The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-02
TIE PRESS.
In a Leather Bag.

Il will not wait another day. said Miss
Norfolk-Stanley-a stout middle aged lady
with rubfcund countenance, juvenile
straw hat perched on the bridge of her nose,
and many onyx beads wound about her
throat.
"Bow-wow," responded the little dog BIZ
jou.
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 a British spin
ster with a neat property in Derbyshire, and
funds in Turkish and Indian loans.
The bag was produced by the maid. 1t
was large bag of black leather Biiou
eyed 1T apprehensively, yet with resignation
The tiny terrier, with eyes like shining beads
an inquisitive nose, and black body, with
patch of soft velvet brown on breast and
paws, jumped into the outside pocket of this
travelling mansion, and submitted to having
the strap carefully adjusted over his prison
in such manner as allowed breathing
space. Bijou was Struggled on board trains;
the maid was not trusted with the bag in
her thlrd-class seat, and if was point of
economy with his mistress not to pay for
dogs ticket in her own firSt-class carriage.
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 the frontiersl the pet was
popped under his mistress's mantle. while
the maid took the bag to the custom-house
officer for inspection, the inmate was sue
cessfully restored Bijou remained as silenl
as mouse in the pocket for hours, and re-
sisted 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 his dis
NAL captivity. Bijou's fur stood on end at
the approach of guard, by instinct.
Miss Norfolk-Stanley and her maid APP
peared 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 Piedmontese capital with his
presence. Bijou was invisible to the most
penetrating eye, curled up in the bag
''Give me lady's carriage, and alone if
possible" said Miss Norfolk-Stanley to
smiling official, with persuasive exchange
OF francs from palm to palm. The smiling
official bowed, and soon the lady was in
stalled in vacant carriage.
You shall come out pet, if we are 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,
reconnoitred the premises, and discreetly
withdrew from sight again.
The Turin depot is one of the most anus
ing fields of observation in Europe. How
Charles Lamb, the gentle philosopher, fond
of London crowd, would have enjoyed it!
The British lion monopolizes the field as a
rule, and presents here his most eccentric
national aspect. He comes here from Nice
and Mentone, via Genoa, stiff in gait, with
dyed whiskers and naughty mien, followed
by wife and troops of daughters. He comes
from India via Brindisi, tall and lean as a
cane, in Oriental cap and belted tunic like a
very large school-boy, accompanied by a sick
ly and querulous helpmate, whose aspect
suggests loss of health and children on the
borders of the jungle. Everywhere is clam
or, confusion, panic of haste. Piles of
wraps still odorous of a long sea-voyage,
trip the unwary pedestrian. A negress with
blue silk cap on the back of her head and
large earrings, drops a pile of cushions
and pauses to replace them in a scarlet rug,
with good humored laughter An anxious
mother escorts her darling boy, who is col
lapsed over the shoulder of painting fac
chino, and demands wildly her coupe en-
gagged for Paris. An ambassador of Moroc-
co. in crimson gown and white turban,
passes with dignified repose of manner, sur
rounded by his suite, enveloped in snowy
burnouses, each wearing yellow slippers. A
group OF young soldiers lean ON their mus
kets and criticise the throng; porters skurry
along, and guards gesticulate; butthe quick,
knocking Italian eye has ample leisure to
scan the laughing negress with her gorgeous
wraps, the tall old gentleman, the toddling
old ladies, round as balls, the ambas sador in
his turban.
Miss Norfolk-Stanley gazed out on the
hurrying throng with that selfish compla-
cency peculiar to the traveller who las Sc
cured good seat in continental railway
carriage. She held an old-fashoned theory
that, deprived OF the escort of Nephew Dick
a ladies' carriage was the safest place ,Or
herself That she was alone in this opinion
was speedily revealed by the fact of every
woman in the crowd bestowing her person
in the conveyances adjacent, rather than
submit to the awful possibility of a troop of
children for hours. Bijou's mistress was an
old traveller; experience had made her sus-
picious and timid. She read all the robber-
les in the English and foreign newspapers,
and looked obviously at mankind of the
tourist species. Who were those men? Why
did they observe her? A ladies' carriage for
her, if you please, and not one where each
man in the corner may prove assassin
and thief if favorable opportunity offers
She had learned the words "Helpr' and
"Thieves!' in six languages, for emergen-
cies.
Two ladies paused at the door of the car
riage. The smiling official, in remembrance
of Miss Norfolk-Stanley's bride, resisted
their efforts to enter and led them elsewhere.
They were both women of medium height,
in long waterproof cloaks, their heads en-
veloped in blue wells, which concealed their
faces. Miss Norfolk Stanley saw long yell
low hand, with thin fingers peculiarly talon
like, stretched forth to turn the handle of
her carriage door. The hand belonged to
the first woman, and she experienced a
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 as
sured herself this was the sole reason for
dreading the yellow hand and the SILVER
which crept over her at sight of it.
This danger surmounted there remained
one more to be overcome before Biiou and
his mistress could breathe freely. The surly
guard jumped on the steps, demanding the
tickets The surly guard gave and received
no quarter. His expression of countenance
was saturnine, his gray moustache curled |
upward in truly savage manner, and his |
cap was pressed down over deeply wrin- |
kled forehead. He was always in hurry, |
and his life was rendered burdensome by |
the questions of nervous travellers. He eyed |
Miss NOrfolk-Stanley sharply-sole occupant
OF the ladies' carriage, sitting with a leather
bag carefully held upright on her knee.
"You have no dog?" demanded the surly |
guard, peering about on the floor suspicious |
ly.
Certainly not,' said Miss Norfolk-Stan-
ley, blushing at the fib which she uttered in
alarm for her pet.
Then the surly guard banged the door, de-
parted, and the train actually started at last. |
Bijou skipped out of his prison, executed a |
wild but barkless dance over the seats, stood |
On his hind legs with great apparent enjoy
ment, ate a biscuit, and was refreshed with
water from the cup of his own tiny travelling
Task.
The train wendell its way towards the
Alps; one by one snow peaks detached them
selves from the mountain rampant dividing
France and Italy, and stood out boldly
against the blue sky; the atmosphere grew
Keen. Down in the valleys weather-beaten
little hamlets were huddled toge her in
cluster of steep roofs; the river foamed in
silvery nipples; the peasants worked in the
blooming fields. Within the railway carriage
Miss Norfolk-Stanley INDUCED in her own
and Bijou capered about at
pleasure The lady made her plans. with
slightly COMPRESSED Inns Sha would r1 70