The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-11-12

She shuddered, then broke into a
laugh you look as startled as though
YOU saw him ar this moment peeping
over my shoulder Why do you talk OF
such horrors, Etienne? Let Us change
the subject.
Etienne was silent A curious chill
crept over him a sudden shadow
seemed to have fallen ON the bright day.
There was a Earring sense of incongruity
in the association of Georgette with
such grim realities as want and hard
ship He looked at the sweet, coara-
geous face, the fragile figure, the
delicate little hands that had been
forced to fight so hard a battle for bare
existence, and his heart swelled with
pity and generous sort of shame as he
contrasted his easy, indolent life with
hers.
He seized her fingers and covered
them with kisses.
loved them so we'll. Thank Heaven
they will not have to toll much longer. F"
She smiled and passed her hand over
his hair again.
$50 when | share your tent in the
pleasant land of Bohemia | shall have
nothing to do all day but count my
fingers"
"You will have nothing to do but to
love me and be happy"
90 4inaer, chlemer-roiia ma vie ?" she
broke into melody as naturally as bird
sings. but do you know that it is
getting late ?" she added, looking
round.
And, indeed, while they had been
talking the golden afternoon had crept
away. Shadows were lengthening on
the slopes, and in the ferny hollows of
the park it was already dusk.
Presently all the fountains ceased,
and there was sudden hush and still
ness i'll the air. sense of GOODNESS,
freshness, moisture an OdOr of wet
earth and grass. The water in the
basin of Neptune" subsidized into still
ness, though its surface was still fretted
with ripples like a miniature sea, and
the great metal groups of Neptune and
Amphitrite, Proteus, and the strange
sea-monsters dripped and glitened in
the last rays of the setting sun. An
hour later Georgette and her lover left
station, where a train was just starting
for Paris.
1t was pleasant to be borne swiftly
through the wide, dusky landscape,
alongside of the sweet Seine, dimly
shining i'll the starlight past Saint
Cloud and Suresnes, with their pretty
villas buried in foliage past Puteaux
with its market gardens, and Asnieres
with its t1otilla of pleasure boats, till
the lights of Paris began to sparkle
round them, the vague white glare of
the electric light showing where the
Place de lOpera lay the long lines of
lamps on the exterior boulevards stretch
ing away in apparently endless per-
spective on every side.
Then came the lettering walk home
ward along the brilliant streets, where
all Paris seemed to be sitting outside
the cafes taking its cigar and "chasse"
over the Pont Neuf, where they paused
to look at the moon in the river, and so
into the labyrinth of quaint, old-world
streets of the classic Quarter Latin.
1t was nine o'clock when they reached
the Rue des Ecoles.
the latter, snufy old man in a Hol-
land apron and tasseled smoking-cap,
put out his head and called them back
"a letter for you, Ma'amselle Geor-
gette, came by the midday post. A
mans writing" he added as he handed
it to her.
81 have no gentlemen correspondents,
Monsieur Podevin."
F'Its gentleman's writing, anhow,"
he repeated.
She scrutinized the direction with a
puzzled look, then shrugged her should
ers and put the letter into her pocket
Perhaps it is an order for flowers"
she remarked.
For orange-blossoms, helm ?" sug-
gested the old man, with a sly glance at
Etienne.
eff so, | shall not accept it," was
Georgette's answer.
"Why? her lover demanded, as he
followed her up upstairs "surely it
would be good omen"
''No; if you make them for Others
you will never wear them yourself, they
say"
''Superstitious child You will let me
see that letter, won't you? | shall not
sleep till know who is your mysterious
correspondent.
''Is Monsieur jealous, for example ?"
she asked, throwing laughing glance
at him over her shoulder
mot the least in the world" he pro-
tested. 81 am only curious"
"Well, come up to my landing and l
will satisfy your curiosity as soon as
have lighted the lamp. Where is my
key? ah, there it is! J"
She unlocked her door and entered,
while her companion stood outside,
looking in at the humble little room
whose threshold he had never crossed
The moonlight filed it, giving it a
dreamy, unreal look, showing the little
white bed in an alcove, the work
table with its pretty litter of halffnish-
ed flowers, the bird-cage and plants in
the window, and his own photograph on
the wall, with print of our Lady of
Lourdes above it. Everything was as
daintily neat and trim as Georgette
herself, and the room was sweet with
the scent of mignonette.
"RoH soir, Jannette and thou, too,
Mignon, said the girl, as she entered,
greeting her feathered and furred COM
panions.
The canary responded with shrill
chirp, while the cat jumped on to her
shoulder, and purred a welcome.
When the lamp was lighted she came
toward her lover, who was watching her
with all his heart in his eyes.
Her hair, damp with the night-dews,
lay in loose curled rings ON her fore
head; fatigue had made her paler than
usual, but her eyes shone like twin
stars.
.'You look at me as if you had never
seen me before" she said, smiling.
II have never seen you look SO
sweet"
THANK you; but you say that every
time we meet, do you know