The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-03
"FRENCHY."


bird Exactly what a bird" might
be no one seemed 10 know; but there was
no doubt that '-Frenchy'' belonged 70
the archaeological species. ..Frenchy's''
| real name vas Failer-Pronounced as
though written FalIaire with the accent
on the final syllable-and he was instruc-
tor OF the French and German languages.
I But except in addressing him the cadets
always gave his name the English pronUn-
citation, making il rhyme with ''yaller.
AS regards him. the school was divided
into two classes-those who hated him
and those who admired him extrava-
gantly- There was no intermediate class,
as no one was luseWarm regarding him.
But friends and enemies alike agreed that
he was q bird" and il depended en-
tirely upon who gave expression 70 this
opinion as to whether q complimentary
or mountaineering interpreta ton was 70
be given to it. When Porges. for in
stance, announced in pompous manner his
conviction OF ''Frenchys bird-like quail
: tiles. he was thereby understood to be
giving voice To the utmost scorn Of which
the human heart is capable. But as this
feeling was returned in full measure BY
the professor. the score between them
might be considered balanced. Porges,
indeed. was the only member Of the sec
ond year French class who was unable
10 distract "Frenchy's" attention from
the lesson by reference to the Franco
| Prussian War. and thereby To lead the
exile to a long dissertation on the SUI
periority of the French army as com
pared with the German. and detailed
explanation of the disasters of Il.
Professor. l heard man say yester-
day that the German sailors could shoot
ail around the French sailors. some
member of the class who had neglected
to prepare the lesson would remark with
an expression of innocence, and all the
o-ler UMPIRE pared boys would sigh with
relief and settle themselves for the en-
suing lecture on the merits of France
But when Porges, whose breast swelled
far out in front and whose head threat
ened to fail off backward from exaSger-
ated self-importance, ventured to pro-
pound a similar question ne found him
self elected from the room so quickly by
the irate FTenchman. who followed UP
the cadets retreating form with an I'M
fortunately abortive elevation of the foot,
that a week passed before Porges recov-
cred his wonted supreme self-satisfactton-
Mile tonnerresi' cried the epraged for
eigner, storming UP and down the room,
but even in his excitement not forgetting
TO depress his toes in true military fash
| ion. Il some day surely shall introduce
my foot to him! He is IA chump.
.'Frenchy'' had no idea what 'chump
complimentary epithet and therefore APP
plicatble to Porges. Nor did any Of the
boys experience the slightest desire to be-
come acquainted with his foot in the man
ner suggested. as his boots were deli
cateIy pointed and admirably adapted to
the punishmentfof offenders Besides, no
one had the least doubt that the owner
of the boots would promptly visit any
form of physical or moral punishment
al, cd 70 81
ment on whoever aroused his ire.
''Frenchy' was hardly of middle height,
but thanks 10 extremely high heels and
an admirably erect carriage, he conveyed
the impression of physical Importance
Moreover, as his breast and arm develop
ment was ma gnificent and his courage UNI
doubted, the boys good natured, indul-
gent feeling of affection for him was
leavened with wholesome amount of re-
spect HIS hair was jet black and al
ways gIistened with delicately scented Oil;
and his mustache, which his enemies de-
clared was dyed, was of the same glossy
color. To add to the interest of his per-
sonality was the mystery surrounding
him. Who was he? Where did he come
from? Why had he left the French army
to which it was tacitly assumed he had
once belonged? No one had ever heard
him refer directly TO his own past and
what little was known of his former life
had been gained from deduction. The ca
| dets generally believed that he had been
! forced to leave the army on account Of
duel in which he had killed his antago-
mist, and, as some ayerred, all four sec
| ends as well.
'Frenchy" was soldier, every inch Of
! him, but in the role of battalion COM
mander he could hardly be said to be a
success.
Garry ump!" he would cry in nasal
tones, as he stood facing the corps, and
the result always proved disastrous TO
| every ones gravity.
Right shoulder, imp, Forward ump!'
Even the cadet officers failed on such
/ occasions 20 keep straight faces, and the
list of reports for Laughing on drill
which were read out the ensuing evening
after supper was always twice as long
as all the other reports combined.
''Frenchy' had early taken a fancy to
Henry Haswell. and in his generous spon-
taneoUs way had volunteered TO give him
private instruction in French. OF course
Henry promptly jumped at the offer. The
results as regards the mysteries of
French grammar were perhaps hardly
what Henry had hoped for, but in the
matter of the history of war and in
fencing, which had early displaced the
quieter branch of study. the boy learned
much in compensation for his neglected
algebra and geometry.
.sWhew," painted ''Frenchv'' one even
ing after particularly lively bout with
the foils. you learn too fas'- I become
! old rest me a little on ze bed
So saying. he threw himself on the bed,
on which he lay painting, with his mighty
cnest going up and down ike a bellows,
while Henry seated himself and began
idly turning over the leaves of an illus
trated French paper Five minutes per-
| haps passed in silencecwhen a sudden ex-
clamation from Henry caused ''Frenchy"
20 look up
What's re mattaire?'' he began, when
his eve fell on the paper in the lads
hand. "Ah," he exclaimed in different
tone. "zat-zats ze picture Of my cousin
You find he looks like me?'
Very much. Professor replied Henry,
with his eyes fixed on the picture Of tho
handsome young officer in full cavalry
uniform: very much like, enough To be
your younger brother.
Underneath the picture were these
words, of which Henry had understood
enough to grasp their general meaning:
photograph OF Count Adciphe dc n
rcrterfe. taken twenty years ago, Just
before his disastrous duel with his elder
brother Henri IN regard Ia their cousin.
the present Comtesse de Sarmand. and
now published for the first time. Count
AdoIphe is supposed to have ed 90 Amer
! tea. where IT is said he has become
teacher in a girls school
'Frenchy had arisen from the bed ana
now stood before Henry. with pale. SIT
/ face. lie held out his hand Tor the pa
per.
NV cousin was much wror sed. he
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