Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-21
The COLoHELs VENGEANCE.

public for not having permitted him to re-
tain the grade of Colonel. which he had OBJ
tsired during the war of 1870, the time
at which this triple. plated old warrior
had re-entered the service. The brave fell
low had gone through the campaigns in
Africa, Germany, Italy and Mexico. fight
ing like lion, without receiving so much
as scratch. Unfortunately, he had risen
from tie ranks and was lacking in educa-
ton. so when the day came that officers
were required to be learned, his career was
irrevocaply ended.
He had never been Of an amisble dispo-
sition, but after the two disappointmeats
which had disturbed his life, he became
with everyone-with the civilians, whom
he termed good. for no.hings;" with the
military, whom he regarded IS false bre.h.
rem; with the ladies, who had never
/ oeigued to consider him in earnest; with
the nobility, because he was himself pie.
beian with the common people, because
the Believillois came near shoot ng him
| during the Commune.
But If the war with Germany did not
| give Goudelin the long-coveted promotion,
II gave him modest competence. His
eldest brother, Antoine, rather wealthy
wood merchant of the suburbs of Mans,
died OF fright because the Prussians cane
| near taking him as hostage, and by his
demise the Colonel fell heir to 100000
francs. TIE latter took possession of his
Inheritance (ali the while vUciferating his
contempt for that coward, Antoine), bought
little house at Rockville, which place
suited him precisely, as there was no gar.
/ rison stationed there, and then committed
| the only vexatious act of his life by marry
| ing pretty young girl, well bred, but poor,
in whom he Immediately began. to incul-
cate the three virtues that he himself had
practiced all his li!e-economy. silence and
passive obedience, From which it may
easily be inferred that poor Madame Gou-
delin did not lead very merry existence
No doubt among the young bach
elors of Rockville there were man
who would have wished no more agreeable
| pastime than to enliven the Loneliness Of
SO charming and poorly mated lady. But
the Colonel could not endure "coxcombs,' -
as he called them, and at the mere sight of
masculine vlsage in the slightest degree
suspicious-looking his hoary beard bristled
! like the hair of wild boar which hears a
noise around his lair.
Il know very WE'LL" be used to say from
! time to time, in order that his words might
be repeated, II know very well that these
young fops are only awaiting an oppor-
tunity of fooling me. But they are giving
themselves unnecessary trouble. You
msy tell me that a woman DESTROYS of de-
ceiving her husband generally succeeds.
! Well, would like to see one deceive me !
Much sharper fellows than those dan6ies
have tried to play tricks on me in times
past, but if any OF them ever succeeded in
catching me mapping. let him come and
say so. Rest easy on tina. score; l am
I pretty well posted on campaign service"
| Two yesrs after Goudelin's marriage the
| Count de Seneport was elected sub-Prefect
of Rockville, and in order to make bril-.
| liant debut in Office sent out invitations
for grand ball at which his mother, who
had accompanied him to Rocheviile, was
| to do the honors. A grand ball was an
event that had not taken place at the SUBJ
! Prefecture of Rocheville since the time of
| the beautiful Madame Coste- Locour, who
had shone there during the Empire with a
glory since u known.
| The Colonel's wife had an intense desire
/ to be present at the fete. 1t was one of
those insane notions that sometimes come
to secluded women, traversing the void of
their sunless existence like an unexpected
meteor. But would the old soldier give
his consent to it? 1t was very doubtful.
Would be permit his wife to incur the ex-
pense of rev costume and carriage?
! Above all. would he allow her to display to
! impious eyes those dimpled shoulders, and
abandon to the encircling arm OF the
dancers that lovely and willowy form An
old uncle of Marguerite, her confident and
consoler, undertook the opening negotia.
| tons.
go to the ball of republican sub.
Project" replied the Colonel at the very
! first word. Can you dream of such a
] thing? You know very well what think
| of the Republic"
Count de Seineport republican u re-
| Joined the uncle. Surely you do not be-
lieye 1t r'
"In any case, he is a nobleman," said
| Goudelin. The nobility and l do not 90
| the same road"
True, he is a nobleman, but he has
| made the necessary CONCESSIONS by serving
! the present Government. Moreover, he is
brother. harms, having fought on the
Loire at the same time as yourself"
"a fine "Reminiscences that There are
moments when the uniform and all who
ever wore it seem odious to me. Don't
! talk to me about the army. Everything
| goes by favor there, rather than by merit.
Monsieur de Seineport was Charette
Zouave, but that does not matter. He did
| not even receive the Cross!'
so much the worse! That shows that
| he did not do his duty"
1T is hard to convince you! He was
| thrice wounded at Patay."
POUNDS, man what do you mean? 1
never received scratch. Was 1, therefore,
| poor soldier ?"
This amiable conversation continued
about two hours. Finally the uncle, who
was not Normand without possessing the
strategetic characteristics of bis province,
gained the day. 1t was therefore agreed
that Marguerite should go to the ball, and
that she should receive one hundred
| francs - not one sou more = for all
her expenses whatsoever, with the in
junction that she was to verify every item
and return the surplus, if there were any,
for Goudeiin never allowed his wife to have
ten cents in her pocket. That was part of
his theory in regard to campaign service.
Madame Goudelin was the queen of the
ball. Seineport, who was conaoisseuT of
feminine beauty waltzed with her FIVE or
six times without paying any attention to
hery Goals under his bushy brows. Poor
Marguerite saw them only too well, but she
had resolved Is amuse herself enough that
night to compensate for all the emui of the
rest of her life.
She perceived that her husband was in a
towering rage with her. What would be
his fury if he knew that she had contracted
debt of three or four hundred francs for
her pretty dress, her fine satin shoes, her
openwork stockings, her fan and numerous
other dainty trifles, too numerous to men,
ton For tie poor girl wished once in her
life to satisfy, innocently enough, her nat.
urally elegant instincts-to be, in fact, true
woman
The old soldier never opened his lips
while the railroad omnibus, which had
been pressed into service on this special oc-
casion, brought himself and wife to their
littls house in the suburbs when the ball
was over.
The next day Marguerite. still intoxi.
Gated with the dream of the preceding
night, passed hours in playing over to her
self on her piano, with eyes half closed in
order to seem once more at the fete, the de-
licious wsltzes in which she had swayed on
the arm Of her handsome host. He was,
truly speaking, the first man she had ever
seen in her life. But to whomever might
penetrate the veil of her fancy these visions
were in no wise guilty, and resembled
more the unconscious agitation of the
young boarding-school miss that had re.
ceiyed on the preceding night. IN the mar.