The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-11-09
BLOOMSBURY, PA. FRIDAY, NOVENBER 9. 1877

COlOncl LeieDVfe woke very early on tne
next morning from his ftful slumber, rest
less with feeling and with heat, and looking
from his window, saw that they were rolling
along the green fats of New Jersey. Then
he half parted his curtains, and took an OBJ
servation down the car. Some one was up
before hm-some young girl he could not
see plainly, with all the obstruction of dra-
perry. There was familiar fling of a scarf.
Good gracious was that his cousin Laura
The sight of her made aim fall back on his
pillow and begin to recall the events of the
evening before. 1t was just then that some
one came rustling by his closed curtains-a
lady who wished to make her toilet before
| the rest of the car was astr. The sound
| stopped short the person did not go on.
Instinctively Colonel Lefebvre glanced
! through the crack of his curtains. A net
ting of the lady's fringe had caught on the
hook Of some projected valise-the porter
was disengaging it-an oldsh, frowzy sort
of woman. One upifted hand grasped the
curtain for support upon it shone gleam-
ing sapphire. The drops started out on his
forehead. Was it-Impossible He sat up
and glared at her. She held toilette.case
in her other hand. She was making for the
little dressing room. There was the same
bronze green luster silk, the same black lace
about the throat, the lapel of the same rosy
scarf of wooden gauze had been that instant
thrown up from her face. But that face
No it was an absurdity. And yet-It had
been horribly hot night; the best of paint
would run; the best of powder would cake
and roll Off the penciling of brows would
rub all about; the pigment that so darkened
and increased the eye would smear here and
there raggedly. What had happened to that
mouth ? Or was there no mouth there
There were no teeth there they were in hel
hand. The dimples-they were two long
burrows; the scarlet Of the mouth had some
how streaked them. And as for the dropping
curls-they were dropping off, The beauti
full Adelada De Berrian had gone out like
the blown flame of candle, and left only
the ashes-had left only worn and wither
ed woman with white lips, and a wrinkleC
palor that was blotched and beared, who's
face had mask, whose mother was he
painting"
False from the crown of herhead to tn
: sole of her foot" he repeated, in Helen
words, and shut his eyes and there sa
Laura, brown-eyed and fair, with her smootl
hair, little Madonna of face as he open
o ed them again. An hour afterward, the 9th
| er women of the car having clamored i
q vain the last third of that time for admit
sing room, crimped and curled and powder
ed, blooming, smiling picture, seated hel
self in her re-arranged section, and awate
. her cavalier. She waited long while
,, While she was in the dressing-room that ca,
alier had stepped off the train at Elizabeth
As Colonel Lefebvre sat in his aunt
room in the Brevoort that night, he replie
u to her query concerning his gloom: "Lt
me be. / have a right to be little disturb
ed. have lost a friend have escaped
p terrible danger. I have found an nvalui
1t BILE possession that had misaid What di
l. you bring Laura here for ? Her summt
d 6nery? am going to take her long dri,
'e in the park tomorrow morning. Say, Aui
n Maria, don't you make any purchases ii
,e we come back. And, Amt Maria, don't yc
t, think it would Re stealing fine march {
sr them all at home if Laura and went baC
d on one ticket
d Zone ticket?"
1t "Well, no, not exactly. Husbands al
y wives are not one financially, are they
s. Railways haven't any sentiment. "-Harpe
le | B0z1r