The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-01
THE TIDAL TRAIN.
Henry Austin
From the London World.

From the London World.
There was a great rush for the tidal
train chat morning from Paris. 1t start
ed at a very convenient hour, $40, and
it was %patronized by a crowd of people.
Mossoo was there, of course, in fine
form, fur coated, although summer was
already come; but the fur coat is de
rigueur with the travelling Gaul, no
less than the courier bag slung oven the
shoulder, and the modest portmanteau
OF dirty white IN containing q still
more modest allowance Of linen of the
same ambiguous character. Americans
too. returning from q tour through
Europe and a heightened halt in Paris,
our compatriots in every variety;
cads, captains and countesses; a bridal
pair homeward, no longer b~lushingly
self-conscious but Enthusiastically bored;
several sets of exclusive people who
somehow had secured a caisse louce to
their two or three selfish selves.
AS the time for departure approached
there was the usual cutlery for seats.
The French officials if asked shrugged
their shoulders and pointed to the near
est carriage; what they meant was there
was still room and to spare if people
did not owe up extra seats with their
belongings, and SO monopolize more
than their share. Late arrivals thus
neglected wondered miserably up and
down the whole length of the train,
seeking accommodation excitedly and
in vain.
Among the rest were two ladies, one
of whom, the elder, seemed greatly
Hurried and put out. II knew how it
would be-" she cried, in a despairing
voice, every seat is occupied! What
shall we do? why were we so late?"
She was a middle-aged, somewhat
pletheric looking dame, with an air OF
much Importance marred for the mo-
ment by helplessness and ill-temper.
"We shall find places presently, my
dear Lady Jones'" replied the younger,
who had the rather sycophantic mir of O
humble friend. 1.-THE guard will help
u.s."
"They never do. and they don't un-
derstand. Dear, dear! why didn't we
come in time? 1t was all your fault,
Hester"-this to the maid who followed
them as they ranged backwards along
the platform-"you ought to have
packed last night. What shall we do :
o, thank you so much |" she cried sud
denly with efusion.
A gentleman who apparently had
been watching her distress, pushed
open the door of the carriage he occu-
pied and invited her to enter. His COM
panion, another man at the far end,
made room by removing rugs and bags,
and presently Lady Jones with a sigh
of relief sank back into the cushions.
Then with feminine selfshness and
forgetfulness of the trouble she had
just escaped, she proceeded to prevent
any one else from getting in.
"Cover up the seats well, Millicent, y
she cried "and do keep that door shut.
Oh, thank you sir" she added, to one OF
the men, who seemed to fall in readily
with her idea Of keeping the carriage to
themselves.
There was nothing very remarkable
about Lady Jones new found friends.
One was a tall dark man, with a clean
shaved face and very dark eyes which
glared out from under the shade of @
black felt hat; the other was smaller
"a restless little freckled face mar
with a short red beard cut and trimmed
to- point. They didnot look like Eng.
lishmen, but they spoke the language
fuently with a slight American &C
cent.
The firm, somewhat fierce, d~e1neanol
of the dark man had the desired effect
When he said abruptly, I'll ny a pas de
place" people retired discounted, an6
as time was nearly up, Lady
Jones began to hope that their privacy
and comfort would not be disturbed
Almost at the last moment a man came
to the door, importunate and persist.
ent.
"Any room?" he asked in English, as
he stood Oh the door step. Then, getting
no answer, he repeated the question in
French. "How many are your" Still nc
answer. SO he counted for himself and
went away.
Lady Jones was delighted, but her
triumph was ofshort duration. The last
arrival came back at once with a whole
posse Of French officials at his back, the
chiefof whom, in a voice of authority, re-
peated the inquiry.
"How many are you? -Four. More
to come? Impossible. The train is
starting. Entrez, Monsieur; entrez,
vite." and the next instant the stranger
was bundled into the carriage, the door
was shut with q bang, the horns sound
ed, and the train went off at express
speed. The occupants of the carriage.
Lady Jones in particular, resented this
uncermonious intrusion.
Extraordinary" she said in q loud
voice aside to Millicent. People never
know when they are in the way"
$50 forward aud pE1suming," replied
the young lady.
"In m%ycountry,' said the dark..Ameri-
can, 'men never intrude themselves on
ladies. They wait to be asked"
"We have a very short way of settling