The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-25
Christmas in Latin Quarter.
From "Trilby." by George du Maurier


Supper was even jollier than DINNER,
which had taken of the keen edge OF the
appetites, so that everyone talked at once
the true test Of successful supper-ex-
cept when Anthony told some of his ex-
perierces Of Bohemia; for instance, now
after staying at home all day for month.
to avoid his creditors. he became reckless
one Sunday morning and went to the Bans
DeIigny, and jumped into deep part ey
mistake, ard was saved from watery
grave by bold swimmer, who turned OUT
10 be his bootmaker, Satory, to wnom ne
owed 50 franeS-of all his dunS the one ne
dreaded most-and who didn't }et HIM go
in a hurry.
Whereupon Svengali remarked that he
owed 50 francs to Satory-"Mais comme che
ne me baigne chamais, che n'aI r.en
crainGre,''
Whereupon there was such laugh that
Svengali felt that he had scored on An
thony at last. and had a prettier wit He
felt that he'd got the laugh OF Anthony
this time.
ARD after supper Svengaii and Gecko
made such lovely music that everybody
was sobered and athirst again, and the
punch bowl, wreathed with holly and mis-
tletoe, was placed IN the middle OF the
table and clean glasses set all around 1t.
Then Dodor and rZouzou stood up 10
dance with TriIby and Mime. Angelo, and
executed a series of cancan steps, which.
though they were SO .nimitabiy droil that
they each and all to be encored, were such
that not one of them need have brought
the blush of shame to the cheek Of mod
esty.
Then the Laird danced a sword dance
nj hr1rk
And Taffy, barring his mighty arm to the
gaze of all, did dumb-bell exercises, with
Little Billee for dunb-bell, and all but
dropped him into the punch bowl; and tried
TO cut pewter ladle in two with Dodor's
saber, and sent It through the window
and this made him cross, so that he abused
French sabers, and SAID they were nade
of worse pewter than even French ladies'
and the Laird sententiously opined thai
they managed these things better in Eng
| land, and winked at Little Billee.
Then they played at cock fighting
with their wrists tied across their shins
| and broomstick thrust in between; thu:
manacled, you are placed opposite your an
| tagonist, and try to upset him with YOU
| feet and he you It is very good game
The cuirasser and the zouave playing
| this got so angry, and were so irreslstiblI
| funny sight, that the shouts OF laughter
| could be heard on the other side OF th'
| river, so that a sergeant de vile came II
| and civilly requested them not to MAKE
so much noise. They were disturbing th'
whole quarter he said. and there was quit'
| a ''rassemblement' outside. So they mad'
him tipsy, and also another policeman WHIT
/ came to look for his comrade, and yet an
| other; and these guardians of the peace
| OF Paris were trusSed and made TO pla.
! at cock-hghting, and were stin funnfe
| than the two soldiers, and laughed loude
and made more noise than anyone else, 81
| that Madame Wizard had to remonstrat
| with them; till they got too ttpsy to speak
| and fell fast asleep, and were laid next L
each other behind the stove.
The fin de siecie reader. disgusted at tn
| thought of such an orgy as l have bee
trying to describe, must remember that
happened in the fifties, when men caIlini
| themselves gentlemen, and being called SC
| still wrenched off doorknockers and cam
! back drunk from the Derby, and eve
drank too much after dinner before joinini
the ladies, as is all duly chronicled and sc
down in John Leech's immiral pictures O
life and character, out of Punch.
Then NJ and Nine. Wizard and Trilby an
| Angelo Boisse bade the company goodnight
Trilby being the last Of them TO leave.
Little Billee took her to the top of tn
staircase, and there he said to her:
'Trilby, have asked you nineteen time:
and you have refused. Trilby, once more
on Christmas night. for the twentieth tim
will you marry me? If not, 1 leave Pari
tomorrow, and never come back. 1 swea
il on my word of honor
Trilby turned very pale, and leaned he
back against the wall, and covered her fac
with her hands.
Little Billee pulled them away.
| Answer me, Trilby."
God forgive me, yes." said Trilby, an
she ran down stairs weeping.