The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-03-17
MY FRIEND mEuRrRIER.

/.
/ vas AZ Ohe time employed in q
governmentotiice. Every day from
10 until 4 o'clock | became vol.
unIary prisoner in a depressing
Office, adorned with yellow paste.
board boxes and filled with the
musty Slor Of old papers. There
| breakfasfed on Italian cheese and
apples which ] roasted atthe CRATE;
! read the morning papers, even to
the advertisement; Irhymed verses,
and l attended to the affairs Of
state TO the extent Of drawing, at
the end Of each month, a salary
which barely kept me from starv-
ing.
/ recall to day one Of my com.
panions in captivity az that epoch.
He was called Acbille Meuririer,
and certainly his fierce look aud
bis tall form seemed to warrant
that name. He was a great, big
fellow, about forty wears old with.
out too. much chest or shoulders,
but who wore felt hats with wide
brims, short, but ample coats, large
plaid trousers, and red neCties un.
der rolling collars. He wore a full
beard, long hair, and was very
proud Of bis hairy hands. The
chief boast Of Menttrier, otherwise
the best and most amiable of com.
panions, was to lrife with an ath.
letic constitution, to possess the
biceps of q prize fighter, and, as he
said himself, not to know his own
strength. He never made a ges.
ture, even in the exercise of his
peaceable profession that did not
have for its object to convince the
spectators of his prodigious vigor.
Did be have to take from its case
an empty pasteboard box, he ad.
vanced toward the shelf with the
heavy step Of u street porter, grasp.
ed the box solidly with u tight
hand, and carried it with a still
arm Us far as the next table with u
struggling Of shoulders and frown.
ing of brow worthy of Milo OF Gro.
tona. He carried this manner SO
fur that he never used less appar
ent effort even To lift the lightest
objects, and one day when he held
in his right hand a basket of old
papers | saw him extend his left
arm horizontally as if 10 make a
counIerpoise to the tremendous
weight
l ought to say that this robust
creature inspired me with a pro.
found respect, for l was then, even
more than to day, physically weak
and delicate, and in consequence
filled with admiration for that en-.
ergetiC physique which 1 lacked.
The conversations Of Meurtrier
were not Of a nature to diminish
the admiration with which he in
spired me. Above all, in the sum.
mer, on Monday mornings, when
he had returned to the Office after
our holiday, he had an inexhausti
Die fund Of stories concerning his
adventures and feals of strength.
After having taken off his felt hat,
his coat, and his vest, aud having
wiped the perspiration from his
forehead with the sleeve of the
shirt to indicate his sanguine and
ardent temperament, he would
thrust his hands deep in the pock.
cts Of his trousers, and, standing
near me in an attitude of perpen.
dicular soIidity, begin q mono.
lOgue something follows
"What a day, my boy! Positively
no fatigue can lay me up. Think
of it. Yesterday was the regatta
at Joinville.le.Pont. AT 6 o'clock
in the morning the rendezvous at
BerCy for the crew of the Marsouin;
the sun was up; we jump into our
rowing.suits, and seize the oar and
give way--one.two-one two--as
far as Joinville; then overheard for
a swim before breakfast; strip to
swimming drawers, a jump over.
board, and lookout for squalls
After my bath | have the appetite
of a tiger. Good. J seize the boat
by one hand, and call out, "Char.
pentier, pass me a small ham,"
Three motions in one time, and /
have finished it to the bone.-
"CharpenLier, pass me the flask"
Three swallows, and it is empty"
"The hour for the regatta-noon,
the sun just overhead. The boats
draw up in line on the river before
tent gaudy with streamers. On
the bank Of the mayor, with his
scarf Of Office, gendarmes in yellow
shoulder.bells and n swarm oT sum.