The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-01-04


leaving the train at Dover, and still
wore them. A little while longer and
we found ourselves at Calais. When
we landed, madame admitted that she
was hungry, and that luncheon would
be desirable feature of the pro-
gramme. Accordingly, while she
went about her business, x took
ootture and drove to the Hotel Dessin.
There, in the course Of half an hotir,
madame joined me.
Now one can't Very well partake of
luncheon in kid gloves. The question
was whether l should partake of mine
with the ring on my finger, or whether
1 should put it carefully away in the
box and hide it out of sight. If you
have any knowledge of what human
nature is at twenty-one, especially
when there's a pretty woman in the
case, you will know the decision ar
rived at.
Madame pecked little at this and
that, but hardly ate more than spar
row might have done. How swiftly
the minutes seemed to fly I could
have fingered on in that coy little
room for year.
When the cloth was drawn and we
were left to ourselves, with bottle of
hook on the table between us, some
how our chairs seemed to gravitate to-
ward each other. Or perhaps it was
the stove that attracted us, for the af
ternoon was chilly. In any case, we
found ourselves IN close proximity.
Then said madame, "Do you not
smoke, MONSIEUR eyes, consider
ably more than is good for me, I'm
afraid" "Then smoke now. =oblige
me. l like to see gentleman smoke"
1 rose in order to get my cigar-case
out of the pocket of my oyercoat.
Madame laid her hand lightly ON my
ARMAND what a charming hand it
was! "Tenez. am going to make "a
confession" she said. 81 smoke too
moi. Cigarettes. ! lived for sew
eral years in Spain, where nearly all
the ladies smoke. You are not shock
ed, hope, at the idea of a lady smok-
ing cigarette?"
Shocked, madame"
"No, of course not You are too
much man of the world. You are
above such insular prejudices. Ell
bteB! you shall smoke one of my cigar
cites. From the sachet by her side
she drew an embroidered case, which
she opened and babe me choose a
cigarette. did so, and she took an
other. Then with her own fair fingers
she struck an 0lzumette, and held it
while l lighted the weed. Then she
| lighted her own. She could not fail
to see my ring as she lighted the
match.
-"I dare say you find the flavor a
little peculiar" said madame, min
ute or two later. "These cigarettes
are made of perfumed tobacco. l
never smoke any others. l hope you
don't find yours very disagreeable."
"On the contrary, madame, l am
quite in love with it. AS you say, the
flavor is slightly peculiar, but aromat-
ic and pleasant-very pleasant. To
tell the truth, I didn't like it at all,
but l wouldn't have said so for worlds.
We smoked on in silence. What
would this superb creature say to me.
l wondered, if l were to tell her how
madly had fallen in love with her?
Would she reject me with scorn, or
would She l gave sudden start,
and was shocked to find that had been
falling asleep. Fortunately madame
had not noticed me. Her large mel
aneholy eyes were bent upon the stove.
There was certainly something very
soothing, something that inclined to
slumber and happy dreams, about
madame's peculiar cigarettes. If l
had but two thousand year now, and
this sweet creature to share it with
me, how happy could l be! Certainly
she must have been some six or seven
years older than myself, but l never
was one to care for your chits of
schoolgirls, who set up for being
women before they are out of their
teens. Here was an angel who had
been left desolate, who had been cast
on a bleak and unfeeling world, who
pinned for heart and home--for a
heart that brimmed over with love.
Gracious goodness! l had a heart that
yearned toward her-that-that-
Why-eh-how was this? And where
was l? ...
1 awoke with SILVER. But for the
lamp in the courtyard the room would
have been quite dark. My head was
aching frightfully. l got up and
staggered to the window. When
looked out and saw the familiar court
yard, everything came back to me
like a flash of light. Where was
madame? Why had l slept so
long? What boor she must
take me to bep / CROPPED for the bell,
and rang it violently. Up came the
waiter with candle. "Where is
madame?" demanded. MADAME"
he answered., event out nearly three
hours ago, saying that she wanted to
make a few purchases, and would be
back in little while. On no account,
she said, was her brother, who had
suffered terribly from NAL de mer in
crossing, to be disturbed. Madame"
he added, ''has not yet returned"
Gone three hours ago! Her brother!
Nal de mer! What could it all mean ?
As sat down, utterly bewildered, my
arm pressed against the little box in
my pocket. Mechanically l glanced
at my finger. The ring was no longer
therel My heart turned sick within
me. sank down and buried my face
in my hands. The waiter thought l
was i'll, and ran to fetch some cognac.
l saw it all now. Fool-fool that
was! 1 had allowed myself to be
swindled. and by common adven-
turess. iita~ s'sA*
| AT nine o'clock next morning
stood before my father, a miserable,
haggard, woe-begone wretch. / told
my tale; but as l did so / could not
quite keep down my tears--tears of