The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-11-01
AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT.

AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT.
1 was dining one evening with my
friend Pascal, and, as we sat over our
wine, he mentioned that he had Just re-
turned from Strasbourg, where his atten-
ton had been directed to the extensive
Notifications the Germans had erected
since the city had come into their hands.
From this subject the conversation di-
verged to the Franco-Prussian war, and
Pascal said:
s.By-the-bye, was in Paris during the
Commune, and on one occasion met with
rather a curious adventure"
s.What was itP'' Inquired.
''I will tell you," he replied. "You
are aware that the firm of which am q
member has extensive dealing with vari-
Gus French commercial houses. Shortly
after the siege of Paris was over, went
there, and had not been in the city more
than week or ten days before the in
surrection which resulted in the estab-
ishment of the Commune broke out.
After the Versailles troops had made
themselves masters of Paris, hundreds of
unfortunate wretches were ruthlessly
shot, but little trouble being taken to
discriminate between the guilty and the
innocent For several days it was not
safe to venture into the streets; but at
last made my way to the local project
ure and obtained pass to leave the city.
On the following evening, at the railway
station, found that each passengers s
passport was subjected to rigid scrutiny.
Mine, however, being perfectly en- reggie,
Twas allowed, after only a brief interro-
cation, to pass on to the platform.
took a seat in q coupe, the only other oc-
cupant of which was a lady dressed in
deep mourning. She was a tall and
rather good-looking woman. bowed
slightly on entering the carriage, as is
the custom in France, but no word was
spoken by either of US for some little
time. Presently my travelling companion
took out her watch. A slight exclama-
ton of vexation escaped her, and. turn
ing to me, she said:
''Pardon, Monsieur-can you inform
me what o'clock it isa I find that my
watch has stopped
''Just twenty minutes past mine,
madame"
.'After brief pause, she said:
monsieur is English; is it not sop
r SHOW rather pique myself upon the
correctness of my accent, so / was
slightly annoyed at the speakers ready
conclusion that / was a foreigner.
therefore simply bowed. With French
woman's intuitive tact, my companion,
perceiving that my amour Dropre was
hurt, fastened to add:
Monsieur speaks our language ad-
mirably, and his accent is, if 1 may be
permitted to say so, thoroughly Partisan.
But there is slight intonation which
led me to believe that he was q for
eigner."
could not resist the compliment. and
replied, smiling:
Madame fiatters me p'
There was silence between us for a
few moments; and then my companion
said, rather abruptly, as thought:
Monsieur, may venture to solicit a
favor at your handsP'
''If madame will indicate the nature
of the service she requires of me-" T re-
piled, guardedly, 81 will inform her
whether or not it be in my power to
render it."
at is simply, Monsieur, that, if when
the train stops at any station, we are in
terrogated, you wilrhaye the goodness to
declare that am lsdy we'll known to
you and travelling under your escort "
"But, madame" 1 began with sur
prise, when she interrupted me by say
ing:
Monsieur, you need be under no APP
prehensions that you will compromise
yourself by acceding to my request 1t
must appear to you an extraordinary
one, admit, but reasons 1 am not at
liberty to explain render it desirable for
me not to be supposed to be travelling
alone"
''But you would have travelled so had
not by pure chance entered this COM
partment," said.
THAT is true; and it is a most fortu-
nate accident which has given me mon
sieur for fellow traveller" was the quick
response.
Ireflected moment before / again
spoke, and made shrewd guess at the
motives which had actuated my fair
companion in making the proposition
she had Just addressed to me. She ap-
peared a resolute, determined woman,
and it was, I thought, more than pos
sible that'she had played part during
the Commune, which rendered it abso-
lutely essential to her safety that she
should escape from France. Chance
having thrown us together, the idea had
evidently struck her that, by represent
ing herself as a lady under the escort of
an Englishman, suspicion would be less
likely to attach to her than if she were
found travelling alone. In any case i
could not see that ran any very serious
risk by acceding to her request, so ]
replied:
Il will do what you require of me,
madame, relying upon your promise that
no i'll consequences will arise from my
compliance.
90 1 thank you most sincerely for your
very great kindness, Monsier," was the
response; and then no more was said
until we reached the station.
When the train stopped perceived
several men in the uniform of the French
police upon the platform, and observed
that they went up to one carrirge after
another and interrogated the occupants.
As they were approaching the one in
which we were, my fair companion sud-
denly changed her seat for the one next
to mine, threw her arm round my neck,
and rested her head lovingly upon my
shoulder. I was dumb with astonish-
ment and modification at this, as 1 con-
sidered it most outrageous proceeding,
and was endeavoring to free myself from
the unwelcome embrace, when one OF
the officials came up to the door of the
compartment, and. perceiying, as he
supposed, the affectionate relations ex-
isting between the lady and myself. said
politely, but with an ironical snnile:
Pardon, Monsieur! Do not disturb
yourself" Then, turning to his conn