Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-22

they grew into that perfect under
standing which exists between per-
sons who have similar tastes and who
experience similar emotions
The two friends shook hands cor
daily, but both felt tingc of sadness
Mt meeting under such gloomy circum-
stauces. VI. Savage sighed and muir
mured
what a condition of things"
Morissot gloomily replied:
"And what fine weather."
They began TO walk side by side and
Morissot cont nued:
And our fishing? How pleasant IL is
TO think Of III"
NJ. Savage demanded:
when shall we ever be able to 20
again2'
They entered u little cafe and drank
together an absinthe aud then resumed
their promenade along the boulevard.
Morissot stopped suddenly:
Another glass2"
NJ. Savage assented:
AT your pleasure" and they went
into another cafe. When they came
out NJ. Savage exclaimed:
"Supposing we go?'
"Where?"
"Why, fishing. TO be sure"
But where?"
"To our old place. The French ud-
vanced posts are near Colonies. !
know Col. Dumoulin and nm sure
that he will let MS pass"
Morissot trcmbled with anticipation.
Good" he cried. II am with you,"
and they parted to get their hooks and
lines.
An hour later they were walking sidG
by side on the highway, and soon reached
the villa in which the colonel had es-
tablishcd his headquarters. lie sm led
at their request and good-naturedly
granted them pass.
By eleven o'clock they had passed the
outer piekcts aud Colombes, aud found
vineyard that sloped down towards the
Seine.
Before them lay the apparently dead
and deserted village of Argcnteuil.
The heights OF Urgcmont and Sannes
dominated the landscape, aud the
broad plain that extends as far as
Nanterrc was u picture Of desolatiun
with its leaflcss trees and gray
stretches of bare earth.
NJ. Savage pointed toward the sum
init of the hills, and murmured:
The Prussians are there"
"Eh2 Surprising we should meet
them?"
NJ. Savage replied with that Par.
isian joviahty which never deserted
him:
I'VE would offer them fried fish. "
But still inundated by the ominous
silence they hesitated TO venture across
the field At length NJ. Salvage de.
cided;
Come! Come" And STOPPING down
they crept through the vineyard, dodg.
ing from bush TO bush, straining their
eyes and ears to detect the slightest
suspicion of pursuit.
A stretch Of bare ground remained "a
be crossed. After "a long hesitation
they summoned their courage, and run.
ming at full speed attained the river
bank and concealed themselves among
the dry reeds.
Morissot listened with his car to the
ground for sounds OF pursuit, but lac
heard nothing, and upon this assurance
of their safety they began to fish.
Before them the abandoned isle OF
Marante shut out the view of the OPP
posite shore The little restaurant was
closed, ana appeared to have been dc.
serted for years.
NJ. Savage caught the first gudgeon,
Morissot the second, and from time t.
time they pulled in their lines with O
fish wiggling on the hook.
The sun poured its warm rays upon
them, and, absorbed In their pastimC
which had been 80 long denied them
they soon became oblivious to their sur
roundings
Suddenly n dull sound seemed tC
burst from the earth. The cannonad'
was being resumed,
Morissot turned his head. and away
TO the left he perceived the grea
silhouette Of Mount Valarien, which
bore upon its brow tuft Of smoke
Soon second jet of flame shot GU
from the fortress shortly succeeded by
third intOnation. Then others fol
lowed, and ut regular Intervals tn,
mountain sent forth its death-dealnj
breath and exhalcd its milky vapors
which, rising slowly in the calm atmos
phcre, hung like n cloud above it..
NJ. Savage shrugged his shoulders.
"Thcy are beginning again. he said
Monssot, who was anXiously watch
ing his float, was suddenly seized wit,
the anger of peaceful man who's
calm is disturbed, and grumbled;
Isn't It stupid to kill one auothe
like ihatY'
~. savage replied:
"Ihcy are worse than tho beast
themselves"
And MOrissot, who had just pulled Il
another fish, declared;
"And 20 think that this sofl OF thin
will continue as long as there are gov
ernments.n
NJ. Savage stopped him.
THE republic would not have d,
clared war" but NJ. Morissot inter
rupted him, saying:
"Nith kings you have external wal
with republics you have internal wars.
Al l. Al.