Wichita eagle., 1888-02-02
BIGEARD'S PIPE.

ago. Perhaps it is not the fashion now; but
at the date speak of, when had just turned
my l4th year, to smoke possessed the sweetest
allurement Of forbidden fruit | pinned for
the real weed and genuine pipe, one that
would do honor to its possessor, a pipe arts
tic, superb and Oriental; in short, such one
as / saw between the lips of the notable
smokers of the quarter.
One of them above all others excited my
admiration and covetousness 1t was the
property of merchant by the name of Big
card, and his shop stood face to face with
our house in the Rue de Bourg
Every day when the diligence arrived from
Paris would see this man, expensive, round
and jolly, seated beside his door watching the
passing of the post and always surrounded
with a cloud of floating aromatic smoke
Even in the afternoon, when the streets were
full of busy workmen, he would still be seated
in the same place digesting his dinner with
frequent aEd copious draughts from his pipe.
This pipe was to me a wonderful affair, a
perfect marvel, in fact, with its long and
curving stem of cherrywood its golden bowl
Of sea foam and its gorgeous silver mount
ings. | was never tired of gazing upon it
and at night of dreaming of it.
Long since retired from active business
my grandfather now employed his time in
cultivating small truck patch in the rear of
the house. | was badly spoiled by him and
by my aunt Honorine, but not with the con-
sent Of my father. He believed in the Spar
tan fashion of bringing up children, and
snubbed me roundly for the smallest pecca-
dillo. Detesting idleness in every form,
3igeard's eternal smoking and interminable
,rora no vi rfro l;,,,
but he would only shrug his shoulders and
mutter again: Twill end wrong-end
wrong: be sure of it,"
Well, it did end wrong, as my father had
so often said it would, for one morning on
awakening the first thing I saw across the
way was not, as usual, Bigeard baskng in
the sunshine, but a big yellow bill pasted
upon the shutters of the windows, which
were closed
Bigeard had failed, and the yellow poster
was the announcement of the judicial sale of
the unfortunate merchants goods and furni-
ture. 81 predicted it, knew how it would
he, my father cried, not without a shade of
satisfaction in his tone, land it come. from
tobacco, the cafe and those abominable
loungings. 1t should serve thee as warn
ing, Claude Bigeard has run his career; he
is HnlSneu, lOsu, bankrupt.
From the way my father pronounced the
word bankrupt one could feel all the scorn
and disgust which the title inspired in this
correct and vigilant tradesman. As for me
l confess that | was far more concerned in
the fate of Bigeard's pipe than in the mans
misfortunes, but dared not say so openly
Would the pipe be included in the sale, I
wondered, or would he be allowed to keep it
as bit of consolation? l fairly fumed to be
over there, and would have given worlds to
attend the general auction sale, but unfortu-
nately it was to take place during school
hours and Grandfather Pechion would allow
no evasion of duty.
The frenzy regarding the fate Of the pipe
possessed me for about week, and then began
to pass away. One morning as was return
ing from the college | turned into the street
of the Jews. l wished to look into the win
dow of the second hand dealer, Miroufie.
The dustySplendor of that den of brio -a-brac,
the dilapidated armchairs, the many colored
heaps of cast off clothing, the lowered china,
the stuffed BIRDS amused my verdant SIM
plicity, and | never failed to stop there.
had scarcely glanced at the window, how
ever, when | received violent shock Be-
bind the glass, between an antique dial
plated clock and Straushu-g soup toureen,
reposing on a bed Of soft, pink cotton | per-
ceived the pipe, that magnificent pine of the
bankrupt Bigeard 1t was impossible to be
deceived; | knew it instantly by the COR
geousness of its mountings, its dainty cherry
wood stem and bowl of golden seafoam, sur
mounted by its silver cover
Then il had been included in the sale, and
the beggarly old second hand dealer had
bought it in. / did not stop to wait or think
l simply plunged into the shop where
Miroufe, in his wooden tricot and rabbit skin
cap, sat working on pair of rusty tongs.
The pipc!" gasped; ''the pipe-is it for
talel How much do you want for it,"
Miroufle turned his head and devoured me
with greedy eyes.
BAH" said he at last. "What matters it
TO you, urchin' 1t isn't for your nose; it is
too dear, too dear entirely. But the price
well, the price is twelve francs-not CEN
time less. 1t is.the real seafosm and sweet to
Gmol1e-sweet as honey; see'--and Mirouhe
held it ont for my inspection My heart
beat, my eyes sparkled; but twelve francs!
Why, hadn't as much as twelve sous.
'rll stop again." / stalnmered; II pass
frequentiy-Illr return"
Return" sneered Miroufle; ''return-yes,
Of course you'll return on the week of Thurs
days; but come, come all the same;;n and
turning his back upon me Miroule resumed
his polishing Of the tongs.
Ny desire for the pipe as time passed on
became stronger and stronger: it worried me
by day and was my constant dream BY night
Safe at the house Of the old Jew had only
TO place my twelve francs in his hands to
have ii belong 70 me. But where could lind
such a sum ali at once: Nv father only gave
me fifty centiines week for pocket money:
even with the most prodigious economy
could not for months and months accumulate
such fortune as twelve francs. In the
meantime some one with pockets better filled |
than mine would carry OF the prize
Oh, if l could only smoke that golden sea-
foam once-could only have that pine in nv |
pocket to draw forth and flourish triur- |
phantly in the faces OF my comrades! What |
satisfaction / should feel; what prestige il
would give me, and how my schoolmatea |
would almost burst with envy. But how
were the twelve francs tc be gottent
turned the problem in my mind as sitting |
IN the room behind the shop I iabored pain /
fully over my Latin verses. At this moment /
Grandfather Pechoin. who had been sitting /
beside me, rose from his chair and prepared |
10 60 into the garden-his usiaI habit or |
hour or so before dinner-''to get up an ap- |
petite" Laying aside his spectacles grand !
father took off his cont and vest and Went /
out in his shirt sleeves TO hoe and dig at his !
ease in the warm rays of the June sun. By |
some mischance, after his departure, in lift |
ing the dictionary | managed 20 upset the |
chair and tie waistcoat fell to the floor with |
. rafting noise. There was money in the ,
pockets! Tremblingly | lifted the garment |