The morning call., 1890-09-28
THE ABSINTHE DRINKER
He Is Described by Francois
C0ppee.

Every evening when he left his office he
went into filthy little cafe On Rue du Four.
He would go and seat himself upon bench
in the back of the room, in the darkest cor
ner, as if ashamed; and would ask in a low
tone for his first glass of absnihe. His first!
Yes, for he drank two, three even. He
drank them in little sips, feeling slowly rise
within him the cerebral rapture of the pow
erful liquor. Let those who are happy
blame him if they Will 1t was there, lean
ing upon the marble table, looking at, with
out seeing her, through the pyramids of
lump sugar and bowls of punch, the lady
cashier with her wel-oiled hair reflected in
the glass behind her-it was there that the
inconsolable widower found torgetfulness
OF his trouble. 1t was there that for one
hour he lived over again his former happi-
ness.
For by phenomenon well known to
drinkers OF abslnthe, he regulated and gov
erned his intoxication and it gave him the
dream he desired.
Boy, one glass of abSinthep'
And once more he became the young hus-
band who adores his dear Lucie and is
adored by her.
1t is winter, he is seated in the corner by
the fire, and before him, sitting in the light
reflected by green lamp shade upon which
dark silhouettes of jockey-riders are run
ming at full speed, his wife is busying her
self with some embroidery. Every few
moments they look at each other and smile,
he over his book AMI she over her work; the
lover never tired OF adIniring Lucie's deli
Cate fingers. Sne is too pretty! Suddenly
he falls at her feet slips his arm about her
waist, and gives her a long kiss; then,
overcome with languor he puts his head
upon his beloved's knee and hears her say
to him in a low voice: THAT is right! Go
70 sleepl" and her soft hands lightly stroke
his hair.
They are in that beautiful field filed with
flowers, near the woods in Verriers, upon
line Jane afternoon when the sun is low.
She has made magnificent bouquet of field
flowers. She stops every few moments to
add cerGflower, and he follows, carrying
her mantle and umbrella. How beautiful
summer Is and how good it is 10 Lowell They
are little tired; for during the whole of
this bright Sunday they have wandered
through the meadows. 1t is the hour for
dinner, and here is n little tavern under
some lindens where the whiteness of the
They choose a table and order their
repast of a mastached youth. While
waiting for their soup. Lucie rosy from
being out all day IN the open air and
silent from hunger, amuses herself in look
Ing at the blue designs on the bottom of
the plates, which represented battles in
Africa. What joyous dinner! There were
mushrooms i'll the omelet, mus hroomS,in the
stewed kidneys, mushrooms n the tilet But
so much the better! They are very fond
OF them. And the good winei But the best
time of all is the return through the country
at night the exquisite odor Of new-mown
hay, the road lighted by summer sky
where the whole zodiac wrinkles, and
through which, like a silent stream. the
'Chemin de saint jacques" rolls its diamond
smoke.
" Another glass of absnthe, boy-one
more!'
And the unhappy man would forget for a
few moments longer that he ought to 90
back to his lonely lodging, where the servant
had laid the table some time before, and his
little son awaited him. yawning with hunger
ana reading a book placed beside his plate
He forgot the horrible moment of returning,
when he would try to hide his intoxicated
condition under a feint of bad humor, and
when he would seat himself at table without
even s5ing Amedee, In order that the child
should not smell his breath.