Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-03-19

Dlu YOU bolt from family Jars and an army
of little pigtais and small snub nos IS? or
did you break piece of cash W til Il cub
footed little sweetheart, and set out to seek
Your fortune? How old are you? Five-and-
twenty or five hundred"'
To all these questions Chi Lung very nat
urally returned no answer; and what with
the warmth of the room and the soothing
influences of the Geneva and the soup. he
even began to nod a little, and a film of
sleep crept over the almond eyes. The clat.
ter of Ftine's sabots on the floor aroused
him, and he followed her with his impassive
glances as she set upon the table dish of
outlets and potatoes.
Bring me a bottle of vour excellent Bur
gundy, Fifine," said the traveller. "And
NebuchadneZzir, fall to-"
He set an example to his guest, and again
the observant Chi Lung followed him move
ment by movement, insom ch that the trav-
eer was conscious of an a.,surl inclination
to arise and dance for the j ) of being imi-
tated in that proceeding also.
'Flower of Eastern politenesS, your jolly
good health" said the traveller, raising his
glass, when Fifine had brought the wine and
had served each of them. Again Chi Lung
followed suit, and they clinked glasses
tIluoS tilC ttDIC. bul tIlC ollClltdl lllduG d
wry face over the Burgundy, though he
smacked his lips in imitation of his host, and
did his best to assume relishing air. 81 do
not know that l ever enjoyed meal so
much," said the traveller. THE charm of
the best conversation is that it stimulates
the imagination and the emotions. Now
you affect me admirably in that way, and it
is likely enough that if were acquainted
h1a 1on T
find You greatly less entertaining. Once
more | salute you i'll that vintage Of the lab
oratory, which in Montcourtois is called
Burgundy"
When the meal was over the young En-
glishman, still humoring his own whim (but
not unkndly), selected a cigar from his
case, and protfered another to Chi Lung,
who turned out to be perfectly acquainted
with tobacco. and smoked with evident en-
joyment.
ut is easy to suppose" said the traveller,
''that you may not be oppressed by any too
exuberant sense of gratitude, but then, on
the other hand, you may have it in your
heather soul to make some return for this
unexpected hospitality. The wandering
minstrel, encouraged by the wandering
knight, and entertained by him in a pagan
ldllu COulu SCulSCls Wv iSoo oiioii pay IOl Hlo
supper with song. Your concertina, Neb-
uchadneZzar."
The Chinaman had already smoked his
cigar to mere stump, when the traveller
proffered him the concertina. He accepted
it with low bow, and began either the dtty
he had sung outside, or one so much like it
to an English ear that his host supposed it
to be the same. Now and again Chi Lungs
o,rIo fha
regard of the young traveller, and whenever
this happened, the Englishman bowed
slightly, and Chi Lung in his native polite
ness bowed also.
II am profoundly obliged to you," said
the traveller, bat perhaps we have had
enough. Enough, Nebuchadnezzar-enoug |!
Will he never stop? have created Frank
enstein. lie thinks 1 am applauding him,
and his dreadful forces multiply. Perhaps
if l really applaud him he will stop. Bravo,
bravo, bravo, bravissimo, bravo"
The traveller shouted, and Chi Lung squall-
ed, and the concertina, with its alternate
sob and squeak, welded the noises into one
appalling discord. When this was at its
height the traveller, turning round with a
gesture of humorous despair, stood for one
moment as if he were suddenly frozen into
stone then blushing crimson he bowed,
and. turning upon the wandering minstrel,
possessed himself forcibly of the concertina.
After the unearthly concert of five seconds
back the silence was oppressive.
A lady, with one small gloved hand rest
ing on the handle of the door, stood just
within the room, and on her face was an ex-
preston midway between surprise and fear.
Her appearance was so silent and so sudden
that she had startled the young traveller al
most as much as if she had been ghost.
She was no ghost, however as even the sud-
denly bashful eyes of the young traveller
could see, but real creature of this world,
and delightful to look upon. A little figure
clad from the throat to the feet in coat of
sealskin, cunningly fashioned, and crowned
with little hat of sealskin, from which a
number of rebellious curls of bright gold
had somehow wandered. These bright curls
and the lady's hat and shoulders were pow
dered with snow when the young traveller
first beheld her, so that she looked like a
sort of winter fairy, queen for all possible
winter fairies. She was quite young, not
more than eighteen or nineteen certainly,
and to the travellers fancy she was eXqui-
sitely pretty.
Pardon, madameV he said, stammering-
~. Ills kHOWlcuSe OIL tile frencn language
seemed limited to that phrase.
Fiine came bustling in, and half relieved
| him of his embarrassment.
''Mademoiselle is not hurt at all? But that
is fortunate, indeed. 1t is fortunate also
that it happened so near at hand. Joseph
and Jean have gone with lanterns already.
| Monsieur the Baron will be here in mo-
ment. Be seated, mademoiselle."
San accidents" cried the young traveller
to Fifine. Can do anything?" He snatch
ed his traveling-cap from the corner table,
bowed again, took Chi Lung by his blue cot
ton sleeve, and led him from the room.
''Wait there, Nebuchadnezzar," he said,
thrusting the Celestial into the hall, and
with that he darted into the roadway, and
looked up and down. Two lanterns were
dancing and waving at a little distance and
he could hear the hprrying footsteps of the
men who carried them.
| CHAPTER II.
AS he ran the young traveller looked for.
ward to dozen romantic adventures and
| saw himself in a dozen useful and courage
Gus attitudes. 1t was something of a disap-
| pointment to find two fat Flemish horses