Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-01-28
A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.
Alone with a Mailman on the COL
umn OF Vendome.

n visit to Paris. to ascend the Vcndomc
column for the purpose of contemplate
ing the city from lofty elevation. AT
my feet was spread out the busy pam
Drama of the people moving across the
place. or entcringit from the contiguous
streets. the Rues dc Ia Paix and Cas-
uglione.
How long had been there do not
know. for the time passed very quickly,
absorbed as was in gazing at the
points OF interest in the great city; hut
was aroused. after while, by feeling
u gentle tap upon my shoulder.
At this touch, little startled as |
was. | turned and looked behind me.
Near enough to admit ofmy touching
him. had | desired to do so, saw a
man Of grave and somber expression of
countcnance, and with long, flowing,
gray beard.
AL looked at him questioningly, a
smile came upon his face, and for a
momentimparted chccrfulness toit.
Almost immediately upon my obsery-
Ing him he advanced to my side.
Pardon" he said. "for thus inter-
rrp,ng your meditations. You are
stranger to Paris, presumed"
Yes"
can Englishman, pcrhaps"
"No. An American.
"Ah"
Then he gazed at me with what
seemed to me to be curious express
sion in his eyes.
This is favorite place from which
20 view Paris" he continued, in rs
grave manner as had marked his con-
duct from the beginning. IL some
times come here mySelf-that is, when
/ get chance 10 do 50. The streets
are too much crowded for comfort, and
for the streets nothing can be seen;
but up at this height one feels free
free
For an instant, rs the stranger
spoke. a restless CLEAN came into his
eyes; but this passed away almost in
stSntly, and the somber expression re-
gained it, influence in his face.
You. sir" / remarked, after a
slight pause, care, of course, u
Parisian?"
"a, present, yes. have for some
time resided here. and in that sense l
am Partisan. Rather should say,
however. that am cosmopolite."
" Indeed, Then. sir, you have been
n great traveller. doubtless3"
You have surmised correctly, sir"
replied the stranger. - have been
eyerywhere-in every cline, among
every peopler' Then he added, with
a sudden energy that startled me:
"Do look old or feeble, or wasted
with years."
mot at all. sir-not at all. You
appear, on the contrary, to be a very
vigorous man-one. should say, who
could bear a great deal of fatigue"
The stranger shook his head
YEARLY.
And ye' 1 am a very old man."
he replied.
I did not choose to express any
doubt Of what he had Just told me;
but i thought that he was amusing
himself at my expense. As II was, 1
was beginning to feel nervous, situated.
as was, with man whose manner
was, to say the least, unusual.
"You have been traveller" said
20 him, resuming the conversation;
"msy ask You whether you have
ever been to American"
0ften-very often. OF late years,
however, have not been on that con-
tinent / understand that many
changes have taken place in that quar-
ter of the globe"
"You have, doubtless, also visited
Asia and African" / continued.
Those continents, too. have 1 also
travelled. My fate has carried me
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
MAY ask who you are, sir' L
said. curious to know the name OF my
strange interlocutor.
"Pardony' he exclaimed, lifting his
hand deprecatingly. LET my name
be unknown to you"
"As you please. sir" i replied.
pleasantly.
And turned and began once more
to view the city spread out at my feet
A few moments Of silence passed
Then the stranger, who, i knew. was
watching me closely. although was
not looking at him directly-spoke
again.
DO you sec that ancisnt-looking
steeple TO the left Of Us thsre-about