The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-02-09
MONslHUR ALIENS.


-Ho~s Gsar1im.
MONSHEUR ALEXIS.
lie never put himself too much in eyi.
dence. If he made no advances to his fell
low-travelers on shipboard, he did not
rePel casual chat with any one who
talked with him.
The waiter who had charge of his berth
had only seen sick man in the stateroom.
and there was reason for it, for the wealth
er at the start had been bad. "Monsieur''
was not exacting, and so the waiter was
glad when monsieur got quite we'll again
Indeed, 1T was very remarkable recov.
cry, for when monsieur was dressed and
came on deck, he seemed to have grown
ten, htteen years younger. No one, in
deed, had taken any particular notice of
the gentleman. 1t had been cold and
raw In Liverpool, and heavy coats and
shawls were in demand, so monsieur had
worn a thick mutfler around his neck,
| which had been drawn up to his eyes. and
he had coughed great deal. When he
had crawled up the gangplank with fee
Ole, hating step, the surgeon who was
sharp enough, had said to himself:
There's passenger who is going to be
nuisance, calling me up at all hours of
the night" But that passenger never
did disturb the surgeon, and so was for.
gotten.
Monsieur might have found companions
among the foreign element on board. but
he did not seem to banker after such
acqualntanceship. 1t was apparent that
ne spoke number of languages, and all
fairly well. There was Miss McBiddie of
Denver, who tried her Italian on him, and
he bore it without wincing. Miss McBid-
dies acquaintanceship had commenced
when monsieur had very adroitly pre-.
vented an oil cruet from pouring its con-
tents over her dress. He was quietly,
not obtrusively, polite to the lady. She
had left rug in the cabin among the
hfty other rugs, and he had selected hers
and brought it on deck for her at the pre-
else time when she wanted it. Now that
showed observation on his part, to know
the exact shade and color of her wrap,
and she was gratifed by the attention.
Thon thnrn oanae ayins ooad, bucket
ful of water, aboard, and monsieur had
interposed his coac just in time and saved
the lady from a wetting. 1t was natural
that they should talk. Evidently he was
a man who, though he had travelled much
had never YET been to the United States;
in fact, he told her that at the second day
of their acquant-Ice He wanted infor-
nation. "Did the lady know anything
about the West?" "Lots!" was Miss
McBiddie's terse reply "the west is my
home"
He had some idea of going to Montana,
or to California, but he was so ignorant
Of the lay of the land. Europeans were
so stupid, and their conceptions of Amer
ica SO false. Perhaps he might ask some
questions lady could not exactly reply
to, as to the possibilities of acquiring land
in America, and it's value" Then Miss
McDiddie confessed her want Of definite
information.
But papa is the man for you Owns
a good deal of land in all the Territories,
and has got it all down fne," replied the
lady, and that led up to an introduction
to Colonel McBiddie.
Certainly, We could fix you up right
away. Want quiet and rest, and the finest
climate in the world, and bit of hunting
Know just the spot. There is a ranch
that would suit you to dot. Come on
to Denver, where live, and l would
be proud to show you round. Just ask
anybody for Colonel McBiddie, and you
will have no trouble in spotting me-"
That is about the way the intimacy be-
gan.
alt would be so nice, papa, to have a
man like that in Denver" And that
night Almeria McBiddie made many
I:.
elegant" she thought. "He hasn't said
he was Prince or baron; but what a
nice foot he has and such a wellkept
hand and nervous fingers: that look as
if they would take strong grip of any
thing they held. There is great deal
of latent energy in the man. Yes, Mon
sieur Alexis pleases me more than any
one have met on this trip; and strange,
is it not, that should find him just as
| am going home? He told me half of
his story to-day, when papa was absent.
On account of political opinions he was
obliged to leave Poland. His lands were
lust acro~s the Russian border" And
then Miss McBiddie went to sleep aud
dreamed of Thaddeus of Warsaw.
Col. McBiddie had, however, asked
Some IcdUiuS 4uoosIooc Va HonOiOuis
You are not a Nihilist ?"
ooh, dear me, no. l am very thank
ful that some ancestors of mine made
matters comparatively easy for me, their
indolent successor. If they acquired q
poor castle and some land by means which
might not be considered quite Legitimate
today, am content to let things remain
as they are; only what might have been
right or might in the past viii hardly do
for to-day. differed with the Governor
Of nv province, and took my precautions.
I Aed. but I had for some years before
taken my prec.setions-and you cannot
blame me You do not hold me in the
wrong, Colonel -
"Oh, not 1t all "
at might have been an act OF coward
ice to leave, bat still it was sacrifice;
for heretofore have led careless life,
with little care OF the morrow. Three
years ago sent such available means -
I had 70 nv bankers in Paris and Lon
dom. and LETT bshind me vhat could not
csrry, my lsod; and here ] am eomPsrar
siveiv q poor mss, with only money
enough 70 buy some small BIZ Of land--
rancS il What you c-l itf-snd live on for
4 few. yssxs nntil ! grow Up with my
J adopaed country. A now existence may