River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-26
IN A LEATHER BAG.

Miss Norfolk -Stanley--a stout, middle
aged lady, with runbicund contenance,
a Juvenile straw hat perched on the bridge
OF her nose, and many onyx beads wound
about her throat.
"Bow-wow," responded her little dog
Bijou.
Nephew Dick, presumtive 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 British
spinister with neat property in Derby
shire, 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 tiay terrier, with eyes
like shining beads, an inquisitive nose,
and black body, with a patch of soft
velvet brown on breast and paws, jumped
into the outside pocket OF this
travelling mansion, and submitted TO hav-
ing the strap carefully adjusted over his
prison in such manner as allowed Il
reathing space. Bljou was struggled
on board trains; the maid was not trust
ed with the bag in her third-class seat,
and it was a point of economy with his
mistress not TO pay for dogs ticket in
her own first class carriage. Miss Nor
folk-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 mistresss mantle, while
the maid took the bag to the custom
house officer for inspection; then the in
mate was successfully restored. Biiou re
manned as silent as "A mouse in the pocket
for hours, and resisted the most tempting
inducements to bark at startling noises.
He knew full well that when the enemy
had deserted the field his mistress would
take him out of the dismal captivity
Bijou's fur stood on end, at the approach
of a guard, by instinct
Miss Norfolk Stanley and her maid APP
peared on the platform of the Turin de
pot at nine o'clock in the morning
Nephew Dick would find the birds flown
when he saw fit to grace the Piedmontese
capital with his presence. Bijou was in
visible to the most penetrating eye, curled
up in the bag.
solve me a lady's carriage, and alone
if possible, " said Miss Norfolk-Stanley to
a smiling official, with a persuasive eX-
change of francs from palm to palm
The smiling official bowed, and soon the
lady was installed in "A vacant carriage
"You shall come out, pet, if We are LETT
alone" she whispered, christening the
strap over the pocket Of the bag as it
rested on her knee Bijou thrust out his
little black head, reconnoitrcd the premi-
SEES, and discreetly withdrew from sight
again.
The Turin depot is one of the most
amusing fields of observation in Europe.
How Charles Lamb, the gentle philosopher
fond of a London crowd, would have en-
joyed i'll The British lion monopolizes
the field, as rule. and presents here his
most eccentric national aspect. He comes
from Nice and Mentone, gta Genoa, stiff
in gait, with dyed whiskers and naughty
mien, followed by my wife and troops of
daughters. He comes from India, ola
Brindisi, tall and lean as cane, In Orien-
tai cap and belted tunic, like very large
school-boy, accompanied by a sickly and
querulous helpmate, whose aspect sug-
gests loss of health and children on the
borders of the jungle. Every where is
clamor, confusion, panic Of haste; piles
Of wraps still odorous of long sea-v0yages,
trip the unwary pedestrian. A negress,
with blue silk cap on the back of her
head and long earrings, drops pile OF
cushions, and pauses to replace them in a
scarlet rug, with good-humored laughter.
An anxious mother escorts her darling
rh,, Ia AZ chn IL
of painting facchino, and demands wild
ly her coupe, engaged for Paris An am
bassador of Morocco, in a crimson gown
and white turban, passes with dignified
repose of manner, surrounded by his
suit, enveloped in snowy burnouses, each
wearing yellow slippers. A group Of
young soldiers lean on their muskets, and
criticise the throng; porters skurry along,
and guards gesticulate; but the quick,
hooking Italian eye has ample leisure TO
scan the laughing ncgress with her gor-
geous wrap, the tall old gentleman, the
toddling old ladies round as balls, the
ambassador in his turban.
Miss Norfolk-S Stanley gazed on the hur
ryIng throng with that selfish complacen-
CIV peculiar to the traveller who has al
ready secured good seat IA Continen-
tai railway carriage. She held an old
fashioned theory that, deprived of the
escort of Nephew Dick, ladies' carriage
she was alone in this opinion was speed
lily revealed by the fact of every other
woman in the crowd bestowing her per-
son in the conveyances adjacent, rather
than submit to the awful possibility Of
troop Of children for hours. Biiou's mis-
tress was an old traveller; experience had
made her timid and suspicious. She
read all the roberries in English and for
eien newspapers, and looked dubious at
mankind of the tourest species. Who
were these menl Why did they observe
herr A ladies' carriage for her, If you
please, and not one where each man in
the corner may prove an assassin and
thief if a favorable opportunity offers.
She had learned the words "Helpm and
ssThievesi'' in six languages, for emer-
gencies.
Two ladies paused at the door Of the
carriage. The smiling official, in remem-
brance of Miss Norfolk Stanley's bride, /
resisted their efforts to enter and led /
them elsewhere. They were both wom-
en- 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 fingars peculiarly talon /
like, stretched forth to turn the handle |
OF her carriage door. The hand belonged |
to the first woman, and she experienced I
strange sense of relief when Il was again /
and the owner passed on.
Why2 Because Bijou could caper about /
at liberty if she retained the corriage /
alone. She assured herself this was the /
sole reason for dreading the yellow hand /
and the SILVER which crept over her al
the sight of it.
This danger surmounted, there re-
NAMED one more 10 be overcome licfore
Bijou and his mistress could breathe
freely. The surly guard jumped on the
step, demanding tickets. The surly
guard gave and received no quarter. His
expressions Of countenance was saturnine,