The Portland daily press., 1894-10-11

he nau not Qelayed changing MS Cas-
| sock for civil garments, which he wore
| without the slightest awkwardness. A
| dark brown suit % large brimmed, soft
| felt hat and a dark blue crayat were his
| daily costume And to see him in the full
| vigor of his 80 years, his short mustache
| and his hair worn quito long under his
| hat, you would have sworn he was some
| gay young rake, down from the heights of
Vaugirad, seeking to make an impression
on susceptible hearts. We were out all
day, strolling along, trying to accustom
ourselves to the strange sights in the
streets.
At every step wo jostled against I'M
kempt soldiers, with cemforters around
their necks and hearils which had not
known the BARRIERS care for weeks, no
buttons on their coats, and, taken alto
gether, very distressed looking lot. Or
else we met Vengeurs Vermillon, Fan
cheurs Noirs, light infantrymen, with
cocks piumes in their hats; enfants du
despair, zouaves of the arnlec Antique
DIES carrieres-a dissolute duplication of a
crawling, bowling patriotic drama of the
Boulevard du Crime. We frequently en-
countered national guard funerals which
surpassed any Mi Careme fantasy.
Following rude hearse, draped in red
flags, which tapped mournfully in the
wind, hurried in pellmell confusion gen.
erals who were literally covered with gold
braid, wearing high Hessian boots and
accompanied by women, whose heads were
swathed in Madras handkerchiefts, astride
heavy cavalry horses, which they beat and
spurred necessarily, while 15-year-old
trumpeters, with cheeks pulled out to
bursting, essayed playing the 'Marseil-
laise.'
1.-THE crowd bowed abjectly to the gor-
geous pageant. The able, with his back to
Che wall, in order to hide the slight rem
nants of his tonsure, DOTTED his felt and
my cap. We were rewarded for our cour-
tesy by the many sympathetic glances cast
upon us.
"The first days rolled by without giving
the able any cause for uneasiness. He
had prudently taken the precaution of pro-
viding himself with false papers, and his
position could in case of necessity be re-
duced to the following: A teacher. at 40
bus per day; he had been left in this large
boarding school in charge of the only re-
naming scholar, whose parents had been
unable to remove him; he was caring for
the little fellow, looking to the aid and the
protection Of the commune, positive that
1t would shield and save son of free
America Besides his imperturbable sang
fr0ld saved him from many an embarrass-
ing situation, and one might almost say
that it pleased him to play hide and seek
with danger. In the crowded squares he
questioned the officers, found fault with
everything always had the last word, os
tentatiously bought the Bonnet Rouge or
the Pere Duchene. In public he was prod
tgal in the use Of the word citoyen. Who
would have suspected, in this Dragging
scofer, the fervent retiring priest we knew
in retreat? The same whom could see
as I lay with half closed eyes on my cot
bed kneeling on his wooden prize Dieu dur
ing the hours of the silent night, lost in
prayer and meditation.
1--WE were in the habit of taking our
meals at miserable little restaurant in
the Rue de Rennes, filled at all hours
with common people and workmen in
blouses, who hobnobbed noisily together
without paying any attention to US. We
always had the same dessert-an apple
and three black nuts. I think that the
proprietress, jolly sort of a woman, in q
tricolored cap, recognized the able the
very first day, but she had good face and
she invariably greeted us with pleasant
SMILE
ION the 18th of April-it fell on Fri
day, and Good Friday, too-after we had
been seated at our table for a few mo-
nlents, looking over the bill of fare, pre-
paratory to ordering our breakfast, several
national guardsmen, who were drinking
beer at table or two away from us, SEEM
ed to be whispering among themselves.
They cast suspicious glances in our direc-
ton, and excitedly slapping their thighs
raised their voices to loud pitch. Sud-
denly one of them, rising, staggered to-
ward us, and touching the abbes shoulder
with his dirty forefnger-he in the mean
time continued to study the fish portion
of the card without flinching-a addressed
him in an insulting tone of voice:
Come, do not lie to us; you are a
crow slang phrase for priest
More than likely added another.
"And third chimed in: Certainly he
is one. He dare not deny It'll Come, preach
to us; we will listen
1.-THE able had never budged, had not
even made gesture. He looked them in
the face jeeringly, shrugged his shoulders,
and in a laughing voice called out:
"A round of drinks for these brave
menu
No, replied the first speaker, mo Ii
tiers; our thirst is Notwithstanding
else! Since you are willing to treat us,
pay for some 'foie gras and join us. If
remember rightly, today is Good Friday,
that's right-we will see, no mistake, as
to what he isr
"'Ah, bravo that is good!' applauded
the gallery. 'Ha, that catches him, Al
phonsel Come, feast with us, or we will
cut off your head!'
''All the jewellers had left their seats
and crowded around JUS, with distended
eyes, looking for the consummation of the
farce. And frowsy mason, with crossed
arms, hiccoughed:
'sIn the meantime an enormous slice of
pate had been placed on the table, a nasty,
rancid, yellowish mess, swimming in
grease, large black truffle stuck in the
top, the kitchen knife lying alongside of
it on thick common plate. On all sides
curses were heard
No danger; he will not take a bite.
He is too much afraid of damning his soul
forever!'
s''Will he eat it? He is not eating!