The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-10-19
he table and on the floor
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don't trouble yourself. think have
collected them all now." Anna glanced
at the bundle of papers she held in her
hand, and, seeing one with writing on
it, stuffed them all into tho blottinc
book.
II am ready and will come down with
you," she added, and the two ladies de-
scended and found Mrs. Patterson and
tea awaiting them in the hall. Miss
Rogers presently exclaimed that she had
dropped her handkerchief.
II saw it on a chair in Your room, I
will fetch it for you," Alice said, and
jumping up ran TO fetch it, She re-
turned in five or six minutes with the
handkerchief. ut had got blown away
under table," she explained. When
Miss Rogers went to dress for dinner she
anxiously searched her blotting book for
the missing half sheet; but alas! in vain.
What she had thought was her letter
was only a few addresses written by
some former occupant of the room.
sit must have been blown out of the
window" Anna thought, with rcsigna-
tion, as she watched something whito
gayly sailing in the wind over the shrub
berries. II fcrvently trust no one will
get hold of it,"
Table d'hote ut the Schwcitzcrhof, Lu-
cernc. was in full swing; there was the
usual motley crowd of gestculatng
trcncllnen, stolil Germans, Yankees,
and all sorts and conditions of English
men, eating. drinking and chattcring.
The long table was quite filed up, and
so were most of the small ones Sitting
at the former, packed in between POM
pous and elderly German and IL middle
aged but vivacious American woman,
was ayoung man, Enthusiastically English,
who was neither eating nor chattcring.
nor even drinking much, but was listen
ing, with half amused, half contempt
uous smile, to the scraps of conversation
that went on around him. man on
the opposite side of the table was re-
marking i'll n loud, clustering tone:
"What horrible cooking! Nothing but
raw beef cut in thick slices o cat tonight.
+! thought this was supposed to be first
class hotel. Here, garcon, take this
away, or else bring me an AK to chop it
with"
"Oh, my dear, do bo quiet; every one
can hear you," m,rmurcd his wife, a
pale, faded, little woman who looked alb
solutcly crushed between her husband
and IL tall black eyed daughter, who was
giggling and glancing over her fan at the
silent Englishman, and who also took her
father to task.
"Papa, how you go on! ldon't believe
you know the French for an lx am
sure | don't. wonder if anybody
knows" with another killing glance
directed across the table, but which was
unfortunately quite wasted, as the object
of it was gazing eagerly at two late ar
rivals, who were slowly advancing up
the crowded room towards an unoccupicd
table
"Well, reckon have eaten worse
dinner said his American ncighbor, in
tcntly studying the menu, and address
ing no one in particulars; "and there is
plenty more to come yet. can forgive
the beef; this chicken is excellent Don't
you agree, sir:" this time pointcdly maxi
ing her remark to the abstractcd youth,
who, without turning his head. replied
rather ut random
"lcs, it agrees with me, hut chicken
and salad grow monotono,ls after IL fort
night spent on the Continent" The lady
raised her eyebrows with i'm air of sur
prise. She was rather n beauty. or had
been once, and was accustomed. as a
rule, to receive more attention from tho
male Sex than this young man seemed
disposed to give her. She observed his
intent gaze, and putting up an eye glass
proceeded to study the new comcrs with
almost rs great an interest rs she had
taken in the menu.
"Ah, fine looking girls, quite stylish;
ono is pretty, and very English, the other
is Just elegant. Friends of yours, sup
pose"
Hang the woman's impcrtincncc"
thought her ncighbor: but replied po-
litely that one was-an ac1uaintancc.
Meanwhile the two ladies, perfectly
unconscious, or more truly, perhaps.
quite uncpnccrncd at the small excite.
ncnt they were causing, were quietly
eating their dinner, with appcttcs bred
by long and tedious journey.
81 suppose you know L,ccrnc well,
Miss Patterson" remarked tho elder and
IlrAer of the two. as Ilavin. finished
her soup, she lcant back in her chair and
surveyed the assembled company.
II have never been here BEFORE" re-
Piled Alice. II have always hated COM
ing abroad. don't mind Paris so much.
The Louvre is lovely"
"Ycs, indeed. Once seen those pict-
ures could never be forgotten" cxclaim-
ed Miss Rogers with quiet enthusiasm.
Alice began to laugh, and then said
apologetically, II am afraid am dread
fully commonplace | think did sec
some pictures somewhere, but | meant
the shop! Ispcnt hours there, and papa
said | wasted a great deal too much time,
TO say nothing of money. while we were
in Paris, at the Magasin du Louvre, isn't
that what they call it: But this seems a
pretty place" she added, as if to omakcup
for her want Of appreciation for works
of art
Pretty is scarcely the correct term
for Switzerland, said Miss Rogers with
Gather contemptuous air This woman
had many passions, and chief amongst
them was an alteration for the vast
beauty Of nature. To feel herself sur
rounded by mountains, TO gaze across
that eSpanse of blue water, was Il hap
piness which she had never thought to
experience again. Her thoughts wall
dercd back to days long gone by be-
fore the girlish ambitions and cxpccta-
tions in the wonderful world which lay
before her had given place to the wo-
mans sad realizations and bitter dis
appointments of the real world she WAS
now battling with. Who have not had
their dreams of a brilliant future: After
all, surely there are some people who
seem TO know no trouble, or only very
triflins ones; why should not l also have
my chance? Eut there's the rub; you
miss your chance. and then you drift on