American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-03-05

american boarders, drove to the Victo
ria station to take the night-train 70
Dover.
Foreign travel was so new an expert
ence to me, having thus far been lin
tied to the journey between Liverpool
and London, that L was in whirl o
excitement inwardly, though outwardly
very such amused by the mu,titudinou.
fluctuations which fell to Mime. Blanch
ards lot before herself, her valise
basket, umbrella, protege and husband
were safely locked into first class car
rage.
In the short winter days which fol
lowed we found plenty of occupation
The climate, indeed, was not SO great
an Improvement upon London: it rained
almost necessarily. and in our narrow
street it was dark by the middle of the
afternoon. But Mime. Blanchard had a
talent for improving every shining hour,
and when it was too bad for the Bots OIL
the Pare Monceaux, or-which perhaps
l liked best of all the Buttes Chau-
mont, there were the Louvre and the
Luxembourg and the shops. And Nine.
| Blanchard would make rendezvous
with Paul at one of the best restaurants
for an early dinner. and would take us
afterward to the theater or the opera,
where she would comfortably sleep
through the performance which en-
raptured us, like two children that we
were. Or. more frequently. we would
60 home to dine and play whist; that
amusement being Nine. Blanchard S
never-failing resource.
There was an old lady who lived on
the fifth floor of the adjoining house
an ancient friend of M. Blanchard's
mother or grandmother, or perhaps of
some more remote ancestress who used
to make a fourth at our whist-table.
Mile Genevieve Picard lived all alone
with white cat and a;black snuff box,
both Of which possessions were carried
out with her on all occasions. The
snuff box was quite harmless, except as
Mile. Picard would occasionally insist
upon sharing Its contents with a neigh
Dor; and wish l might say as much
of the cat. Mimi was ian original" as
her mistress truly averred. She had an
uncomfortable habit of lying upon the
hearth-rug, fixing us by turns. like the
Ancient Mariner, with her glitteriny
eyes, and suddenly springing, with tail
erect and claws extended, at the face
of the person who might be rash
enough to encounter her gaze. Toward
Nine. Blanchard's wig she entertained
an invincible hostility, and spent whole
evenings in plotting its destruction,
creeping stealthily about and watching
her opportunity to spring upon it and
bear it away in triumph.
Mile. Picard shared Nine. Blan-
chard's faith in M. Paul's wonderful
capacity for heroism, and was almost
equally with her upon the watch for
some surprising manifestation OF this
latent talent. To please his wife, NJ.
Blanchard had resumed the study of
the law, which had beer interrupted by
the war and his consequent absence
from the country. He was to go up for
examination in the spring, and was ex-
pected to distinguish himself on that
occasion. 1t was in vain that he in
of law, and was far more likely to fail
his admirers was but fortified by his
humility Poor Julie! how sorry 1
shall be for herr the young man
said to me one evening when his
wife had left the room for
parting word with Nile. Picard at
the door. She will be terribly disap-
pointed when l fail to pass. i wish
from my heart that could do some-
thing heroic by way of atonement,--I
do. indeed %
Rescue her from the claws of Mimi,
for instance?' suggested.
"Or her wig. more probably. wish
I had Ecrolsm enough to exterminate
that beast. but never could face Mile.
picard's wrath"
A shrek broke upon the stiffness
We rushed into the antechamber, and
beheld, as by lightning flash. Mime.
agonized- countenance and
white, unprotected scalp, and Mimi
flying up the long staircase, the wig
IN her mouth, its disorganized curls
railing upon the steps as she sped
along.
Without a word NJ. Paul sprang after
ler, four steps at time. He had over |
aiken her, had penned her into a cor
her. his hands were closing upon her,
md, alighting at our feet, fled through |
he open door of my room and out upon
he balcony; for, with the recklessness |
of Americans, had left |
ny window open. .fe En
In moment NJ. Paul had dropped |
rom the floor above. at imminent risk |
If continuing on to the basement, had
'ushed through my room and out upon
he balcony, followed by us. all, Mile.
Picard. even in this supreme moment,
lot forgetting to snatch up shawl and
brow it over her friends hairless head,
With a murmured warning against cur
ents of air.
Mimi waited but to see her foe upon
Ter before she gave another spring and
anded upon the balcony of the next
window. M, Paul sprang after her.
egardless of his wife's heart-rending
creams. Another leap. another, and
mother, in which she was closely fol-
owed by her pursuer, brought Mimi to
he last balcony: for there were none
m the adjoining house. The embra-
ure of the next window, however, was
road and deep. Into it Mimi sprang,
nd turned to glare defiance at her
De across the chasm, the wig still
lutched determinedly between her
eeth.
Mime. Blanchard grasped my arm in
gony. my God r' she cried "what
J he ,doinge- Paul, Paul p
IS Hist !" interposed Mile. Picard;
you but disturb him . and we chung
D each other in shivering horror, while
'aul. pressing himself closely to the
rail- and holding, as it seemed, by the
aims Of his hands, crept slowly along
slight projection toward the deep re-
ess where Mimi crouched with glitter
ig teeth and glazing eyes guarding her
rey.
Hours seemed to pass while we ]
'atched the black figure creeping slow
: along the moonlit wall A fragment ,
mortar was loosened somewhere and
attled to the pavement, congealing the
lood in our veins and causing us to