The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-02-07
HIS AMBITION.

rival in that city from his native prov
ince of Symphorien Baliveau.
The owner of this curious and not en-
tirely euphonious patronymic was 4
young man Of about % years, neither
handsome O ugly. fat nor lean-tht
tpye, in fact, that one daily elbows or
the boulevards and never looks at twice.
Ineed not add, Of course, that such was
not his own opinion. On the contrary,
he was deeply impressed with the con.
seriousness of his own charms and equal
~ determined to profit by them for the
attainment of the object of his ambition
-notoriety.
Everything is in my favor" said he,
"good looks, money and determination
TO succeed. All / want is a short cut to
celebrity. A duel will give me that"
The next evening while he was treat
ing himself to q b~avaroise at Tortoni's
o short, muscular individual, dressed in
the latest mode, with a bristling mus
tache and a self satisfied air, took his
seat at An adjoining table.
The provincial after q critical inspec-
ton of the newcomer rose from his chair,
and saluting him courteously requested
him to favor him with the address of
his tailor.
The stranger glanced askance at his
questioner.
"Why?" inquired he CURLY.
Because / am struck, monsieur, /"
said ~Symphorien, with the good taste
Of your costume. That green coat with
silver buttons becomes you SO admira-
bly,"
lyon think SO? Well, your wish can
be easily gratified, for I chance to have
a card of my tailor in my pocket. Be-
hold it'll"
Thanks, monsieur. May I ask if you
have also the address Of your shoemaker
in your pocket"
1.-The same thing is in my pocket,
monsieur, the little man answered,
with great suavity, and tearing out a
leaf from his notebook he wrote on it
the required address and handed it to
Baliveau.
rs there any more you desire to
know, monsieur?'
Only this-your hatter's name, if /
may be so bold?"
That, | regret to say, sir, ! cannot
afford you tonight. l have it at home,
and tomorrow morni u. two of my
friends will bring it to you if You will
kindly oblige me with your address"
With pleasure, monsieur, - replied
S%ymphorien. Here is my card.
And here, monsieur, is mine"
Nothing could be better, a" thought
Baliveau as, exchanging a polite bow
with the stranger and paying for his
bayaroise, he strolled leisurely out and
down the boulevard.
He drew the card from his pocket. an
preached a lighted window, and ON the
little square of %pasteboard, in clear,
sharp etching, read, Martial Rogue"
"RoqueP' said he, starting back and
paling visibly. 1.-The great duelist, who
never misses his man, but either splits
him with a thrust impossible to parry
or brings him down with a bullet sent
evenly between the eyes. Bon Dieul
What a mistake I've made, all for the
sake OF a little celebrity. III be cele-
brated tomorrow, that is certain. But
what good will it do me If I'm not
there to see it?''
A secluded spot on the Bots de Bou-
logne-less frequented in those DAYS
than now-agreed upon at 4 O'Clock in
the afternoon, proposed and accepted.
HI Roqne's friends announced that their
principal, having the choice of
selected pistols, and this formality over
left 81 mphorien to his meditations.
none of the cheerfulest, as You can see.
While ruefully rejecting on whom he
could apply to in his dilemma, he
chanced to pull from his pocket the two
addresses given him by Rogue.
And without a seconds delay he dis
patched a message to NM. Staub and
Sakosky, the fashionable tailor and boot.
MAKER OF that epoch, requesting their
immediate attendance at the hotel where
ne was stopping.
Thirty minutes later they were there.
and as a wise measure of conciliation-
symptorlen was no fool, after all-he
gave them an order considerably larger
than they were wont to receive. even
from their most ~extravagant customers
Then, the necessary selections and meas
u1ements made, he amazed them still
more by demanding the amount of the
blll, as he desired to settle it beforehand.
With one accord they protested against
the need Of so speedy a settlement. They
had every confidence in monsieur's soIy-
ency and were not in the slightest
hurry
THAT may be-, replied he, but /
N. have q duel this afternoon with
Martha Rogue. and, though | am no nov.
ice in such matters and have caught n
swallow on the wing many and many q
time, q cannot be sure with 80 dan.
gerons an antagonist what may ham
pen" !,
Staub and Sakosky stared at each 9th.
or aghast. Such an offhand proceeding
took the breath ont Of them.
They reflected ON the chance-most |
unlikely OF course. but still possible-of
his proving himself the better shot Of
the two Rogue owed them q regular
pot OF money, and If he should chance
% tall by symphorien's bullet, who
A-- - Il