The Wichita tribune., 1898-08-06
ACHILLE MUERTRIER

was in the government employ at
the time. Every day, from 10 to 4,
was imprisoned in a gloomy office
whose walls were covered with yell
low prints and whose atmosphere was
ever impregnated with the odor Of old
paper l breakfasted there off Italian
cheese, and apples which roasted
before the stove. read the newspaper
even to the advertisements; l strung
together a lot of verses which have
never seen the light; I even attended
to state business, in order that at the
end OF the month I might receive a
suIn which would just keep me from
starving to death.
The hero of my story Is one of the
companions of my captivity at this
period. His name Is Achille Muer-
trier, and assuredly his great stature
and his forbidding looks were in keep
ing with his name. Achille was about
40 years old. He was enormously tall,
but not very we'll developed in the
matter of shoulders and chest. The
dress which he affected, however, was
calculated to give an impression or
tremendous bulk-overcoats with wide
fur border, loose short Jackets, enor-
nous check trousers, and blood-red
ties. Again, he always wore long
beard, while his locks were brushed
up; and he was particularly proud of
having hair ON his hands.
Muertrier, who was the gentlest and
kindest of companions, had one sin
gle pretension-to be an athlete, to
have the biceps Of q Hercules, and, as
Se would say himself, not to know his
strength. Not a gesture did he make,
even In the exercise of his peaceful
profession, without seeking to con-
vince the lookers-on of his extraord1-
nary prowess. When he had to fetcn
an almost empty box Of documents, he
approached it with the heavy, slouch-
ing stride of a stevedore, grasped 1t
firmly in his hand, and carried it, with
a heaving OF the shoulders and frown-
ing of the brows worthy of Milo OF
Croton. He even carried this mania 20
far that to all appearance he exerted
himself as much in lifting the lightest
objects; and one day, when he was
holding the wastepaper basket in his
right hand, l saw him stretch out his
left arm horizontally, as though as a
counterpoise to this formidable Dur-
den.
must say that this robust being in
spired me with profound respect; for
at that time I was delicate and slckly
syen more SO than l am today, and
consequently peculiarly enthusiastic IN
my admiration of that physical energy
which l lacked myself.
Nor was Muertrier's conversation O1
n character to diminish that admlra-
ton.
I'm the summer, particularly Monday
morning when we met again in oul
office after the Sundays holiday, h'
never wearied of telling OF his deeds
of strength and prowess. Having taker
off his fur overcoat, his jacket, ant
his waistcoat, and wiped his forehead
with his shirt-sleeve-th latter actor
TO proye his sanguine and warm tenn
perament-he would plunge his hand
into his trousers pockets, and, standing
in front of me solidly on both feet, be
J gin his monologue. What Sunday
Nv Joye! there's no exertion that cal
knock me out. Just think. Yesterday
at tine Tssatta psses St G'c6cf n IL
morning at the MISUNDERSTANDING
sun even then-took glass Of whit
wine, then stripped to the waist
gripped my oar, and one, two, three
all the way to Joinville. Then COLI
bath and breakfast Then strip ans
away again. AS for me, when l hat
done my turn-devil of an appetite
Water, l CALL pass me the ham :
In three mouthfuls it's gone; 'WalLer
pass me the whisky bottle-tw
draughts and it's empty, and then
hape a couple Of glasses more for m,
digestion And so the descripLlol
went ON in the same dazzling AM
Homeric strain. 1T was the hour o
, the regatta-12 o'clock and a burning
SUM- The boats were lined up on tn
river, all sparkling in the sunlight, AM
on pont was the tent decorated witt
bright ribbons On the barge were tn
mayor and his staff, the police witt
their yellow scarfs, and a dazzling ar
raw of summer toilets, open parasols
and stray hats. Bang, the pistol
Marsouin shot off like a rocket, ar
rived first, and won the prize. AS fresl
as larks! Round by Marine and bacl
to dinner at Cretil. 1t was prett
fresh in the evening under the balcony
sparkling with lighted pipes, the moth
flying into the flames Of the omelett
au Kirsch. After dessert, served 4
picture plates, we heard the cornet an
nouncing the beginning Of the ba
willis-got in in time for the squar
dance; but our rivals had been befor
us. We had beaten them in the morn
ing, but now they had taken posses
sion OF the pretty shopgirls. fight
, broken heads, black eyes, punches il
the stomach-a regular carnival O
fisticuffs, pugilistic orgy, roarin
time, to say nothing of the return
home In the crowded cars, girls an
lads all jumbled together, friends sepa
rated and shouting for one another
and horns on the imperial"
And the evenings Of my amazin
friend were as we'll filled as the Sun
days. Fist-fghts in the music hall
between him, mere amateur, and Du
bois, 1.-The man-cannon"; rat-hunt
with terriers as fierce as tigers; blood
night encounters in disreputable quar-
ters with all kinds of toughs an
rowdies-these were the most insignif
icant episodes of his nightly career
dare not relate the other deeds O
derring-do of a more intimate nature
before which-as they used to say il
the old heroic style-the boldest PEI
would recoil in horror.
Painful though it may be to confes
a discreditable sentiment, l must &C
knowledge that my admiration TO
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