The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-02-09
EBENsBURG. PA. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY {
TWO FRIENDS.
A Pathetic Story OF the Siege Of
Paris


Paris
One clear morning in January-that
terrible January during the siege,
when famine was knocking at the very
gates of Paris-M. Morissot, a clock
maker by trade, but rendered an idlsr
by force of circumstances, was stroll
ing 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 he
suddenly stopped before a man whom
he recognized as an old friend. 1t WAS
NJ Salvage, whose acquaintance he
had made on the river bank.
On each Sunday before the war Nor
issot used to set out at dawn with a
bamboo cane in his hand and a tin box
strapped on his back. lie went by the
Argenteuil railroad as far AS Colombes,
and then walked to the Isle of Marante
Scarcely arrived AZ that dreamy place
he would begin to fish, and would stay
there till nightfafl.
On each Sunday he used TO meet a
stout, jovial fellow, VI. Savage, of the
Rue Notre Dame de Lorette. who was
also an enthusiastic fisherman. They
otter passed half day together. sit
ting side by side, their lines in their
hands and their feet dangling over the
current, and a friendship soon sprang
up between them
On some days they would not ex-
change a word with one another, but
they grew into that perfect under
standing which exists between per
sons who have similar tastes and who
experience similar emotions
The two friends shook hands cor
daily, but both felt tinge of sadness
At meeting under such gloomy circum-
stauces- NJ. Salvage sighed and mur-
INJURED:
What a condition of things
Morissot gloomily replied:
And what fine weather."
They began TO walk side by side and
Morissot cont nued:
And our fishing? How pleasant is 10
10 think of it,
NJ Sauvage demanded:
When shall we ever be able to go
again.
They entered a little cafe and drank
together an absinthe and then resumed
their promenade along the boulevard
Morissot stopped suddenly:
Another glass;
NJ. Sauvage assented:
AT your pleasure" and they went
into another cafe When they came
out NJ Salvage exclaimed:
''Supposirg we go?"
"Where?''
why, fishing. to be sure"
But where?"
TO our old place. The French ad-
vanced posts are near Colonies.
know Col Dumoulin and / am sure
that he will let US pass"
Morissot trembled with anticipation
Good" he cried II am with YOU"
and they parted to get their hooks and
lines
An hour later they were walking side
by side on the highway. and soon reached
the villa IN which the colonel had es-
tablished his headquarters He smiled
at their request and good-naturedly
granted them pass
by eleven o'clock they had passed the
outer pickets and Colombes, and found
themselves at the border of a small
vineyard that sloped down towards the
Seine
Before them lay the apparently dead
and deserted village of Argenteuil-
The heights of Orgemont and Sanneis
dominated the landscape, and the
broad plain that extends as fa-
Nanterre was picture of desola ton
with its leafiess trees and gray
stretches of bare earth
NJ. Salvage pointed toward the sum-
NIT of the hills. and murmured:
The Prussians are there"
"Eh? Surprising we should meet
them?"
NJ. Salvage replied with that Par
isian joviality which never deserted
him:
I'VE would offer them fried fish"
But still intimidated by the ominous
silence they hesitated to venture across
the field At length VI. Savage de-
cided:
''Comei Gomez" And STOPPING down
they crept through the vineyard, dodg
ing from bush to- bush, straining their
eyes and ears to detect the slightest
suspicion of pursuit
a stretch of bare ground remained to
Toe crossed After 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 op-
posite shore. The little restaurant was
closed, and appeared to have been de-
serted fer years
NJ. Savage caught the first gudgeon,
Morissot the second, and from time To
time they pulled in their lines with a
fish wiggling on the hook
The 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
roundingS
Suddenly a dull sound seemed TO
burst from the earth The cannonade
was being resumed
Morissot turned his head. and away
10 the left he perceived the great
silhouette of Mount Valarien, which
bore upon its brow a tuft of smoke
Soon a second jet of flame shot out
from the fortress, shortly succeeded by
a third intonation- Then Others fol-
lowed, and at regular intervals the
mountain sent forth its death-dealing
breath and exhaled its milky vapors,
which, rising slowly in the calm atmos-