Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24


course I took the cognac to her myself.
You should have seen how prettily she
thanked me. She slipped at it as a
canary might do, if that bird were in
the habit of drinking brandy. e" hope
that Mademoiselle is somewhat revived"
I ventured to observe presently.
''Yes. very much revived, thanks to
Monsieur. But l am not Mademoiselle.
I am Madame. I am widow" She
pressed her handkerchief to her eyes as
she spoke. How interesting-nay, how
touching-was this simple confession.
The wistful sorrow in her eyes was at
once accounted for. Would that it had
been my happy lot to comfort her
There was q camp stool close by.
Presently I ventured to draw little
nearer and to sit down on it, blushing
at my temerity as l did SO. She did
not seem at all offended, and we were
presently in the midst of an animated
and interesting conversation. There
was no hauteur about Madame. On the
contrary, she was candor itself. She
had only been three days in London,
she told me. She had been staying
with Sir Henry Fitz Evans, who had
charge of her late husbands interests
in England. She was now going back
into seclusion, gong back to the little
cottage in which she had dwelt ever
since her husbands death. She would
not be able to go forward by the tidal
train, she told me, having business
call to make in Calais. She would go
forward by the evening train.
All this was told me with charming
frankness. There was no reason why I
should not wait and go forward with her
by the evening train-if she would only
allow me to do so. When I threw out
hint to that effect she offered no OBJ
lection. She admitted at once that she
was fond of society, and then she looked
at me, and-well, I could almost have
sworn that she blushed. / had already
told her that | was bound for Paris on
special errand for my father; but /
had not said word about the ring, nor
had she even seen it. had put on my
gloves before 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
programme. Accordingly, while she
went about her business, [ took q
voit,tre and drove to the Hotel Dessin.
There, in the course of half an hour,
Madame joined me.
Now one can't very we'll partake of
| luncheon in kid gloves. The question
was whether should partake of mine
with the ring on my finger, Or whether
I 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 81, especially when there's
pretty woman IN the case, you will
know the decision I arrived at.
Madame pecked a little at this and
shat, but hardly ate more than spar
row might have done. How swiftly the
minutes seemed to fly I could have
fingered on in that cozy 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 ID gravitate to-
wards each other. Or perhaps it was
the stove that attracted US, for the
afternoon was chilly. In any case, we
found ourselves in closer proximity.
Then said Madame, "Do you not
smoke, Monsieur eyes, considera-
bly, more than is good for me, I'm
afraid" "Then smoke now. Oblige
me. like to see gentleman smoke. p"
[ rose. in order to get my cigar case out
of the pocket of my overcoat. Madame
laid her hand lightly on my armand
what charming hand it was! 7e,aez,
[ am going to make confession" said
she. st smoke, too-nao5. Cigarettes.
I lived for several years in Spain, where
nearly all the ladies smoke. You are
not shocked, I hope, at the idea of a
lady smoking a cigarette p
"Shocked, Madame"
mo, of course not. You are too
much a man of the world. You are
above such insular prejudices. Eth
bion, you. shall smoke one Of my
cigarettes" From the sachet by her
side she drew an embroidered case,
which she opened and bade me choose
cigarette. I did so, and she took
another. Then with her own fair
fingers she struck an ozlunaette. 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.
care say you VII! nno tne havor
little peculiar" said Madame, a minute
or two later. "These cigarettes are
made of perfumed tobacco. [ never
smoke any others. I hope you don't
find yours very disagreeable 2"
son the contrary, I am quite in love
with it. AS you say, the favor is slight
~ peculiar, but aromatic and pleasant
very pleasant. TIE tell the truth,
didn't like it at all, but I wouldn't have
said so for worlds.
We smoked on in silence. What
would this superb creature say to me,
I wondered. if were to tell her how
madly I had fallen in love with her !?
Would she reject me with scorn, or
would she-I gave a sudden start,
and was shocked to find that [ had been
falling asleep. Fortunately Madame
had not noticed me. Her large, melan-
choly 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 I had
but 92, coo a year now. and this sweet
craat11ra To share If with ma how bo,,rv