The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-06
MARQUISE AND HEADSMAN.
A Dinner for two, Where the Last Course Came
Beneath the GuillOtine.


A Dinner for two, Where the Last Course Came
Beneath the Guillotine.
Ella W. Peattie in the American Magazine.
The year was 1779; the month was August;
the hour the meridian, Madame la Marquise
de Lamerliere was returning TO Paris from
her country seat, She was oppressed with
hunger, with sleeplessness and with heat.
Her maid yawned and yawned, and there GER
tainly is nothing more contagious. Theroads
were poor, the horses lame with travel, and
the coach wastcumbe owing to its ele-
gance.
The sight Of an inn, with its elean-swept
stable-yard, it's wide porch and expansive
landlord, Yves therefore most welcome.
Madame replaced her hat and felt her pufs,
the lackeys ficked the dust from their should
ers, the maid surreptitiously interviewed the
ro~ugebox; the inn was in a great furry,
there raj a scare among the fowls and mad
anne 10 Marquisc was assisted TO alight.
The innkeepeF bowed to the ground. If
madame had only been an hour %earlierI
There was a beautiful room which should
have been placed at the disposal of Madame,
but-so miserably unfortunate was he-it
was taken.
Madame sankinto q chair and rolled by a
pair 0 flimpid eyes, the innkeeper offered to
kill himself the maid found Madame's vinai.
.grette.
Just then a gentlemen entered. lie was
handsome and in his prime-facts which
madame was not too fatigued to gather.
His costume was of green cloth, his three
corneFed hat of the same color; his short
sword had a hilt of chased gold, The Mar
quise rose and returned his sa~lutation,
"Ihave had the honor, madame, " said the
young man, with ont embarrassment, "to
hear your remarks. / leave Immediately
after dinner. have already refreshed my
self with a bath. Permit me to resign my
room to you."
Madame courtesied lower than before.
"You have my thanks, monsieur. Permit
me to inquire whom / thank"
can officer of Parliament, madame"
eve viii dine together, if you please mon
sieur. a solitary meal is apt to be an indi-
gestible one, ] am the Marquise de Lamer-
here"
The young man bowed again.
The Marquise withdrew with ceremony
It was an hour before she reappeared. When
she did it was clear from the SAVIOR in the
room that the fowls had not been scared for
nothing. The red-tiled floor had been freshly
SWEPT, the nre-Dl3ce UlleQ WllA kfeen DfuucueHy
the Easements thrown open, allowing the
honeysuckle TO peep through. The table
was laid with massive silver and some un-
matched pieces of china. The gentleman in
green escorted madame TO her seat-a
leathern cbair-aYee. which the innkeepers
wife, careful of madame's embFoideries, had
thrown an ancient shawl Of silk, much be-
lowered.
Madame said the gentleman, * Save
taken the liberty OF overseeing the dinpeF N.Y.
sell. i trust you viii lie kind enough to bear
in mind, If anything about il dispieases you,
that it is my first experience OF tho sort"
Madame blushed and smiled.
II have seen enough already, monsieur, to
prove to me that You haye an aptitude for
the nrty Of ordering dinner. But yictnals are
the least part of a meal, l assure you"
ssSay you SO, madame?H cried the young
man. Then / can only hope that the supe-
nor, unknown quality, whatever It may be
will not be hacking ia the present repast.
The Mnrquise allowed those hmpid eyes TO
droop.
II cannot imagine, saidsshe, that theTe win
he a 1acksOf any sort"
The rantleman IN green decided that the
MaYuuise must be under twenty-five. Had
she been Older her face could not have been
so absolutely Joyous. When the unetuous
landlord had pulled out ofthe room for q
moment the gentleman venturedthe remark:
"Your husband has already preceded sou
to Paris. Marquise3''
my husband, monsieur, has preceded mo
yet farther. He il in Paradise
II beg q million@pardoDsl have been
stupid, Marquise, How can you overlook
The face 0fthe Marquise lit up suddenly
with a moet mischievous smile.
ssYon have not been stupid. said che. with
three dimpIsa in full play. lyon have been
curious
II ann gmiltv,n cried he fling her glass
aQain with amber liquid, "hut anyGne would
say theme we're extenuating circumstances
H4h. monsieur, doubtless you heEe dlscov-
etod thai there are crimes Of which one can De
guilty without being a4cnlprit2 The remark
carne to q eudaen close. for the heavy OAK
door swpug Spen and the post entered #llaa
lordis dish draped with a napkin.
Great heaEenelT cried mAdalne when she
saw II. Als the headsman bere2 Does be
think / am Her0aiasi is he serving me the
head Of John tile Baptist on 2 charger
The Young maj sprang 70 his test
What 4 III Grief Madame.
II wish 70 make room for the dish' Mar
daise. should BE aled With refncr4e IL
3oggel fhN elbow Of our host fer!ntt me !
He lifted the fnpkin. Ii Was the head ola
young pig wreafhed With parsley.
"a was right. mousieur, Il has been q ease
Of the heedemen
4 trust you perceive Madame u Mafqnlse
That 5 sadsman 4 q Falnaple member 81
90eietyss
MADAME put her jewelled fingers over her
erns AMI gave q ehrun 10 her shoulder.
had tbs 9aisfcFtNae onees monsieur, 70
bshold lie Observation-Disclosures e Paris.
F~extnnafely / saw him only fscm a distance:
Howas hidebnHi
81 pofsible. madame2 ( have always
enpDoskd fhat Sc WIS rather y hafdsome
fellow. Ie las ctrsSnly set the fashion FOR
~. He wore blue q TIE disgust 81 we
nobass: and be wore IT. ! have heard, with
fowe grace
B0hl calculated m40npe.
40 Indeed they shy madame. ltdeed
thct rs even so far.aa 10 say that some Of
$50 mobiles Who ware insignificant IN et4tnse
nfe2 eapi0ue 0f him. and 1t - certainly true
that Parliament prphiiated HIN frofn NeAf
inr the colof ofths cauff. Afow me ia gave
Won aolna ofthia ielH. Shall EIEa you Iann