Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-06-30
I'm a Leather Bag.

y
bridge of her nose, and many onyx
beads wound round her throat.
"Bow-wow," responded her little dog
Bijou.
Nephew Dick, presumptive heir of the
lady, had failed to meet her at Turin as
agreed, and she had been forced to wait
twenty four hours. without result. She
was deeply incensed, as became Brit
ish spinster with neat property in
Derbyshlre and funds in Turkish and
Indian loans.
The bag was produced by the maid.
1t was large bag of black leather.
Bijou eyed it apprehensively. yet with
resignation. The tiny terrier. with eyes
! like shining beads, and lnquisitive nose,
and black body, with patch of soft
velvet brown on breast and paws, jump
ed into the outside pocket of this travel
ing mansion, and submitted to having
the strap carefully adjusted over his
prison In such manner as allowed
breathing space. Bijou was SNUG
gled on board trains the maid was not
trusted with the bag in her third
class seat, and it was point of econo-
my with his mistress not to pay for
dogs ticket in her own frst-class car
riage. Miss Norfolk-Stanley took the
bag herself, thus exciting the interest
of keen,eyed birds of prey lowering
about in scent of jewel cases and bags
carried by the English lady traveller.
At frontiers the pet was popped under
his mistress mantle, while the maid
took the bag to the custom house officer
for inspection then the inmate was
successfully restored. Bijou remained
as silent as mouse in the pocket for
hours, and resisted the most tempting
inducements to bark at startling noises.
He knew full we'll that when the enemy
had deserted the field his mistress
would take him out of the dismal cap
tivity. Bijou's fur stood on end, at the
approach of a guard, by instinct.
Miss Norfolk Stanley and her maid
appeared on the platform of the Turin
depot at nine o'clock in the morning.
Nephew Dick would find the birds flown
when he saw fit to grace the Piedmon-
tese capital with his presence. Bijou
was invisible to the most penetrating eye,
curled up in the bag.
"Give me a ladies' carriage, and
alone if possible" said Miss Norfolk.
Stanley to smiling official, with per-
suasive exchange of francs from palm to
palm. The smiling official bowed. and
soon the lady was installed in vacant
carriage.
You shall come out pet, if we are
left alone she whispered, unfastening
the strap over the pocket of the bag as
it rested on her knee. Bijou thrust out
his little black head, reconneitred the
premises, and discreetly withdrew from
sight again.
Two ladies paused at the door of the
carriage. The smiling official, in re-
membrance of Miss Norfolk Stanley s
bribe, resisted their efforts to enter, and
led them elsewhere. They were both
women of medium height, in long water
proof cloaks, their heads enveloped in
blue wells, which concealed their faces
Miss Norfolk, Stanley saw long yellow
hand, with thin fingers peculiarly talon
like, stretched forth to turn the handle
of her carriage door. The hand belon-
ged to the first woman, and she expe-
rienced strange sense of relief when it
was again withdrawn, and the owner
passed on. Why? Because Bijou could
caper about at liberty if she retained the
carriage alone. She assured herself this
was the sole reason for dreading the vel
low hand and the shiver which crept ov.
er her at sight of it,
The danger surmounted, there re-
manned one more to be overcome before
Bijou and his mistress could breath,
t freely. The surly guard jumped on th'
step. demanding tickets. The surl,
; guard gave and received no quarter
His expression of countenance was sat
, urine, his gray mustache curled upwar'
in truly savage manner, and his ca
2 was pressed down over a deeply wrin
e kled forehead. He was always in hur
ry, and his life was rendered burden
y some by the questions of nervous trav
. elers He eyed Miss Norfolk Stanle
sharply-sole occupant of the ladie:
e carriage, sitting with leather ba
b carefully held upright on her knee.
"You have no dog 2" demanded th
|, surly guard, peering about on the foe
!. suspiciously.
), Certainly not said Miss Norfoll
1t Stanley. blushing at the fib which 81
Ill uttered in alarm for her pet.
Then the surly guard banged Il
j. door, departed, and the train actuall
IL started at last. BijOu skipped out
,r his prison, executed wild b,
IS harmless dance over the seats, stood {
v y his hind legs with great apparent eDjo
90 ment, ate biscuit, and was refresht