The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-03-10
TWO FRIENDS.
A Pathetic Story OF the siere Of
Paris.

1aII6s
~ One clear morning in Januarv-that
ferrible January during the siege.
when famine was knocking at the verv
gates of Paris-M. Morissot -, clock
maker by trade, but rendered An idler
by force OF circumstances, was stroll
Ang 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 be
avddenly stopped before a man whom
! ne recognized as an old friend. It was
M. savage. whose acquaintance he
had made on the river hant.
On each Sunday before the war Nor
assot used to set out at dawn with a
bamboo cane in his hand and a tin box
strapped on his back. He went by the
Argenteuil railroad as Iar as Colombcs
and then walked to tho Isle of Marante
scarcely arrived at that dreamy place
no would begin to fish. and ,vouIi stay
there till nightfan.
On each Sunday ne used to meet a
stout. tovial fellow, NJ. Salvage, Of the
Rue Notre Dame dc Lorct.e, 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 a friendship soon sprapR
up between them
On some days they would not OK
ChdHSS u "pId Win one another, but
they Sraw into that perfect ,,.,der-
standing which exists between per-
sors who have similar tastes and who
experience similar emotions.
The two friends shook hands cor
siiaIfy. but both felta tiuce Of sadness
stauces. NJ. Sauvage sighed and muir
nanve1:
What condition of things:'
Morissot gloomily replied:
'Ard what fine weather.
They began to walk side by side aud
Storissct continued:
And our fishing? How pleasant i. is
to think of it,
n. Salvage demanded:
when shall we ever he able to GO
aEain2'
They entered q little cafe and d:ank
together an abainthe and then resumed
their promenade along the boule yard.
Morissot stopped suddenly:
Another CLASP"
NJ. Savage aSscuted:
AT your pleasure" and they went
into another cafe. When they came
out NJ. Salvage exclaimed:
"'Supposirg we So?'
-'Where?'
''Why, fishing. to be sure"
But yvhcrcc"
ITO our old place. The French al
ranced posts are near Colonies.
that he will let US pass
Morissot trembled with anticipation.
iood!' he cried. ~ am with you,"
y and they parted to get their hooks and
lines
An hour later they were walking side
by side on the highway, and soon re ached
the villa in which tn. colonel had es-
tablished his headquarters. He smiled
at their request and gccd-naturedly
granted them pass.
BY eleven o'clock they had passed The
outer pickets and Colonies, and found
themselves at the border of a small
vineyard that sloped down towards the
Seine
BEFORE then, lay the apparently dead
aud deserted village Of Argepteuil.
The heights of Orgenont and ssanneis
dominated the landscape. aud the
Nanterre was a picture of desolatjon
with its leafiess trees and gray
stretches of bare earth.
NJ Savage pointed toward the sum
mat of the hills. and nlur1nured:
The Prussians are there
Eth? SURPRISING we should meet
them2"
NJ. Savage replied with that Par
isian joviality which never deserted
him:
I'VE would offer them n fried fish,"
But still intimiuated by the ominous
silence they hesitated to venture across
the field. At length NJ. Salvage dc
| cided:
Come! GOMEZ" And STOPPING down
they crept through the vineyard, dodS-
ing from bush to bush, straininE their
eyes and ears to detect the slightest
suspicion of pursuit.
A stretch of bare ground remained to
be crossed. After 4 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 OPP
posite shore. The little restaurant was
closed, and appeared to have been &C.
serted for years.
M. Salvage caught the first gudgeon,
Morissot the second, and from time to
time they pulled in their lines with q
deh wfggling on the hook.
Tho 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
roundfnga
Suddenly . dull sound seemed to
burst from the earth. The cannonade
was being resumed.
Morissot turned his head. and away