Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-05-21
A MELOMANIAC.

-Elld Lyle III 0OOu I1OuStkttplUSs
A MELOMANIAC.
The pupils Of the Polytechnic school Of
France have queer way Of expressing the
fact that one of their number has become
deranged. They say Of the afflicted man
that he is transferred to the thirteenth"
for 1t is statistically true that every thir-
tenth man succumbs to the severe mental
strain required for successful completion
of the prescribed course. Rene Tavernier
graduated at the head of his class and was
consequently free to embrace the civil ca
reer. To every ones surprise, he preferred
to enter the artillery. In all scientific re-
quirements he ranked pre-eminent, but his
records for military tactics and horseman-
ship were deplorable, as was also his want
Of neatness and discipline. He would ap-
pear on parade without collar or minus
his buttons, which usually only chung to
him by thread. He would answer roll
call long after the drum had ceased beat
ing and then wonder why his appearance
should create such a disturbance.
In his opinion the captain had queer
way of instructing the men.
I'M. Tavernier, you will report for two
days under arrest. Return to the line. You
do not know your lesson
Permit me to remark, captain, that
this is hardly the way to teach 1t to me-"
"You may take four days more"
Delighted, captain, to see that you ap
preciate the justice of my remark"
Why this singular fellow had chosen .
military career was a mystery to his COM
panions, who even then considered him
tsslightly off,
Once assigned to regiment, matters
were infinitely worse. Arrests rained upon
his Indifferent head, for he whiled away
his hours Of captivity by solving intricate
problems destined for publication, works
which gained for him complimentary let.
tiers from the leading mathematical lights
of Paris.
When I met Tavernier, he was with the
Eighth artillery, stationed at Metz He
seemed placid enough but his wide open
eyes had somewhat restless glance, and
his ecoentricities had already become pro-
verbal in the regiment.
He occupied an apartment consisting OF
a small bedroom and an enormous parlor,
scantily furnished with a grand piano
placed between the two windows and a
round table In one corner. This arrange
ment Of things removed all useless obsta-
cles which Tavernier might have encoun-
tered in his endless walk up and down.
On the table were invariably placed bot
tie of absinthe, ono of sirup, a decanter OF
water, glasses and plates heaped with
sweets and cakes. His orderly had instruc-
lions to replenish these provisions every
morning, for each afternoon they were con-
sumed by o bevy Of pretty actresses, chorus
girls and ballerinas, whom the "crazy cap
TAIN" as they called him, invited to a Ave
o'clock"
These ladies, in more or less startling
gowns, seemed to enjoy these gatherings,
where they dissected their neighbors' rcpu
tations, chartered, nibbled cakes and i'm
bibed sweet wines, while their host, hands
clasped behind his back, walked through
the long extent Of the room.
In summer he wore long coat of light
| figured MATERIAL in winter, q wadded silk
| kimono. Turkish shoes curved up at the
toes and smoking cap jauntily poised
upon the back of his head completed his
singular attire.
I Passing by each group he had word
for each fair friend. Dear lady, why die
you not come yesterday was so uneas!
about you" my dear, you are positively
bewitching in that hat" Couldn't per
suade my charming friend to nibble just
| one more little cake9" etc. Then, relaps
ing into his habitual silence, no woult
| continue his walk, completely absorbed II
thought.
| Nothing ever occurred at these somewhat
| equivocal gatherings that would not have
been considered perfectly correct in thu
best society Only once the usual calm wa
disturbed by little variety actress, who
+ In spirit Of fun, had brought Turkish fe'
! with her. As the captain passed her sh'
whipped of his cap, and substituting thu
fez exclaimed, Behold the pasha!"
A general laugh greeted this sally. Tav
ernier, at first surprised at this lack OF re
spect, tore of the offending headdress. H,
grew pale Such terrible expression crep
into his eyes that the light hearted culpri
trembled in fear, and her companions nj
longer laughed.
At length, pointing to the door, Taver
nier Numbered forth these three words
which sounded like an anathema from
heaven:
Leave my presenceV
At the stroke Of Tavernier brusquely
stopped in his walk.
my dears, said he, ut breaks my hear
to interrupt your conversation, but an
forced to beg for five minutes silence"
He opened the window, sat down befor
the plano, played for two or three minutes