The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-11
rhey were exciting general admiration,

they were exciting general admiration,
and the moreI gazed at them the more
did my desire take the shape of a fixed
purpose. / determined to have one or
two. But how? The walters kept a
watchful guard over this rare and cost
ly delicacy. host having reserved
for himself the pleasure of offering his
peaches to certain guests. From time
to time, at a sign from my chief, the
butler would daintily take one, cut it
with a silver knife, and present the two
halves ON o Sevres plate to the desig-
mated person.
I watched this performance greedily,
and with fear saw the pyramid fall in.
However, the contents of the basket were
not exhausted. Perhaps the order had
been strictly executed; perhaps the
peaches had been arranged with fore
thought. At any rate, when the ban
q~ueters, recalled by the orchestra g play
ing aprelude, hurried back to the dane
ing hall, there were still half a dozen
beautiful peaches nesting among the
green leaves.
/ followed the crowd, but it was only
q false sortie. ] had left my hat in a
corner-a tall hat, which had bothered
me considerably during the entire even
ing. I went back with the pretense of
getting it, and as / was, in a way, one
Of the household, the servants did not
mistrust me. Besides. they were busy
carrying out the dishes and glasses used
by the guests, and at a certain moment
found myself alone near the sideboard.
There was not an instant to lose.
After a furtive glance to the right and
left, / approached the basket and made
two of the peaches quickly roll into my
hat, where / covered them with my
handkerchief; then, very calm and dig
nified in appearance, though my heart
was beating frightfully, I left the din
ing room, carefully pressing the open
ing of my hat to my breast, and hold
ing it there by al of my right hand,
which, thrust inside of my vest, gave
me a very majestic, almost Napoleonic,
bearing.
My scheme was to cross the ballroom
cautiously, to steal away, and once out
side to carry home VIGOROUSLY the two
peaches wrapped in my handkerchief.
1t was not SO easy as / had fancied.
They were about to IN the CO.
tillon. All around the large hall there
was q double line of men and elderly
ladies, hemming In the circle formed
by the chairs of the dancers, while in
the center there was a wide, empty
space, where a few couples were waltz
ing.
/ timidly made my way through
groups of people; I squeezed between
chairs with the suppleness of a snake;
| trembled each moment for fear that a
rough jog of my elbow would change
the position of my hat and the peaches
fall. could feel them rolling around
inside, and ! grew hot to my ears and
the roots of my hair. At last, after
much care and maneuvering. / reached
the inner space just as a new figure was
being organized. A lady is placed in
the center and the gentlemen circle
about her with their backs turned; she
holds a hat and places it upon the head
of the man with whom she wishes to
waltz.
had hardly taken two steps when
the directors daughter, who was lead
ing the c~otillon with a young counselor
of the prefecture, cried:
"A hat! We need a haiti
At the same moment she caught sight
OF me with my stovepipe against my
breast. | met her glance, and my blood
froze.
"Ahi" she said to me, lyon have
come just in time, Nj. Herbelot. Quick,
your hat"
Before / could even stalnmer out one
word, she had taken my hat, 80 hastily
that the peaches forthwith rolled upon
the floor, carrying my handkerchief
an6 two or three grape leaves with them.
You can imagine the tableau. The
dancsrs laughed in their sleeves at my
theft and discontinue; my chief frown-
ed, and grave men whispered and
pointed their fingers at me, while / felt
my knees grow weak / longed to sink
through the floor and disappear.
The young lady pressed her lips to-
gether to, keep back her laughter. and
while returning my hat said. in an
ironical voice:
Pick up your peaches, M. Hsrbe-
lot" Shouts of mirth then resounded
from all parts of the room-even the
servants held their sides. Pale, haggard
and lettering, / fed, overwhelmed with
my disgrace and SO confused that / could
hardly find the door. With a dead
weight on my heart, l hurried away to
tell my wife OF my disaster.
The next day the story was all over
town. When I entered my department,
my comrades received me with, '.Herbe-
lot, pick up your peaches" I could
not venture into the street without hear
ing hooking voices murmur behind me,
Peaches"
The place was unbearable, and in q
week I handed in my resignation.
An uncle of my wife had a farm near
my native village, and / begged him to
take me for an assistant. He consent
ed, and we moved to Chauteraine. /
went to work resolutely, rising with
the dawn and never plying myself. 1t
would seem that / was more fitted for