Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-07-30
1.-THE FAST EXPRESS.

our little circle OF fr1onQS Wnon we
heard of the approaching marriage of
Valentine Sancerre What He-the
confirmed old bachelor, the skeptic of
the boulevards, the scoffer at marriage,
the gayest of the men about town, he
who had sworn hundred times that he
would have none of it-Valentin, in
short, going over to the enemy? And
who is he going to marry? A widow !
And, what's more, from the country
We couldn't make it out.
So the first time / met him | grabbed
him by the collar and demanded an ex-
PLANTATION.
Il haven't minute" he said; ''such
lot of things to do. | have just come
from the Marie, and am going to
Stern's, the engraver, Passage des Pan
Dramas, for the announcement cards.
Come along, won't your"
''Of course l will, !" said I.
We were Just in front of the Made
leine, and we walked down the boule-
ward arm In arm.
It's short story" said Valentin,
"and commonplace to a degree; but
since you are bent on knowing 1t, the
fact is [ am going to take the fatal
plunge"
Here is his story:
In February [ was on my way to Nice
from the Carnival. | hate to travel at
night, so / took the 0:45 O'Clock train ia
the morning arriving at Marseilles at
five minutes after midnight. L was to
spend the day at Marseilles with my
ssriends, the Rombauds, who were ex-
pecting me to luncheon, and the next
morning | was to leave for Nice, to ar
rive there about o'clock in the after
noon.
At the station at Lyons there was
terrific crush Thanks to the we'll
known politeness of NJ Fregnoul, the
the engine. / found myself alone eX-
cept for one traveller who had a severe
executive manner, decoration and a
portfolio He had no baggage except
this same portfolio, and of course he
couldn't be going far SO [ should soon
be left to mysef-alone; the only con-
dition which makes railway journey
endurable.
Everybody was on board and the
train was on the point of departure.
There was noise of vehement discus
sion just outside our door.
"No, monsieur said a woman's
voice, very sweet and fresh, with an al
most imperceptible Southern accent.
II ordered coupelet, and coupelet [
must have"
''But, madame, if we haven't any?"
why didn't you pay some attention
to my letter."
eve didn't receive any letter,
madam ~
"Put on another carriage, then !"
Impossible! We have already put
on all we are allowed. Come, come,
hurry-the train is going'
81 must have place, at least y
''But have just offered you two in
the carriage"
''There?'
eyes, there
A little dark head peeped in at the
door and Immediately disappeared
if in fright.
'sBut there are two men there.
'sWell, madam, | can't give you car
rage all to yourself.
every well, then, | won't co.
GAS you please-the train is going. [
must give the signal"
ssStop, sir, stop. I absolutely must go
and as there is only the carriage will
they give me coupelet at the next sta
dion? ?"
Eyes, madam! Yes, madam
<sYou promise me p
Certainly"
sSYou are sure -
eyes. Yes. Yes"
Inc uOOT ODcHcu, CLO llCbIO DION IL
head tumbled in, surrounded by halo
of packages and rugs, a whistle shrleked
and We were Oft.
The executive gentleman politely
seated himself next me, SO as to leave
ali one side free for the new arrival.
She was flushed and excited, and did
not deign to give us glance, but set to
work to arrange her packages in the net
above and in the seats about her, with
ta hot rC
when they have hours before them In
railway carriage. There was one bag
two bags-three bags and number OF
rugs.
[ watched her arrangements from the
corner of my eye, and came to the de-
cided conclusion that she was charming.
In fact, it is always pleasanter to travel
Englishman with spectacles. 1t was
bitterly cold. The country, covered
with snow and illumined with a pale,
cold sunlight, seemed to flee rapidly on
either side ofthe carriage.
Our little traveller, wrapped to her
chin in her rugs, set herself obstinately
to looking out of her window on her
left The executive gentleman drew
from his portfolio great state papers,
yellow, green, blue and purple
which he read with considerable atten-
ton
AS for me, comfortably seated with
my feet on the heater, looked over the
pile of papers had bought at the sta
ton to pass the time away
stTwenty-one minutes after IL.
"Larochei' The train stopped. The
executive gentleman arranged his pa
pers, got up, took off his hat and left
the carriage. He had hardly reached
the platform before he was received by
the station master, who addressed him