The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-03-02
TWO FRIENDS.
A Pathetic Story Of the Siege OF
Paris.

Dy 1OfCe OF circumstances, was SLrOll-
ing slowly along the outer boulevards.
AS with bowed head and hands thrust
deep in his pockets he walked on en-
crossed in his own sad thoughts, he
suddenly stopped before a man whom
he recognized as an old friend 1t was
M. Savage, whose acquaintance he
had made on the river bank.
On each Sunday before the war Nor
issot used to set out at dawn with a
bamboo cane in his hand and tin box
strapped on his back. He went by the
Argenteuil railroad as far as Colombes,
and then walked to the Isle of Marante
Scarcely arrived at that dreamy place
he would begin to fish, and would stay
there till nightfall.
On each Sunday he used to meet
stout, jovial fellow, M. Salvage, of the
Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, who was
also an enthusiastic fisherman. They
otter passed a half day together, sit
ting side by side, their lines in their
hands and their feet dangling over the
current, and friendship soon sprang
up between them.
On some days they would not ex-
change word with one another, but
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 tinge of sadness
at meeting under such gloomy circum-
stauces. M. Savage sighed and mur-
INJURED:
What condition of things!"
Morissot gloomily replied:
''And what fine weather!'
They began to walk side by side and
Morissot continued:
"And our fishing? How pleasant ii is
to think of it!
NJ Savage demanded:
"When shall we ever be able to go
again?'
They entered little cafe and drank
together an absinthe and then resumed
their promenade along the boulevard.
Morissot stopped suddenly:
Another glass?"
NJ Savage assented:
cat your pleasure, and they went
into another cafe. When they came
out M. Savage exclained:
"Supposing we go?'
'Where?"
''Why, fishing, to be sure"
But WHEREOF
TO our old place. The French ad-
vanced posts are near Colombes. /
know Col. Dumoulin and / am sure
that he will let us pass"
Morissot trembled with anticipation.
"Good!' he cried. 81 am with you,"
and they parted to get their hooks and
lines.
An hour later they were walking side
by side on the highway, and soon reached
the villa in which the colonel had es-
tablished his headquarters. He smiled
at their request and good-naturedly
granted them pass.
by eleven O'Clock they had passed the
outer pickets and Colombes, and found
themselves at the border of small
vineyard that sloped down towards the
Seine.
Before them lay the apparently dead
and deserted village of Argenteuil.
The heights of Orgemont and Sanneis
dominated the landscape, and the
broad plain that extends as far as
Nanterre was picture of desolation
with its leafess trees and gray
stretches of bare earth.
M. Salvage pointed toward the sum-
NIT of the hills. and murmured:
The Prussians are there"
"Eh? Surprising we should meet
them?'
M. Savage replied with that Par
isian joviality which never deserted
him:
I'VE would offer them fried fish,
But still intimidated by the ominous
| silence they hesitated to venture across
| the field At length NJ. Savage 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 to
be crossed. After 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 ear to the
ground for sounds of pursuit, but he
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 op-
posite shore The little restaurant was
closed, and appeared to have been de-
serted for years.
M. Savage caught the first gudgeon,
Morissot the second, and from time to
time they pulled in their lines with a
fish wiggling on the hook
The sun poured its warm rays upon
them, and, absorbed in their pastime
which had been so long denied them,
they soon became oblivious to their sur.
roundings.
Suddenly a dull sound seemed ia
burst from the earth The cannonade
was being resumed.
Morissot turned his head, and away
to the left he perceived the great
silhouette of Mount Valarien, which
bore upon it's brow tuft of smoke
Soon second jet of flame shot out
from the fortress, shortly succeeded by
third intonation. Then others fol
lowed, and at regular intervals the
! mountain sent forth its death-dealine
breath and eXhaled its milky vapors
which, rising slowly in the calm atmos
phere, hung like cloud above it.
NJ, Sauvago shrugged his shoulders.
They are beginning again" he said
-. IL