Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-01-04

| gloves before leaving the train at Do
yer, 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 programme. Accord
ingly, while she was about her busI-
ness, took a Uoiture and drove to
the Hotel Dessin. There in the
course of half an hour, madame joined
| me.
Now one can't very well partake
of luncheon 10 kid gloves. The ques-
ton was whether | should partake of
mine with the ring on my finger, or
whether | should put it carefully
away 10 the box and hide it out of
sight. If you have any knowledge
of what human nature is ct twenty
one, especially when there's pretty
woman in the case, you will know
at what decision arrived at
Madame pecked little at this
and that, but hardly ate more than
sparrow might have done. How
swiftly the moments seemed to fly !
/ could have fingered on 10 that cosy
little room for u year. When the
cloth was drown with a bottle of
hook on the table between us, some
how our chairs seemed TO gravitate
toward each other. Or perhaps it
was the stove that attracted US for
the afternoon was chilly. 10 any
case, we found ourselves in closer
proximity. Then said madame, DO
you smoke, monsieur ? Eyes, eonsid-
erabIy more than is good for me,
am afraid 'rhen smoke now.
Oolige me, like TO see a gentleman
smoke | rose in order to get my
cigar-case out of the pocket of my
oVercoat pocket. Madame laid her
hand lightly on my ARMAND what
charming hand it was 'Ienez |
am going TO make a confession, she
said. i smoke too-m0i. Cigarettes.
| lived for several years in Spain,
where nearly all the ladies smoke.
You are not shocked, [ hope, at the
idea of a lady smoking cigarette p
Shocked, madame
mo, of course not. You are too
much a man of the world. You are
above such insular prejudices. Eth
bien, you shall smoke one of my Gig
arettes.' From the sachel by her
side she drew an embroi Tered case,
which she opened and babe me
choose . cigarette, | did so, and she
took another. Then with her own
fair fingers she struck an allumette,
and held it while lighted the weed.
Then she lighted her own. She
could not fail to see my ring as she
lighted the match.
Il dare say you find the flavor a
little PECULIAR sold mad a O, a min
ute or two later. sThese cigarettes
are made of perfumed tobacco. [
never smoke any others. | hope
you don't find yours very disagree
able
'On the contrary, madame, | am
quite in love with it. As you say,
the flavor is slightly peculiar, but
aromatic and personal---very. pleas
ant To tell the truth, / didn't like
it at all, but would not have said 80
for worlds.
We smoked on in silence. What
would this supurb creature say to
me, | wondered, if [ were to tell her
how madly had fallen in love with
her? Would she reject me with
scorn, or would She [ gave sud
den start, and was shocked to find
thai | had been falling to sleep. For
tunatley madame hal not noticed
me. Her large melancholy 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. 1T had but two
thousand year now, and this sweet
creature to share it with me, how
happy could | 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
school girls, who set up for being
women before they are out of their
teens. Here was au angel who had
been left desoate, who bad been
cast on bleak and unfeeling world,
who pinned for heart and home
for a heart that brimmed over with
love. Gracious goodness had a
heart theat yearned toward-that-
that Why-eh-how was this
And where was L?
awoke with shiver. But for
the lamp in the court yard the room
would have been quite dark. Ny
head was aching frightfuily. | got
up and staggered TO the window.
when looked out and saw the fam
liar court yard, everything came
back to me like flash of light.
Where was madame? Why had |
slept so long? What bore she
must take me to be? | CROPPED for
the bell, and rang it violently. Up
came The waiter with candle.
Where is msdame?' | demanded.
Madame he answered, went out
nearly three hours ago, saying she
wanted to make few purchases, and
would be back in little while. On
no account, she said, was her brother
who bad suffered terribly from mai
de mer in crossing, to DO disturbed.
Mad4me,' he added, 'had not yet re-
turned
Gone three hours ago! Her broth
er NAL de mer What could it all
mean? AS / sat down utterly be-
wildered, my hand pressed against
the little box in my pocket. Mechan-
ically l glanced at my finger. The
ring was no longer there My heart
turned sick within me. | sank down
and buried my face in my hands. The
waiter thought wac i'll, and ran to
fetch some cognac. | saw it all now.
Fool-fool that | was | had allowed
myself to be swindled, and by COM
mon adventures.
At nine o'clock next morning |
stood hafora my father n miserable