Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-12-26


Napoleon's face, and said in q hesitating
voice:
"Is this-Mr. Nix"
The voice was low and sweet, and it
thrilled Napoleon to his very boots. He
stammered an affirmative reply.
"You will excuse me-" said the glori-
Gus eyes (Mr Nix thought it must be the
eyes that spoke "for speaking to you
without the formality Of an introduction,
but
Oh, she needn't mind that, Mr.. Nix
murmured.
But am a stranger in your city,
which we reached only last night. When
| say we, refer to myself and husband. y
"Ah, she's married." soliloquized Ma
poleon, but for the life of him he couldn't
have told why the thought gave him an
involuntary feeling of regret. He bowed
hi. head in acknowledgement Of the
receipt of the information, and the caller
proceeded:
at is a very delicate matter Of which
have to speak" she said, and to the
unspeakable trepidation Of Dir. Nix, he
detected tears in the glorious eyes, "and
never could have been equal to the task,
had not the landlord of the hotel where
we are stopping told me you were gen.
tleman of honor, upon whom lady In
distress might safely CALL
Certainly it did not need the landlords
commendation to convince the woman
that the staring little man in front of her
was as guileless as a child. He stam-
mered few broken sentences Of assur-
ance, and begged his visitor that she
would command him in any way.
my husband" the beautiful woman
went on, wiping the glorious eyes with a
delicate little handkerchief, sis an inva-
lid, suffering from wound received in
the army - Major Henry Budd is his
name. Such is the peculiar nature of
his wound, that he is unable to work,
and recently his physician recommended
that he travel about from place to place,
in hopes that constant change OF scene
might have a beneficial effect upon his
system. In order to accomplish this for
we are poor, l unhesitatingly confess |
have found it necessary to engage in
some light employment, to detray our
expenses. This do by ling a book,
canvassing each place we visit, and man.
aging to secure money enough by this
means to support US both. fnd it very
hard, but"
To Napoleon's unspeakable horror the
eyes were at this juncture overhowlug
with tears, and the beautiful countenance
was buried in the handkerchief.
Don't cry, marm-don't cry he
gasped, barely preventing his own lash
less orbits from inund ating. al don
know what you want, but if there's any
thing can do, don't hesitate to ask it.
"You are very good" rejoined th'
woman, staying her sobs with grea
effort. at is an embarrassing thing
thus to approach a stranger, but m.
trouble left me no alternative. Las
night my husband suffered relapse, ant
is now confined to his room at the hotel
All the forenoon have sought in vain t
sell a copy of my book (here she me
chanically unrolled the package she hat
laid on the show case, land | find my
self in a bad situation, our money bein
all expended, my husband very sick, an
-and-'
And here there was another alarming
relapse into the handkerchief,
"Well, marm," said Napoleon, in a
awkard, soothing voice, "don't cry
don't give away to your feelings so. 1t
always darkest just before the dawn.
; He threw this out as comforting reaec
ton, though he failed to discern its pa
= ticular bearing on the case at issue,
To shorten q somewhat lengthy stor'
the eyes and the countenance and th
handkerchief quite melted the by 4
means adamant heart Of the artless NJ
poleon, and when his visitor eventual
went out the door, with sunny face,
not only had bought copy Of the bool
the title of which he was profoundly il
, norant of, but had actually promised tn
he would that evening call upon Maj
, and Mrs. Henry Budd at the hotel, al
do what he could to aid wounded al
distressed soldier and his devoted al
y beautiful wife in their moment Of di
tress.
!. No man can explain the motives whi'
a prompt his every action, and every nj
A at some time in his life commits an &C
y so utterly at variance with every phs
e .lo n.auinna q nd after eY isken