Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-30
THE COWARD.


noles
O!Tshan ana master of large fortune.
he made a conspicuous figure in the fash
ionabic world He had fine appear
auce. GOOD department.. a facility Of
speech sufficient to gain him the repu-
tation of a wit. some natural grace an
air of noble reserve. a brave moustache
and soft cves-ust what women admire.
lie lived happily, quietly, IN the most
absolute good moral standing. 1t was
known that he was good sWordsman
and better shot,
when have to fight" he would say,
Il choose pistols. With that weapon
am sure of killing my man.
Now, one evening, after having accom-,
panied to the opera two young married
ladies OF his acquaintance, with their
husbands. he invited the whole party
after the performance to take supper at
Tortoni's. They had been there only a
few moments when he observed that a
gentleman at a neighboring table was
staring steadily at one of the ladies in
the party She seemed annoyed. Al
last She said to her husband;
at is very annoying That man spolIs
my supper
The husband shrugged his shoulders
"Nonsensc; pay no attention to him. If
we had to worry ourselves about all the
insolcnt people we meet there would
never be an end Of it.
But tho viscount had suddenly risen.
He could not permit that individual to
destroy the enjoyment which he had of
fcrcd. The insult was to him. as it was
through his invitation the party had en-
tered the cafe
lie approached the man. and said to
him: Sir. You are staring at those ladies
in manner which l cannot tolerate.
VIII YOU be good enough to cease this
staring at once
The other replied: You keep your
mouth shut, viii you?"
The viscount, setting his teeth, eX-
claimed: Take care, sir You may
compel me to violate pOliteness,
The stranger uttered only one word
one filthy word. that resounded from one
end of the cafe to the other and made
every one in the house start
There was great silence. Then Il sud
den dry sound clacked in the air, The
viscount had slapped his adversary's
1
Cards we're exchanged.
After the yiscount returned home that
night he began to walk up and down
his room with great, quick strides, He
was too much excited to think about
ANYTHING. One SOLITARY idea kept hover
inc in his mind IA .Iucl although the
idea itself had not yet awakened any
special emotion. lie had just done what
he ought to have done. lie repeated
aloud:
What vulgar brute the fellow isl"
Then he sat down and began TO think.
He would have to procure seconds in the
morning. Whom would he choose? Fl
nally he selected the Marquis dc Ia Tour
Noirc and Col. Bourdin; a great noble
man and a great soldicr-that would be
Just the thing.
He suddenly discovered that he was
thirsty, and he drank three glasses of
water. one after another; then he began
10 walk up and down again. He felt full
of energy. He showed himself to be
plucky, ready for anything and by in
sistiug upon rigorous and dangerous CON
ditions-by demanding a serious. very
serious terrible duel-his adversary
would be probably scared and make
apologies
He took up the mans card, which he
had drawn out of his pocket as he en-
tered and had flung on the table, and he
read it over again: George lamil, 81
Rue Money Nothing more.
He remained standing motionless,
thinking, keeping his eyes still fixed upon
the card. \ rage rose within him
against that bit OF paper-a fury OF
hate mingled with strange sense OF
uneasness. 1t was a stupid mess, all
this affair."
So he would have to fight. With PTS
tolls his life would be seriously endan-
2crcd; but, again. he might be able to
eNtrieate himself from the difficulty with
honor and yet without an actual meet
| ing, He exclaimed:
Il must he firm. lie will show the
white feather
The sound of his own voice made him
start, and he looked around him He
drank another glass of water, and began
To uudress.
lie felt very warm between the sheets;
and still he could not sleep, lie got up
for q drink. Then new anxiety came
over HIM
is 1T possible that | could be afraid 2"
Why did his heart start to beating SO
Wildly ut the least little familiar noise
! i'm his roomy When the clock was about
Ia strike. the click of the little spring
caused him violent start. He began to
reason with himself;
Am I really afraid?"
! No certainly; how could he be afraid
since he was firmly resolved to carry out
I Tho n tY1ir In tho Very ,ap1 since d., ~, =