh this here fellow
which bank is the safest to land on,
anu tell me"
lie says the right one," answered
Foulou. But the boat can not be
n!aua%ud. The wheel must be on fire" +"
Without a word of reply the Colonel
Plowed his way through the shrieking
crowd, leaped up the steps of the pilot
house and seized the wheel. There he
stood. the flames roaring about him, the
crowd shrieking beneath him. steadily
steering toward the right bank. Fou-
Ion shudGcred at the exhibition of SIM
pie, superhuman courage. The bank
was reached. The crowd, selfish and
crazed with fear, rushed to land. The
Major and the Captain struggled up
the burning steps OF the pilot-house,
followed by Foulon and Vivaire. They
dragged the Colonel out through the
flames, bore him to the bank, and ap-
piled restoratives. He was less injured
than might have been supposed, and at
length opened his eyes.
.'Oh, Colonel Skerrcttr' cried Fou-
Ion, with tears in his eyes, your par
don, Your pardon! You are a brave
man and man of honor"
THE Colonel" said Captain Picker
ing, can swim like an otter. He could
have crossed the creek hundred
times without stopping"
Fists" said Major Marsh, s.are no
weapons, perhaps. Well, pistols are.
The Colonel can knock the center of a
tiye-cent piece spun in the air at fifty
yards"
Il will never fight duel again,
murmrred Foulon.
..And / cever call one man ze cow
ard for not Gght Of ze duel, said
Nicaire.
is all the women safe?" asked the
Colonel. Frederick ". Auory, IN The
Inter Ocean.
4 curious denizen of the deep was