Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-15

agreeable French gentleman in his intercourse
with the rest of the party. The route thus far
trsversed had carried him already across two of
the great American States, and, if ne finished
his engagement of four months, he would nave
Travelled distance of 20timeS round and round
our comparatively small France. But he had
learned really little about this vast land. All
that he had seen Of it was from car windows IN
hotels and in theateTs-not such views as TO
inform him particularly OF the people anu tnelr
manner. Twas asked TO write this novelette,
cut of, or at least starting from, what l had
learned of the United States during my pro-
fessional visits there, But no more than An
dras had been enabled to see Americans IN
their homes, about their business, or under any
conditions save those pertaining to theatrical
Journey. Occasionally and by chance gained
exact views on few subjects, and it was by an
accident that Andras. TOO. received lesson
from and about the American girl.
Internal disturbances now and then agitated
Miss Delwares company, and one Oh these re-
suited in the sudden departure OF the souDrette
She quit after quarrel with the stage mana
ger, who was sustained on his side by Miss
Delware, and next morning she took tram
from Cincinnati toward New York, instead OF
getting 'all aboard with the others for Louis
vile. There was a hasty hunt for substitute,
and one was found in the young and pretty
person of Jessie Gordon Although she was
safely within the style OF lady, her dress De-
ing neither SNOWY or expensive, and her man
ner of speech those of good education, there
was about her dash and vim indicative at
play on the ensuing evening. Although her
role was not long, II required hard study dur
ing the days journey. She first memoTlzed the
language. ana then rehearsed the action with
those actors and actresses concerned with her
in the scenes. 1t happened that Andras was
more than anybody else coupled With her IN
dialogue and by the middle OF the afternoon they
had speeded along into an acquaintance ABOUT
as raDidlv as the train had moved. When her
arduous task was done, and she was pronounced
by the stage manager nj to act the
part, she took weary chalr beside inat IN
which AndraS sat and they began TO chat
about other things. He was a born and bred
Frenchman, with French ideas OF feminine
propriety, and of course he was lmbGed with
the French notion that an unmarried girl is
reprehensible if she stlrs away from her own
home without a trustworthy chaperone. The
facr that Jessie Gordon had no such overSeer
impressed him. although he did not himself
realize il, with a belief that he had here made
the acquaintance of the typical Americas girl
the Fuchsia Leech of Moths have piaNed
the heroine in the French dramatic version OF
that story and we have always had the role of
the American girl played boldly, even braZenly,
with no compliment 10 the daughters OF our
sister Republic across the ocean. Andras was
excusablv Inisled, therefore, in the case of
Jessie He did not quite conceal his admlring
scrutiny of her face, now that there was time
ana opportunity for ii. Her jet black hair,
her olive complexion, and her large dark eyes
indicated Southern origin. while her attire
betokened no plenty OF means; but she was
certainly beautiful. although her beauty did
did not fully perceive il until he now observed
her more closely.
pardon me, he said. in English, with his
inevitable French accent, but have you long
Would you find it easier to speak your own
language?' she said in excellent French. not
exactly Partisan, but IN no respect ungrammat-
ical nor lacking in iuency.
Thank you" he responded, also in French;
sthat will enable us to be confidential, for none
of these persons about us can understand
81 only thought you could converse with
more facility"
And say things to you as safely as though
we were secluded
She gazed at him with her eyes opened wild
er and her color a little heightened, but with
out a tremor of nerves, or QuaYer of voice as
she said: You will say nothing to me, Mr..
Normaine, which 1 shouldn't as lief everybody
would hear, or if you do, shall take care that
you have no opportunity to repeat the
offense"
That was certainly blunt enough TO be char
acteristic OF a Fuchsia Leech, and 1t was quite
unlike the speech of high-bred Partisan; but
it gave no invitation to further familiarity, and
it informed the French gentleman straight
away that be was rot to be presumptuous
Il am ashamed of myself, Miss Gordon, - he
humbly sald. Il must have forgotten that you
had come out OF your hoyden character in the
play and was again your ladylike self"
The girl scrutinized his face for Signs of in
sincerity, but found none, and was very much
inclined to accept his apology for the honest
one that II was. Their conversation proceeded
II something like a countrywoman of
yours" she remarked; "at least, L am of
French birth. You know. or don't YOU? that
New Orleans is considerably French city. A
goodly portion of its population is Creole,
which means residents of foreign descent
practically, people of French extraction, who
speak French often English, and would
feel about much at home in Paris in New
York am Creole. My parents were wealthy
were impoverished by that long conflict and
were poor when was born. They managed to
give me a good education, but nothing more
except their good love: and So being compelled
TO work for living. went on the stage l
shall never be a Rachel, but do fairly with
sOubrette roles, and l get enough pay to be
able to send money home occasionally. But l
had been left in Cincinnati by the breaking up
of a travelling company, and was spending my
last dollars when this chance engagement
came to me. So l am here with strange com.
panions, but" and here she raised her eyes
1earlessly, If not defantly, to those of the
Frenchman-"bute entirely able to take care of
myself"
The acquaintance which began thus frankly
and with clear understanding, progressed
rapidly through the various phases of good
fellowship Andras and Jessie travelled.
There Is necessarily great deal of familiar in
Tercourse between all the members of company
1OurneyIng day by day i'll the same car. but
these two, melted by congeniality, and aided
by their exclusive use of the French language,
were coupled to such an extent that the others
gradually came TO regard them sweethearts.
A fact that seemed to discredit this theory,
however was that Andras, who had begun
with familiarity of manner, became more and
more perceptibly polite and deferential. That
did not accord with the usage of actors and
actresses in love, and when. at the end of
month it was seen that visible constraint had
grown up between the two. the common con-
clusion was that they had quarreled. In truth.
Andras had fallen in love with this Franco
American girl. Her piquancy had first inter
ested him; then her singular blend of French and
American traits had charmed him: and the end
of it was that he desired above all things to
H. E1- 1,a- E,,I 49,
Quired, it had tended to make him more distant
and formal. for he could not rid himself entirely
of the French feeling that maiden, if clrcum-
specL should not be SO accessible as this one.
When he took il into account that she was an
actress, and. therefore, freed from the rigid
rules of good society. he asked himself if he was
willing TO De her husband. Then second
thought, in this direction, 1t would occur to him
that he was only actor. and, therefore, on a
social level with her. Upon her part she dis
cerned. with womanly intuition, the growth of
his affection until ii became mastering pas
sion and under its influence her brusQue, pert
Americanisms softened into the gentlest of
graces and the most considerate demeanor
toward him.
One afternoon, as the car was speeding along
over the miles of prairie level, and the panO-
ramic view through the wide windows had be-
come tatigulng from sameness Andras swung
around suddenly on his revolving chair. SO that
he faced Jessie.
''Whom shall ask he said 'for permission
to address you with proposal of marriage?''
If the immediate suddenness of the question
had not been preceded, in the absence of
spoken avowal of love. by a quite clear revela-
tion of it through other means, the girl might
have been mute with astonishment. But the
only surprise that she felt the brevity of
the declaration. along with its recognition of
the French usage of speaking first to parents
or guardians before addressing the girl one
loves. She was silent for moment.
That you are without legal or family pro-
tector here, Jessie" he resumed sis my excuse
for asking you whose permission may SEEK
a lash n