Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-08-31

were on the ground Each party had
brought its powder-keg along. The
major and DR.. Niciare tossed up. The
major won.
Foulon turned ghastly pale, but walked
firmly to the keg which the Americans
had brought and sat down on it, 1t was
an ordinary cider keg. and Major Marsh
knocked out the bung. All then retired
to a safe distance except the colonel,
who remained standing by Foulon's side
The latter, down whose Gvid face the
sweat was rolling, took his cigar from his
mouth and advanced it, still glowing,
toward the open Lung-hole.
"Hold on there" said the colonel,
''that cigar is lit"
Certainly it is" gaspcd Foulon, his
lips quivcring in spite of himself.
well" said the colonel, with a grin,
''you are not s2ch fool as to put a
lighted cigar into keg of powder, are
you? When were you born!"
"Sir," replied the lieutenant, vainly
endeayoring to hold the cigar motionless
in his shaking hand. 81 have given my
word that if lost the toss,up l should
put this lit cigar"
"Hold up; you didn't say lit"
"Well, the cigar was smoking"
''Put it out then"
"Sir. you have run the risk that ran.
have lost, but do as you would have
done. l will put this lighted cigar into
this bung-hole-"
Put in the chewed-up end, then"
"You Insult me again, sir!"
"Bloss your heart You fire up a
sight easier than this powder ever will.
Do you think that | would put the burn
ing end of a cigar into the bung hole of
a keg full of powders"
81 have told you again, and / repeat
it, that you are no gentleman. But IL
am a man of honor. Bah! You shall
see me die as one. keep my promise"
Foulon slowly advanced the burning
cigar toward the opening in the keg be-
meath.
"Go away here, you shall be killed"
shouted Vicaire to the colonel; but the
latter remained quietly beside the vic
tim. Vicaire covered his face with his
hands, and waited for the awful moment
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, alter repeatedly
poking it into the bung-hole. The Col
onel was one broad grin.
''Is this powder2" asked Foulon.
"Tooth POWDER" answered the col
onel; "cost heap"
"But, " said Foulon, shaking now with
rage instead of fear, ''if you had lost the
toss up our keg was full of gunpowder.
What then?"
"Td have put the cigar out before l
put it in" said the colonel.
'Ah!" murmured Fouon.
Cor 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 colonel,
81 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
Vicaire several times. They were not
pOoLSu III IllC SdlCSs lNl
feared the storm of ridicule which a
knowledge of the grotesque duel would
bring upon them. Neither were they
horsewhipped, for Vicaire argued that
they would probably retaliate, and in
such case the whipping would be only
a modiform of the duel a Ia club rcmpl.
On the fourth day after this, duel" the
three friends happened to be on one of
the large and beautiful steamers carrying
excursionists down the Seine. Colonel
Skenett, like consistent Yankee, was
in the pilot house, watching the work
ing of the wheel. He came down after
ward and sauntered back to where his
two friends were standing. Near them
were no less individuals than Foulon
and Vicaire. Neither party addressed
the other. The boat was in the middle
of the river. For Il long distance on
either side the banks were straight and
the tide was flowing directly down the
middle channel. Suddenly arose cry
of fire. A wild stampede of passengers
in the bow of the boat was made toward
the stern, and FoulGn, who was standing
near an opening in the railing, was
thrown from his balance. AS he was fall
ing overheard 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. Foulon
colored up and said eagerly;
Colonel Skerrett, | beg your pardon.
You are oentleman -
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
drifted down the stream. The colonel
caught hold of the pilot and dragged
him to Foulon.
"Sir." said he, task this here fellow
which bank is the safest to land on, and
tell me-"
"He says the right one," answered
Foulon. "But the boat cannot be man-
aged. 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 shore. Foulon
shuddered at this exhibition of simple,
superhuman courage. The bank was
reached. The crowd, selfish and crazed
with fear, rushed to land. The major