The Osceola times., 1881-02-05

| Mossop turned the conversation alb
ruptly. begging me 20 remain IN c.
| for dav or two, 10 see something Of hi
new friends and home.
"Oh. We do not belong 10 the back
woods socially" he said. II can show
you a woman, who would grace any
| court in Europe. She has done 1t. No
| bic blood, brilliant accomplishments, the
purcst, most sanity soul, irresisubly
| fascinating. Really, I'd like TO show you
Ia Baronuc, a the ideal type of periec
ton in woman
! laughed. Mossop had never been as
enthusiastic before over any thing
la Baronnc, ch?' ! said.
"Ycs But she is entitled to a much
higher rank. She is a woman of about
30; French; Of enormous wealth; has
some philanthropic craze about sending
over emigrants 10 this country; brought
letters to our bishop and other leading
men, from other ecclesiastics and human
itarians. she has bought vast tract OF
land, Just outside of the town. Well, OF
course, we have dined and ftted her, and
she scatters her money like a princess.
There is reception tonight You will
stay, George? She will be there
impossible. Here is the coach. !
must settle my bill and be Off"
1t was an intensely dark night. The
wind blew sharply. Mossop stood at
the hotel door.
"Plenty of wraps?' he asked. "You
will find it nipping cold, when you get
up into the mountains. You have but
one inside passenger. ! see?' noddiug
tavXopl N t,,nfIlal fa,tra in tha l., rlr ., .-,a,
"A woman, | think. | hope she will
prove more companionable than my last
fellow traveller. | had mailman anc
his keeper all the way, from the Ohio
river to Cumberland. Well, good-by
and good luck. old fell)wm and, wringin.
my hand, he turned off to his brilliant
Baronne and her reception, while tn,
coach plowed its way through the dark
ness.
curled myself cozily up in one corner
and slept until sudden Jolt jostled IN,
against my neighbor. She laughed, and
the apology | had begun frozc on my
lips. Faust-the music! could not b,
mistaken. | should have known tina
laugh the other side of the world.
She answered my excuses with a civi
murmur, and apparently composed her
self to sleep. As for me, my burning
curiosity, eagerncss, surprise, left mt
dumb. She was here, At last! Within
my very grasp. But how to approach
her to win her for my friend?
The coach rumbled up the hill. Ar
hour passed in unbroken silence. The
moon had risen, and, as we reached the
top of the mountain, broke through &
r Il. 4 10. ,,l
sharp peaks and low rolling ranges
white and glittering in the new fallen
snow, opened before us. The coach
stopped The outside passenger, a jaunty
young man in a naval uniform, came to
the door, and opened it, hat in hand.
Madam. You are in fairy-land.' he
said to my companion. "Will you not
look out? | felt | must awaken you. 1t
was selfish to keep all this wonderful
world to MYSELF
"Oh, thank your She leaned out OF
the window as she spoke, but as she was
in the shadow her face was still invis-
ible
also spoke, pointing out frozen cas-
cade here, soft depth of shadow there
The young officer, who was but lad
made some good jokes. Ben, the driver,
who stood cracking his whip, declared it
a pretty fair outlook Face to face
with Nature, we were, for the moment,
old friends.
ventured at last ON Il bold expert
ment, "lIow much pictures" | said
"are, after all, but poor make-shifts ior
Nature. And the material of canvas
burnt umber and effects, are apt to put
out of sight, with artists, the real mean
ing of sky and sea-the message, for in
stance, which comes to us here
She turned her head attentively, and
was silent moment, as if perpleXed
Il have thought something like that my
self" she said, gently.
Did | not know it?
"All aboard ~ cried Ben. jumped in
and he banged the door; the lieutenant
with a bow, clambered up to his perch
again; and we rolled away down the
slippery road.