New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-27
\ POTENT PHILTER.'

1t al certain August evening settled over the
CITY of Oucbec sat Dr. Norton Fletcher tie was"
younslnau whom most women would Doubtless nave
pfonounccd handsome Indeed, in that prodgaiity Oh
adjective phrase that is perhaps, indigenous 10 III"
feminine heart they might have deemed MN
WORTH, q richer epithct His brown beard was worn
,,rshcd sharply back at its division upon the cAih
IN thc fashion most approved of womankind, ana
his hair Law in thick masses where II showed De
meath his hat A pair of fine hazel eyes an open
face and StIikinCy refined features are perhaps
The other factors that woman would nave hdheu III
justfyuC her adjective His dress was quiet ana
modest. being neither exactly III the prcF"'I!ns
mode nor without trace "t the WORK ol q CUNNING
tailor.
Tho CIR was well filled on either side. though no
-e stood and the swinging straps above IN Iinlta-
ton Of those in in own land where we Suner
ourselves to hang upon them as the people OF Quebec
are seldom forced to do. Svayed about unused on
their long support.
Without. that dull. meaningless. eAortleSs ram
faelugly called drizzle falling upon the city
and ;htcp,ifvinc its gloom in the descent. The
streets seemed wholly deserted, as the car passed
through them. save for the occasional rattle of
bome-returuing dray or cart and the rain dropped
from the caves of the steep roofs and from the
massive side. of the aggressIvely respectable
shutter, and battered on the walk beneath, WIN
sound of iucfablc drearness
The car in whicA DR.. Fletcher was seated was
one Of those that run from the Upper Town out
through the suburb of It. Roch, and the return
which it was now making was therefore long
enough 80 seem tedious the more that the car
vyaddIod along on its uneven track in the snaliSh
manner of all things Canadian Tempted 10y
The fairness of the skies at noon, and the assertion
cf one of those vigorously idle old men IN whom
Quebec abounds when he had inquired from him
the distance 80 certain point OF interest that IL
WAS p'r'aps league he had set out to walk HIS
discovery that a league about Quebec is the most
elastic measurement Of space IN the world. and that
this league was quite double the three miles, which
lie n,i,t,ly remembered the arithmetical tables to
a,cribr 10 it. had come too late for him to engage
Calechc and no had traveTsed all the distance Oh
loot
Uc did not remember walking 50 far since his col
lrOe DAYS. and his limb, made complaint OF the an
accustomed exercise Ont of the dale of his fatigue
IL scarcely noted those about him. and he had little
disposition as he sank into the narrow corner which
in these cars the long box that serves In tho stead
cf conductor shares with the passenger. to resolve
their quality. The black walnut tower before nun
rocked with tho fumes of the kerosene lamp that
smoked itsolf away within. Yet IN his WEAKNESS he
accepted If with almost sense of gratitude as a
shicld fIom the garshly Intellectual light OF the
lamps that sputtered and hickered in the corners
before the violently polished metal refectors and
closed his eyes behind it in relief
The -topning of the car and the opening OF the
door caused him to look up larGuidly. An elderly
lady rustled with soft dignity into the car and up
toward tho corner where he was seated. shortly
behind her followed young girl There was a
ouick low-voiccd contest of courtesy between the
two before an inoccupled seat next the young man.
and then the elder as if in Difference to the wish OF
her cnmpanion. quietly took II. The girl cast
,l,nce of hestant expectancy about the carriage
- look betYixt modest demand Of a seat, and depre-
cation of its offer. such as should have melted A
common heart But il fell 90 the two or three
Ouehec gentlemen scattered about the car without
result A shadow of which Norton Fletcher on
sudden became conscious before HIM, caused him 10
opon his oyes widely enough to see that woman
was standing aud he sprang to his feet. The girl
ocoepted his seat with a murmurei work OF thanks,
and Fletcher placed himself against the door
Tho elderly lady and her companion were eyi-
0ently Americans as the Canadians IN strange dis
tinctiop from themselves. call the natives OF the
United States But their nationality was not pro-
claimed in the emphasis Of dress and manner which
Furopaans hold to be the badge Of our country
women. There was rather about their attire, that
peryasiye quality called taste, with which all
American girls arc doubtless born, and which gives
90 rs as q nation the best dressed women Of the
earth II was this that distinguished them from the
Canadian ladies' their fellow passengers. whose
1D,ujcry Of tho richly poor English manner of dress
showed dull and common against the simple beauty
of the anpare Of the Americans. Something more
WAS visible however IN their attire than thar dls-
Crstion in these matters, all but universal Win US
A subtle air of refinement chung about them. HE
Canadians stared little, as the best-brcd some
times will, ~ desperate lack oil otAcI occupation.
and indeed such manifestation was I'D TINS instance
Lot without excuse , 49,. a.. ,-.:
BARLEY did not Enthusiastically merit the vague ep!
hRr had at least "A CERTAIN WInSONe
ness an indehnable charm. At home. her acqualnt-
-. IA set q mental Interrogation point after her
Ta,oe as symbol of this narrowing ndchnteneoS of
her claim 10 be finally placed on either side of the
little book for the registration ot feminine i0yelness
aud uuloye!incs5 which society uncOnsc!Ously
Leep,: ana the stare of the Canadians was Perhap5
no more than an Misunderstanding recognition OF
this rathor isscnatngly predetermined character %
Her companion was also sufficiently removed from
the ordinary type OF the American visitor To Quebec
10 win more attention trorl the other passengers
than is usually bestowed 10y the natives upon rrpre-
sentatvos of people to whose summer Hitting
through their city they have become cduous. Her
100 which would have been described IN a spinster
- uncertain sat upon her with the grace which
-,atlrallv falls upon the matrOn, as she stands IN
,be ,oi,v valley of a wOmau's life-the valley into
which she has descended from the plains OF youth
Aud from which she has yet TO climb To the serene
Height, of old age. Mrs. FOrdham seemed one
who, ,ympathV with the pleasures 0t glrlhOOd
might still De very fresh. yet in whom there might
dwell keen feeling for the more staid ENJOY ihchts
appropriatc to her years.
ihe car was quickly filling with aborers, return
lug so the city from their work OIL The day IN the
suburb al 81. ROch and DR.. Fletcher shortly found
himself pushed close against the door. by the
others standing. His pos ton became an uncom
Portable one The wOrkmen leaned over him To de
pOsit their fares, their Jackets dripping with
moisture from the rain without. A nervous Mite
old woman banded hlm a silver piece. extracted
with agitation from her knOtted handkerchief 10
convoy 90 the driver for changing, and part OF the
money falling ~ he gave 1t back she made him feel
that She held herself aggrieyed and delivered her
self Of ladylke facial ObluTgatIOnS toward hun
during the remainder OF the journey. From the
shoulder Of the man who stood next to him hung a