The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-02-03
TWO FRIENDS
a Pathetic Story OF tho Siege of
Paris.

A Pathetic Story Of tho Siege Q
Paris.
One clear morning IN January-tha
terrible January during the siege
when famine vas knocking at the yer.
gates of Paris-M.. Morissot, q clock
maker by trade, but rendered an idle
by force of circumstances, was stroll
ing slowly along the outer boulesards
As with bowed head and hands thrus
deep in his pockets he walked on en-
crossed in his own sad thoughts, h
suddenly stopped before a man whom
he recognized as an old friend. 1t wa
III. Savage, whose acquaintance b
had made on the river bank.
On each Sunday before the war Nor
fssot used to set out at dawn with
bamboo cane in his hand and a tin boz
strapped on his back. He went by thu
Argenteuil railroad as far rs 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 1
stout, jovial fellow, NJ. Salvage, of the
Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, who wa:
also an enthusiastic fisherman. They
OTTER passed a half day together. sit
ting side by side, their lines in theil
hands and their feet dangling over the
current, and . friendship Don sprang
up between them.
On some days they would not ex.
change word with one another, bu,
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 atinge of sadness
ut meeting under such gloomy circum-
stauces. NJ. Savage sighed and muir
INJURED:
"What q 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 ig is
to think of i'll"
NJ. Savage demanded:
when shall we ever be able to go
again?'
They; entered q little cafe and drank
together an absinthe and then resumed
their promenade along the boulevard.
Morissot stopped suddenly: :
Another glass?"
NJ. Savage assented:
AT your pleasure" and they went
into another cafe. When they came
put NJ. Salvage exclaimed:
"Supposing we go?"
"Where?"
"Nhy, fishing, to be sure"
but where?"
ITO our old place. The French ad-
Sanced posts are near Colonies. ]
know Col. DumOulin and ! am sure
that he will let US pass"
Morissot trembled with anticipation.
Good" he cried. II 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 500 reached
the villa in which the colonel had es-
tablished his headquarters He smiled
at their request and good-naturedly
granted them a pass
BY eleven o'clock they had passed the
pickets and Colonies, and found
themselves at the border Of O small
that sloped down towards the
Before them lay the apparently dead
and deserted village of Argenteuil.
The heights of Orgemont and Sanneis
the landscape. and. the
broad plain hat extends as far as
Nanterre was a picture of desolation
its l~ea1ess trees and gray
stretches of bare earth.
NJ. Savage pointed toward the sum-
nit of the hills. and murmured:
The Prussians are there"
'Eh? Surprising we should meet
them?'
NJ. Savage replied with that Par
isian joviality which never deserted
I'VE woul1 offer them q fried fish"
But still inundated by the ominous
silence they hesitated to venture across
The field. At length NJ. Salvage de-
:ided:
Come! Come!" And STOPPING down
they crept through the vineyard, dodg-
ing from bush to bush, straining their
yes and ears to detect the slightest
suspicion of pursuit
A stretch of bare ground remained to
be crossed. After a long hesitation
hey summoned their courage, and run
ming at full speed attained the river
and concealed themselves among
The dry reeds.
Morissot listened with his ear to the
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 !
shut out the view of the OPP
shore. The little restaurant was
.losed, and appeared to have been de-
fer years.
NJ. Savage caught the first gudgeon,
Norissot the second, and from time to
lime they pulled in their lines with q
wiggling on the hook.
Inc u pOurcu lCS WdTm rays upon
hem, and, absorbed in their pastime
which had been SO long denied them,
hey soon became oblivious to their sur
-oundings
Suddenly a dull sound seemed to
from the earth The cannonade
being resumed.
Morissot turned his head, and away
the left he perceived the great
ilhouette of Mount Valarien, which
,ore upon its brow a tuft of smoke.
soon a second jet OF flame shot out
rom the fortress, shortly succeeded by
third information. Then others fol-
owed. and at regular intervals the
sent forth its death-dealing
and exhaled its milky vapors
which, rising slowly in the calm stmos-
here, hung like q cloud above it
NJ. Salvage shrugged his shoulders
They are beginning again." he said.
Morissot who was anxiously watch
ny his float, was suddenly seized with
he anger of q peaceful man whose
aim is disturbed, and grumbleG
'Isn'tait stupid to kill one another
Ike that?'