The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-28
THAT BRIDAL COUPLE.
Texas Siftlnrs,

Texas Sittlngs.
 Ut was in the spring of 1882 that I made the acquaintance of the bridal couple about whom 1 am going to write. I made their acquaintance un- der very amusing circumstances. 1 was travelling from Berlin to Paris to visit some friends in the latter city. had to change cars at Cologne. There was the usual hustle and confusion at the station. Not being able to find the through train to Paris, applied to corpulent railroad official for in- formation. He turned out to be the conductor of my train. He directed me to the train, and, pointing to the open door of a coupe instructed me to enter and take seat. I followed his directions. Standing in the coupe was young lady with a pretty fig ure, dark hair and eyes to match. She was looking over my head into the crowd, evidently seeking somebody. She made no movement to permit me to enter the car, but on the contrary, she said, blocking up the door, that all the seats were taken. begged her pardon, and once more applied to the conductor. He was somewhat impa- tient. He told me, angrily, to go right in and pay no attention to what any other passenger said. 1 did so, much to the annoyance of the young lady, who said there would be a gentleman passenger in the coupe.
 1 understood the situation at once. The lady was bride, and the gentle man was probably her husband. Hence her prevarication, and the unwilling ness that anybody else should occupy a seat in the compartment. It is very unpleasant to force yourself upon people, and if there had been room in any other coupe should have allowed the young couple all the privacy they desired. As it was, determined to withdraw into the most distant cor ner and be blind and deaf to whatever might occur. The young bride looked over at me and asked me if I lived in Cologne, to which I replied that did not.
 "Are you going very fsr?" she asked hesitatingly.
 "All the way to Paris"
 She heaved little sigh, and then asked me rather abruptly:
 "Can you stand tobacco smoker"
 "I replied that rather liked tobac- co smoke"
 "The gentleman smokes very strong cigars" was her next remark.
 "I responded that if the smoke was disagreeable to me, l presumed the gentleman would give up his cigar"
 She shook her head doubtingly, but just at that moment the signal for starting was given, and "the gentle man" sprang into the coupe. He was sturdy, well-built man, somewhat older than his young wife. He had rather coarse features, was not partic- ularly refined in his manners, and he made no attempt whatever to con- ceal his chagrin at seeing another pas senger in the coupe.
 The conversation between myself and the bride had been carried on in German, hence l was somewhat sur prisea to hear the young couple con- verse in English, with which language they imagined was not familiar Said the bride, looking straight at me ::
 "I tried my best to keep her out, but she would come in."
 The young husband grunted some- thing in reply.
 "I told her all the seats were taken, but she would not believe me-"
 The man smiled.
 "I told her that you smoked, but she said that she liked it."
 The man laughed and threw his cigar stump through the window, re- marking:
 "Maybe she is not going very far"
 70, yes, she is. She told me she was going to Paris. Iasked her."
 "Well, guess we will have to stand it the best we can, but it is pretty tough" he replied, with resignation. taking seat alongside of her and gently squeezing her hand.
 1t was not iattering to me to hear them sigh alternately. was not &C., customed to be looked upon as an alto gether repulsive object. Moreover, their conversation annoyed me little. For the first time in my life my mother tongue appeared to be in the way. Pretty soon they began again :
 ''Is she young or old?"
 The gentleman glanced over at me, and replied carelessly:
 @She is not any too young" "Rather pretty, isn't she?"
 "Not pretty to hurt"
 "I wonder if she is married?"
 4Possibly she is," he remarked, placing one arm carelessly around her waist.