River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-09-21

"No, thanks. All, beg pardon. 1t is
chilly. am sorry to trouble you, but
[ will take 1t, please. I"
And she hands 1t to me, resuming
her seat with nice, cheerful smile.
unbuckle the straps. unroll my plaid,
Ind leave my precious morocco case
quite bare with It's brass mounting and
paddock, and the new plate papa had
put on il for my wedding day.
"Let me assist you, Nine. Ia Com
Jesse says politely, helping me on with
my big shawl. FAlOw.trayelers
Should be on excellent terms, especial.
Iy when they chance 10 be two ladies
yOyaging alone. You have been on
The Continent before. presumed The
English ladies are such ladies for sight
seeing.
NO" l replied, bashfully, and
why know not--ieeling mortified to
hhlk that had not been abroad be.
fore.
mo! Isit possible! You are 50
5elf.posscssed that ] imagined you
we're familiar with all these scenes.
Worthy Comtesse Her eyes were
beginning to fail her, / feared.
"I-ah, helas | have been many
times over Europe, and alone also,
since the death Of my husband"
Here it occurred to Inc to wonder,
With another furtive glance, how any
man cOGld have married such a nose.
You are going to Baden to join
your mother and father.--tO p! /
viii 80 gladly chaper0nc you as far as
IN my poor power. know what it is 10
be 50 young, though never 50 pretty .
with Il sigh, land vOyaging alone.
"You are very kind. reply, with
feeling Of great satisfaction as take
the idea of once more being depend
mt upon some one, which is, To tell
the truth, cIy normal state,-and that
some one worthy elderly lady, al.
enough with more than the usual share
Of nose. But am not going TO p,
only to Baden
80 :" interrupts the COmtesse, with
/ smile of genuine delight. II go TO
Baden myself. The waters have been
subscribed for me by my physician
"Yes = say, intere2'edly. II am
sorry that DO not stay there. | go
right on by coach to P, and thence
TO LII Manche, where II blush pain.
FULLY at this point--"my husband
awaits me-
Your husband The Comtesse
utters little scream of establishment.
My child--une enfant vertable-
ment All, what is this age arriving
1t F.!
| laugh small, happy, foolish laugh.
md proceed TO give the COmtesse a
brief resume of the principal events in
my history.
We 90 on famously, the Comtesse
md |, and think jOyishly of how 81 I'd
Algy would he to know of my being
under the wing of SO charming and ed.
nc tied a person. In fact, at the end
If our fourth day together. feel
sure, also, that she likes me. The nose
Expresses me frequently, but | con.
tract habit of talking and listening
q her without looking. and this some.
what aineliOrates the situation.
On Friday evening ut four O'Clock
we arrive at Baden, and, as the south
prn train does not start for two hours
yet, accept my new friend offer of
pending the time with her at her
hotel quite gratefully.
am installed in the little parlor of
The ComtesSe's pretty apartment, en-
uoisiemc, it is true, hut atfOrding Il
delightful view of everything and ev-
-rybody thtt shall pass. | am seated
done. for my friend has gone down to
see To the arrangement of her baggage.
She returns. her face full of alarm, and
! coarse, reddish envelope in her
hand.
BE not alarmed, my child; It's a
telegram for you, think. Nina. 4.
:. Westmoreland,' reads the elderly
lady from the wretched thing in hei
hand.
Monsieur Won Linden just gave il
to me now us | passed by the Office
take il, and with trembling fingers
tear open the envelope and unfold the
hit of paper. A smile breaks over my
| face and the blood resumes its place il
my cheeks; nothing more terrible thar
\ Lhis;
'Wait over q day at Baden. | will
Join You on Saturday evening. ALGY. "
read it aloud to the COmtesse, who
shares my joy in charming fashion
md instantly Offers TO ring the bell
summon the hostess, and secure me
room at once for my STAY. | acced,
| gracefully, and ere long am comforta
bly--nay, luXuriantly-pn in
bright, elegantly-furnished room al
/ joining the suit of the Confess, In fac
communicating with it by a door
which beg may stand open, rs ] an
considerably more than timid.
After u sumptuous supper, served il
my new friend s apartment, with grea
neatness, 10y pretty, bue.eyed Ger
man girl, ! make my excuses and re
tire. am, IN truth, worn out Will
leepless nights in railway coaches
md am very thankful when | find my
self once more in a yeritable bed.
lream--a queer, confused mass of non
scnSe--and, amid the yagaries of m,
night in the hotel of Monsieur Won Lin
den. | dream that | am suffocating
Smothering with some strange.smell
ing stuff held over my mouth; thel
that is removed, and that | can SO,
distinctly. although | can move n,
more than ii | were q stone. Sc,
that the communicating door between
my room and the ComtesSe's little par
Tor stands open, letting in flood d
bright, warm candle.light; see u wo
man in rose cololed wrapper. glidin,
,tealthily about my apartment; she /,
young. aud "a pretty oman. with short
very blonde hair curling all over hel
head, and she keeps walking CAREFUL,
thout my room. peering into this cor
urr and that, under my clothes, under
the lounge.cuShi0n, and into the ches
OF drawers, and finally she creeps M
to the bed. ! feel her hands crawling