Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-19
MY FASCINATING FRIEND.

and my soul are waiting the reply.
S. b. McManus in The Current
MY FASCINATING FRIEND.
was Iounging away a lew Gay > at -.oraco
awaiting summons TO join some relations il
Italy. One afternoon had started for a.
aimless and rambling climb among the olive
terraces on the lower SLOPES of Tefe de Chen
Finding an exquisite coign of vantage ami,
the roots Of a gnarled old trunk springin.
from built-up semi-circular patch of leve
ground, | sat me down TO rest and read, ano
dream Below me, little To the right, Mo
naco Jutted out into the plrple ssa | coult
distinguish carriages and pedestrians com
ing and going on chaussee between the prom
ontory and Monte Carlo, but / was far toc
high for any sound to reach me. There wa
not a solitary sail on the whole expanse of til,
Mediterranean a line of white, curving at
rhythmic intervals along Z small patch OF
sandy beach, showed that there was a gentle
swell upon the sea, but lis surface was mir
ror-like. 4 loyelier scene there is not in tho
world, and it was at its very loveliest
was aroused from my absorption by tho
rattle of small stone hopping down the steer
track, half path, half stairway, 10y which
Of a descending wayfarer, in whom, as he
picked his way slowly downward, recog-
nized a middle-aged German that | supposed
to be his nationality who had been very as
siduous at the rouiette-tables of the Casino
for some days past. There was nothing re
markable in his appearance, his spectacled
eyes, squat nose, and square-croppod, brist-
ling beard being simply characteristic Of his
class and country.
He was Just turning the corner, and my
eyes were still fixed on him, when WIS con
scious of another figure within my field of
vision. This second conner had descended the
same pathway, but had loosened no stones on
his passage. He trod with such exquisite
Iightness and agility that he had passed close
10y me without my being aware of his pres
ence, while he, for his part had his eyes fixed
with curious intensity on the thick set figure
of the German, upon whom, at his rate of
progress, he must have been gaining rapidly.
A glance showed me that he was Young
man of slender figure, dressed in a suit of
dark-colored tweed, of English cut. and wear
ing lght-brown wide-awake hat. Just as
my eye tell upon him he put his hand into the
inner breast-pocket of his coat and drew
from it something which, as he was now well
past me, | could not see At the same mo
ment some small object probably jerked out
of his pocket by mistake, fell almost noise
leSsly on the path at his feet. In his appar-
emily eager haste he did not notice his
loss, but was gliding onward leaving
what L took T. b. his / ,rs. living on
the path. 1t was clearly my duty
to call his attention to it; 50 / said. Hi" an
interlection which J have found serves its
purpose IN all coun0i,-. lie gave a percept-
ible start, and looked round at me over his
shoulder | pointed to the object he had
dropped, and said There" lie had thrust
back into his pocket the thing, whatever ii
was, which he held in his hand and now
turned round to where was pointing "Ah.T
he said in English, my cigarette-casc, l am
much obliged to you,' and he stopped and
picked il up.
Il thought 1t was your purse, | said
Il would rather have lost my purse than
this, he said, with light laugh He had
apparently abandoned his intention of over
taking the German. who had meanwhile
passed out of sight
Are you such an enthusiastic smoker |
asked
Il 60 in for quality, not quantity" he re-
piled; and Spanish friend has just given
me some incorporates CigarrittoS" He
opened the case IA be assembled the few steps
which brought him up Ia my little plateau.
Have one he SAID, holding it ont to me
with the most winning smile have ever seen
on any human face
was about 10 take one from the left hand
side of the case, when he turned it away and
presented the other side to me
No, no. he said. these fiat ones are nv
common brand. The round ones are the
gems
Il am robbing YOU | said, rs took one
Not If you are smoker enough to appreci-
ate it. he said as he stretched himself on the
ground beside me and produced from little
gold matchbox a wax VeSta, with which he
lighted my cigarette AMI his own
SO graceful WAS his whole personality, 50
easy and charming his manner. that it did not
strike me in the least odd that he should thus
make friends with me by the mere exchange
Of half dozen words looked at him as ne
lay resting on his elbows and smoking lazilv
He had thrown his hat of, and his wavy hair,
longish and of an Opaque charcoal black, fell
over his temples while he Shool, it back behind
his ears. His age could not have been more
than -. His accent. perfectly pure. but q
trifie precise and deliberate, led me 10 take
him for an Englishman brought up on the
probably in italy, for there was no
French intonation in his speech His voice
was rich. but not deep-a light baritone He
was brilliant taiker, having read much and
Travelled enormously for one 50 young Il
think | have lived in every country in Eu-
rope" he said. except Russia. Somehow it
has never interested me
We lay talking until the pink flush Of
evening spread along the horizon, and in il
Corsica. invisible before. SEEMED 10 body
itself forth from noihingne>s like an island of
phantom peaks and heaiiands Then We
rose, and, IN tfc quickly gathering dusk
took our way down among the olive yards and
through the Orange gardens 10 Monte Carlo.
Nv acquaintance with my Fascinating
Friend lasted little more than forty eight
hours, but during that time we We're INSOFAR
able. He was not at NV hotel bu; on the even
ing after our meeting Ipersuaiei him 10 dine
with me. After dinner we strolled into the
for an hour. hut neither Of
Us played. The German was busy a, one Of
the roulette-tab and seemed 20 lie winning
Next morning, by arrangement, my friend
and made an excursion 10 Eza, the Saracen
robber-nest perched on rock leo feet above
The sea, halfway between Monaco and
Y illafranca- We went by rail 10 the
little station on the sea shore, and
then attacked the arduous ascent The
lay was perfect. though rather too warm for
climbing. and we had frequent rests among
the olive trees. with delightfully."- discursive
alks on all things under the sun Ny COM
lanons charm grew upon me moment by
There WAS in his manner a sort Of
refined ccquetry of amiability which foInd
irresistible | WAS conscious every now and
hen that he WIS drawing me out; but TO be
irawn out 50 gently and genislly was, 10 me,
1 novel and delightful experience told him
what l had told 10 no other human SOUL
iold him the tragedy Of my life How well
the scene, We were resting be
heath the chestnut tees that shadow
stretch Of level sward Immediately below the
asst short stage of ASCENT that leads into the
heart of the squald village now nesting in
the crevices Of the old Noslem fastness. The
midday hush WAS on sea and sky. Far out on
the horizon level line of smoke showed
where an unseen steamer was crawling along
under the edge of the sapphire sphere Ny |
sfinrn MONS s--ruathy was subtle and sooth- I.