Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-09-28

THE PIQuET PLAYERS.


small place situated midway between
TWO hamlets Of which the village CON
sisted.
Every day they met there. sometimes
In company with teamSters whose horses
were munching a quart Of oats outside
the door. but 0ftencr alone. and played
piquet. drinking a schoppen beer and
smoking ObOurg ian their long church
w~ardcnS. notwithstanding the ono came
from Upper Sugny and the other from
Lower sueny and that there was war and
rivalry between the two hamIets.
Hobert belonged 10 the priests party
nd Flip to that OF the mayor. but while
priest and mayor were at daggers Rob
eri ami Flip wcre-the hest Of friends.
In the csis ~ Robcrt a game Of piquet
without Flip had no charm. II was jus.
the same with Flip-if Bobert was not
there he took very little interest in the
game. Flip admired Roberts wonderful
calm and systematic playing. while Bob
crt ON his side was an equally fervent adj
mirer Of Flip's audacity.
Each Of them swore that the other was
a marvel.
IL spite "a the fierce quarrels that
mace the iEh. bitantS 81 the two hamletS
hate. the two chums daily went 10 Tour
MCBRIDE unless absolutely necessary mat.
tiers ~ BUSINESS prevented them.
T0ufnbridr Inn was not claimed Nv
either Upper or Lower Sugny aud while
the people Of the former reproached Bob
ert from going into the camp ~ the en-
envy the inhabitants of the latter could
not find expressions strong enough TO
condemn Flip's indispensable crime. WHY
could not they stay az home and be loyal
% the local innkcepers.
The two friends. however. declared
that nowhere in The country was the beer
~ good rs nj T~0urncbridc and nowhere
could they find such n coy place. where
they were not ANNOYED and disturbed hy
the heated discussions ~ their fellow
villagers.
The innkccper. who was neutral. never
ycntnrcd 70 express any opinion himself
and nobody had any idea how he voted.
II anrbody spoke of politics ia his pres.
cnee he made q wry face and If forced 20
reply he said:
~ don't bother about such a thing. n
want 10 talk. I talk business rather
than politics any time
II must not be understood that Cahict
aud Rnrnham did not disucss politics
They did. and invariably grew very hot.
Whenever Flip had Il streak az had luck
and last. he began 20 run down the ..mut-
ton heads" If Roberts hamlet. and DO
bert paid him back i'm kind. calling Flip'S
fellow villagers Stingv 'hav MONKEYS
and after 4 while both would bang the
same table and each Of them would shake
his fist under the others nose.
a few times they parted a. enemies.
furiouSly mad. aud Swore that they would
never return. but a few days later they
always met. quite accidentally OF
course. IN the taproom Of T~0urnehridc.
sat down opposite one another N their
usual table. drank 4 Schoppcn az beer
aud smoked 4 pipe. each studionSly avoid.
ing mentioning the previous quarrel.
AMI each fearing that he had gone too far
and hurt the feelings Of his friend. AS
long a. the memory ~ the quarrel re
manned with them. they were particu-
larry pleasant and obliging to one an.
other. and treated one another "a several
drinks.
One evening. however. they quarrcllcl
worse than ever. Ii was the evening be-.
fore the local election and the fight be-.
tween the two factions was exceedingly
bitter. Fin and Bolrrt were both can
didateS and during the campaign they
forgot all about their daily games 81
piquet. They carefully avoided meeting
one another. hut one day they found
themselves face Id face and running
short ~ political arguments both r..
sorted 10 personal insults and they
would have come to blows il the policr
had not separated them.
When the campaign was over ami
things had settled down somewhat. both
started out along the familiar road 10
Iournehride- each saving 10 himself:
Even If ! have had a quarrel with
that old fool there u no reason / should
stay away from my ~favorite inn. | am
not afraid of him..
both were strangely moved when they
met and . complete reconciliation fnl-
lowed within a few moments. Both had
been signing and longing for Il. and NJ.
ter drinking q good number Of s~choppcns.
they swore never again to part. dead ar
alive H. realize the part Or this com.
pact which referred to their death thew
went To The notary arm In arm and mad.
their last wills.
Flip was 4 bachelor. Robcrt Il widnuar
without any children. AMI aach ~. IN,