The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-07-20
FIRST LOVE.

L nave ICE years leu IL rowing lie ana
am most at home i'll railway carriages,
waiting rooms, hotels and restaurants.
On this account my reading has been of
all kinds, and [ have given up wishing
to be dainty i'll my literary diet. Only
Gerrtan and French romances and novels
by authors unknown to me, or writer's
whose style l do not enjoy, inspire me
With an uncoYquerablc respect.
Book; by these authors l never ven
ture to open, ever in the greatest dearth
Of reading matter. Besides l eagerly
welcome everything Published by the
latest journals and look through each
weekly ard monthly periodical that l
come across III dining or waiting room.
That is why | have II succession OF
fragments of a considerable number of
stories III my head, and as their c~lassifi-
cation does not especially interest me it
thus happens that | occasionally join the
end Of one to the beginning of the other.
Some of these dovetailed stories please
me quite as we'll as the noted novels of
famous authors.
This is q matter of taste, and | allow
myself no criticism. Sometimes l finish
for myself q story, the beginning Of
which | have read, or invent the first
chapter for the conclusion of 4 romance
(which has fallen into my hands. Then.
fter a time, it is difficult to distinguish
between what is mine and what is not
mine. In most cases indeed l have of a
morning when l leave a city forgotten
what | have read there on the preceding
evening. But when a story has pleased
me l enjoy repeating it to myself i'll the
railway carriage, and then it becomes
fixed in my memory and recurs later. at
irregular intervals, as something per-
sonally experienced or again invented
by myself.
Thefollowing narrative is one Of these
tales. l have forgotten where / read it
for the first time. Whether the tale was
exactly as l now have it in my mind |
do not any longer know. But the idea is
not mine. I believe l found it in a Paris
review. Then it must have been many
years since, for several omnivorous read
ers among my French acquaintance. of
whom l made inquiry regarding that
easily recognized sketch, could not re-
member to have read it. 1t is also posi-
BILE that l found it in Berlin or London.
Should the owner at any time reclaim it,
! viii return his property with thanks.
Here is the story as it has shaped itself
little by little in my head:
The numerous guests of the countess
lol boa,, G 1oxx-1 ,ofi ,i, n ci,oo I I n'.1H,l-
and about IL there We're only some half
dozen people assembled in the salon, the
very intimate friends of the house. The
handsome Palamede had pronounced his
verdict upon the notable toilets of the
evening. Rene had recounted the last
duel, Edmond the last steeplechase. The
scandal Of the day had been commented
upon in the usual philanthropic fashion,
and for the first time for half an hour
the conversation had languished.
The countess turned to her neighbor,
the quiet CASTOR.
You are making more noise than
usual this evening" said she. "You
have been sleeping this half hour with
open eyes" The gentleman addressed.
who had been sitting upon a low chair,
earnestly engaged i'll keeping up a fire
in the chimney, in which he had dis
played the ability that, according to a
French proverb, is a privilege Of lovers
and philosophers, turned slowly and
made answer, Il am thinking of my
first love"
Gratitude does honor to the receiver
and to the giver alike, " said the count
ess. Tell us the story of the first love
that still makes YOU dream today"
CASTOR slowly rubbed his thin hands,
as was his habit, and without waiting
for further urging began as follows:
when I say my first love, l do not
mean the very first, This indeed caused
me in its time much pain and anxious
JOY, but that Is long since forgotten.
Many Il time. when l now recall ii. If
seems Is though [ thought Of al.asl
love tale and NOT my own. was 1T tie
time perhaps II on 13 years ola. ags II,
was the sister OF ny sense ,z
Jacques.
II saw her for the first time IT.
playground, where She appeared
lpar masbcr, during 81 5ntssIH
see Ter Irother. ItE.s winter.
was full OF snow. md 8 1erca
v,aged between tie oaGQs ing lac