The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-02-11

MY FRIEND MEURTRIER,
FROM THE FRENCH OF FRANCOIS COP.
5 Is Y. PEE. {. 4
Twas at one time employed in Coy
eminent Office. Every day from 10
until 4 O'clock I became a voluntary
prisoner In depressing office, adorned
with yellow pasteboard boxes, and filed
with the musty odor Of old papers.
There I breakfastcd on Italian. cheese
and apples, which I roasted at the CRATE;
Tread the morning papers, even to the
rtisements;sI rhymed verses, and /
attended to tie affairs Of state to the ex-
tent of drawing, at.!the end Of Each
7 month Month, q salary which barely kept mo
from starving.
I recall to-day one Of my companions
IN captivity at that epoch. He was
called Archille Meurtrier, and certainly
his fierce look and his tall form seemed
to warrant that name. He was great
big fellow, about forty years 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 neckties under rolling
collars. He wore a full beard, long
hair, and was very proud Of his hairy
hands. The chief boast Of sMeurtrier,
otherwise the best and most amiable Of
companions, was to triae with an ath-
.letic constitution, to possess the sbiceps
OF Q prize fighter, and, as he said him
self, not to know his own. strength.
He never made q gesture even in the ex-
ercise Of his peaceable profession that
did not have for its object to. convince
the spectators Of his prodigious vigor.
Did he have to take from its case an
empty pasteboard box, he advanced
toward the shelf with the heavy step of
a street porter, grasped the box solidly
with a tight hand, and carried it with a
stiff arm as far as the next table with a
struggling Of shoulders and frowning of
brow worthy of Milo Of Crotona. He
carried this manner SO far that he never
used less apparent effort even to lift the
highest objects, and one day when he
held in his right hand q basket of old
papers, I saw him extend his left arm
horizontally as if to make counter
poise to the tremendous weight.
I ought to say that this robust crea.
ture inspired me with "a profound re-
spect, for l was then, even more than
to-day, physically weak and delicate,
and in consequence filled with admi-
ration for that energetic physique
which I lacked. +
The conversations Of Meurtrier
were not of q nature to diminish the
admiration with which he inspired
me. Above all, in the summer, on
Monday mornings, when he had re-
turned to tho Office after our Sunday
holiday, he had an inexhmstible fund
of stories concerning his adventures
and feats Of strength. After having
taken off his felt hat, his coat and his
vest, and having wiped the perspira-
ton from his forehead with the sleeve
of his shirt to indicate his sanguine
and ardent temperament, he would
thrust his hands deep in I the pockets
3pf his trousers, nnd standing neal; me
il an attitude Of perpendicular solid
.ity. begin q monologues something as
follows: 5s5 Il IL
hat .. Sunday, my boy! Pos:
lively no. fatigue can lay me up.
Think Of yesterday was the regat.
to at Joinyill e-le-P ont -at 6 o'clock in
the morning the rendezvous at Bercy
for the crew of the Marsouin-t sun
is ,ipwe jump into our rowing suits
and seize tho. oar and give way-one-
two, one-two-as far as JoinvilIe;
then overheard for swim before
breakfast; strip to swimming draw.
ers, a jump overheard, and look out
for squalls. After my bath have the
appetite Of q tiger. Good; seized the
boat BY one hand and I call out. Char.
pentier, pass ME q small ham. Three
motions in one time and / have fin.
ished it to the bone. Charpentier, pass
me the brandy flask. Three swallows
and it is empty Y
81 So the description would continue
= dazzling, Homeric.
The hour for the regatta-noon,
the sun just overhead. The boats
draw up in line on the river, before 8
tent gaudy with streamers. On the
bank the Mayor, with his scarf of Of
fee, gendarmes in yellow shoulder
belts, and . swarm Of summer dresses
open parasols, and straw hats. Bang
The signal gun is fired, the Marsoui1
shoots forward Of her competitors
and gains the first prize. and NJ
fatigue. We dino at Creteil. How
cool the evening in the dusky arbor
pipes glcw in the darkness, anc
moths SINCE their wings in the flame
Of the emelette; an kirsch. AT the enc
Sof q dessert served on decorated
plates, NE hear from the ball room
the call Of the c6rnes I. Take place.
tor thes quadrille! But ALREADY . riya
crew beaten that same morning, ha.