The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-24
UNTO DEATH.

depopulateu. People ate anything thel
could get.
M. Morisot, matchmaker by trade. wal
walking early one bright January morning
down the boulevards, his hands in the pook-
cts of his oyercoat, feeling hungry and de-
pressed, when he unexpectedly ran against
n friend. He recognized M. Savage, Ar
old-time chum of the riverside.
Every Sunday before the war Morisot
used to start at daybreak with his bamboo
fishing rod in his hand, his tin, bait anG
tackle-box upon his back. He used to take
to the island of Maranthe. No sooner had
he arrived Mt the river than he used to be-
gin to fish and continue fishing until even
ing. Here every Sunday he used to meet
nj. Savage, a linen draper from Paris, but
stout and iovial withal, as keen a fisher
man, moreover as he was himself.
Often they would sit side by side, their
feet dangling over the water, for half a day
At a time, and say scarcely q word, yet little
by little they became friends. sometimes
they never spoke at all. Occasionally they
launched out into conversation, but they
understood each other perfectly without
its aid, for their tastes and ideas were the
same.
On a spring morning in the bright sun
shine, when the light and delicate mist
lowered over the river, and these W mad
fishermen enjoyed a foretaste of real sum :
mer weather. Morisot would say to his
%neighbor: ''Hein! not bad, eh?"
And Salvage would reply: II know moth
ing to beat it,"
This interchange of sentiments was quite
enough to engender mutual understanding
and esteem.
r. nu,, k,r,o,J ,-,o,;,~ xvho,, Aho ,ok
ting sun Redeemed the sky and cast shadows
of the t1eeting clouds over the waters: when
the river was decked in purple; when the
whole horizon was lighted up and the fig
ures of the two friends we're illuminated as
with fire: when he russell brown of the
trees was lightly tinged with gold, and the
trees themselves shivered with a wintry
shake, M. Savage would smile at NJ. Mort
sot and say: what a sight, eh?'
And NJ. Morisot, without even raising his
eyes from the float, would answer Better
than the boulevards, heinz
This morning, as soon as they had recog-
nized each other, they shook hands warmly.
quite overcome at meeting again under such
different circumstances.
M. Savage sighed and murmured: "a
nice state of things"
M. Morisot, gloomy and sad, answered.:
"And what weathel! To-day is New Years
day" The sky, in fact, was clear, bright
and beautiful.
They began to walk along, sorrowful and
pensive. Said Moisot: "And our fishing,
eh? What times we used to have!"
Savage replied: when shall we have
them again?"
They went into a little cafe and had a
glass of absinthe, and then started again
on their walk.
They stopped at another cafe for another
glass. When they came out again they
were slightly dazed, like people who had
tasted long and then prrtaken too freely.
1t was lovely weather: a soft breeze famed
their faces. NJ. Savage, upon whom the
fresh air WAS beginning to take effect, sud
denly said:''
Suppose we were to go"
Go where?"
"Why. 6shing.'
But whore?"
"To our island, of course. The French
o~utposts are at Colombes. | know Col.
Dumoulin; he will let us pass though easily
enough"
Morisot trembled with delight at the very
idea. IAN right. ! am your man."
They separated to fet h their rods.
An hour afterward they we're walking
fast along the highroad toward the town
commanded by Col. Dumoulin. He smiled
at their request. but granted it, and they
went on their way rejoicing in the posses
sion of the password.
koDbll iI5N Attu CIOSSbu luO IlueS, DuSSCu
through deserted Co!olnbes and found
themselves in the vineyard leading down to
the liver. 1t was about IL o'clock,
On the other side the village of Agen-
teull seemed as if 1T were dead. The hills
of Orgrelnont and Saumons commanded
the whole coontry round. The great plain
stretching out as far as Nanterne was
trees and stretches of gray soil.
M. savage pointed his finger to the
heights above and said: The Prussians
are up there" and q vague sense of uneasi-
ness seized upon the two friends.
The Prussians. They had never set eyes
upon them, but tor months past they had
felt their presence near, eEcircllng thel,
beloved Paris, ruining their beloved France,
plllaglng, massacring, unsuitable, invincible,
invisible. all-powerful, and as they though
on them a sort of superstitious terror SCENE
to mlngle with the hate they bore their I'M
known conquerors. Morisot murmured:
suppose we were to meet them?' and
Savage replied, with the instructive gal
lantry of the Pnrisian: "Well, we woul,
offer them some of our fish for SUPPER
All the same they hesitatea before ven.
turing into the country, inundated as
they were by the all-peryading silence.
Eventually NJ. Salvage pluckeu up cour
age: Come along: let's make a start. Blu
we must be CAUTIOUS
They went Though the vineyard. ben
double, crawling along from bush to bush
ears and eyes upon the alert.
Only one strlpo ground lay between then
and the river. They began to run, and whel
they reached the bank tho crouched down
among the dry reeds for shelter.
Morisot lald his ear to the ground to listel
iof me sound OF footsteps, but he could bea
nothing They were alone; gradually the
felt reassured and began to fish.
The deserted island of Maranthe hid then
from the opposite shore. The little restau
rant was closed, and looked as if it i'm,
:, been neglected for years.
u. Salvage caught the first pudpeon. M
Morlsot the second. And every minute the
pulled up their lines with a little silver oil
Ject dangling and struggling on tho hook
Truly, a miraculous draught of fishes. A
the 1lsh were caught they put them in a ne
Which tohted IN the water at their feet
They positively reveled in endowment of
V long forbidden sport. The sun shone war;
r upon their backs. They heard nothing
they thought of nothlng-the rest of tn
worln was AZ nothing to them. The, sim
:. ply fished.
t suddenly n smothered sound, ns 1t wer
i Underground, made the earth tremble. Tn
8 guns had commenced firing. Morisc
o turned his head and saw above the bank
!, far away to the left, the vast shadow G
z Mont Ealerien, and over it the whit
s wreath OF smoke from the gun which la
Just been fired. Then II let Of flame burr
8 iorth from the fortress in answer. a momeI
o later ioliowed by another explosion, The
o otners' TIL every second. as it seemed, th
X inouhtaln breathed ont death, and Ii
~ni'e smoke formed q funeral pail above i
NJ ~. savage. shrugged his shoulder
My ~ are beginning again" he said.