The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-03
STORY OF A POTATO.

Mile Aglae, milliner by trade, was
sitting one fine Sunday morning BY the
open window peeling potatoes. The win
dow was on the fifth floor and looked out
on the Rue Lepio. Suddenly one " the
potatoes slipped through her fingers, drop
ped over the edge Of the window sill and
disappeared into space. 1t fell with bang
upon a gentleman who was passing be-
meath and made deep dent in his elegant
silk hat.
This gentleman, who had only Just been
to pay bill at his hatters, was seized
with sudden and uncomfortable fury.
He glanced UP at the house, and, seeing
window on the fifth story shut down
hurriedly with bang, he forgot every.
thing in his rage and made rush for the
front door, opened 1t, tore through it and
ran precipitately up stairs, with no other
intention than making the guilty person
suffer for his clumsiness.
1t took him but two seconds to reach
the landing on the second floor when i
door suddenly opened and person rushed
out il a great hurry and fell heavily into
his arms
The two men eyed each other for mo.
ment with angry and astonishet looks.
ready to abuse each other, when both ST.
mplltaneously uttered an exclamation Of
surprise. q T.
s.Xnatolel' % i
"Edgarl"
Anatole Baudruche and Edgar Briche-
ton were two old college chums They had
not met since the day when they took their
bachelor Of arts degree together, 10 years
before. In spite of this long interval in
their intercourse they found on the occa
sion of this sudden meeting that they had
very little ready change of conversation
Edgar was tho first to speak.
Say, your hat looks very pretty he
said
"Do not speak OF it, It has just served
as a target for a potato that fell from the
fifth story
And now you are going up stairs to re-
store the potato to its owner? That's very
nice of you"
''Not by any meansl I'm going up to
charge the clumsy devil with his crime,
try to make him pay for new hat. -
We'll, so far as that is concerned, you
might as well tackle corpse
And why, ifyou pleased"
Because old Bidoche is an old hedge.
hog, who will kick you down stairs, even
if he opens the door to you at ALL
''Old Bidoches"
tiYes, the man you are aftnt, for 1t chr
bs n6pether thar he, All the tenants iii
the building are always having trouble
withahin,. One mlkhtfthtsk that he maids
aHpointgto be as dfsagfseab16' to every one
as he'possibly can 's'sf ma 90
l'sThen do you live III this housss' z
EtLN5 t..% ,,s,,xit 4s.,sa a..l
scarcely day passes without her having d
scrap Withhold Bidoche. Ifyou will allow
me, i will go up with you. Two heads are
better than ono in a matter like this. %
So Edgar and Anatole went up another
three flights together and stopped outside
a door through which came softly the
sounds Of a inelodious musical instrument.
This is the rooln, = said Edgar.
He's practieing on the bassoon."
With these words he pulled the bell, and
the bassoon suddenly ceased. Then the
shutting of feet was heard and there,
framed in the doorway, stood little old
man with d benevolent, smiling face and a
large sized bassoon resting across one arm.
what do the gentlemen desire2" asked
the little old man. st
I'M. Bidoche,'' replied Edgar eyes,
the wretched Bidoohe," added Anatole,
shaking his ruined hat in one hand and
with the other placing the potato on the
| tip Of the musicians nose"
I'm. Bidoohe?' replied the old man po-
litely. II do not know him. Inever heard
| of him.
whats thate What's that?' cried Ed.
gar. "Are you trying to deceive usp''
''Not at ALL" answered the old man
quietly.
f'There must be mistake somewhere.
| My name is Molesquin. I am the sole
| bassoon in the orchestra of the Theater des
| Gobeline, and moved in this morning. u
''Just QUE luck" cried Edgar. .'Bi.
| doche must have moved OUT
"tThen," continued Anatole "you are
not the man who threw this potato on my
hatS''
II only eat green vegetables" answered
| Molesouir. Nevertheless, il the gentle
| men will come in for a short while. I will
| play them my pSft in the Tour de Nesles.
| There are some interesting passages in it. -
| Anatole and Edgar did not like to refuse
and went into the old musicians room
| Molesouin gave them seat and some Gig
| arettes, and then, going up to his music
| stand. he played through for their benefi,
| the whole Of the first bassoon part in the
s'Tour de Nesles.
| Edgar made brave face over it. while
| Anatole sat at the window with his potate
in hi4 hand and scarcely able to contain
his impatience.
Suddenly the musician struck falls,
note. II increased Anatole's iYnnat,enc,
SO much that he gave Jump and IN Sc
doing allowed the potato to slip from hi.
fingers. 1t rolled over the window sill ant
with hop disappeared into the street be
low. -
When Mile Aglae dropped her potat,
into the street, she was overcome witt
fear She hurriedly shut her window. st
that in case there there. had lad been e, an accident n,
one would suspect her. Then she sat dow1
and Quietly awaited the turn Of svents
What, then, was her terror when She hsart
steps coming mp the stairs--the steps O
men, Of s two men !, heavy and loud
They're polioemsn,' she thought, and a
: the thepGht her LITTLE heart began to Boz