Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-05-17

My nelSnUOr got up, uceo ieiSoii w
her rugs. which she left in the carriage
with her three little bags, and got out. 1t
was noon. She was beginning to get hum
gry. She took her way to the buffet at
the left on the other side of the track.
| followed her, admiring at my ease her
charming figure, well set off in long
cloak which fitted her to perfection. |
noticed also the pretty little dark curls
under the knot of hair at the back, hat
of gray felt and pair of very little feet.
The proprietor of the restaurant, ar
rayed in velvet cap, and who bore a
wonderful resemblance TO Napoleon Ill,
stood at the door and pointed out with
much dignity and a wave of his napkin,
the long table which the travellers were to
take by assault.
| was hustled along with a throng of
disheveled and bundled-up passengers
the typical crowd of fast express, essen
tally grotesque and utterly impossible
from the standpoint of beauty-rushing to
be fed.
sat down and hastily devoured the
succession Of courses which were put before
me. As for my fellow traveller, she took a
cup of bullion at table by herself.
/ was one of the first to finish, and went
out to smoke cigarette on the platform.
The twenty-five minutes, reduced to twen-
ty, as usual, would soon be up. The trav-
elers in groups were leaving the restaur-
ant and taking their places in the train.
| had resettled myself in NINE. My little
traveller had not appeared. l could see
her at the little book-stand on the other
side of the track, looking at the books
spread out in row. Her hair seemed a
little lighter to me than before, but that
was doubtless the effect of the distance.
Everybody was on board; the guards were
slamming the doors.
SIS she going to stay here?' l thought,
"she is mad"
MADAME Madame,p' I called out of
the door. A shrek of whistle-the train
was going!
What was to be done A thought struck
my brain like fash of lightning. She
was going to be left behind in this fright
fully cold weather, without her baggage or
her wraps. She might at least have her
own belonging, the poor little thing.
| took up in one armful her three bags
and her rugs, and, throwing them at the
baggageman, who happened to be standing
on the track next to the train.
',To that lady over therew ! cried
The baggageman took the things and
started off toward the lady at the book
stand
At the same instant in the other end of
the carriage, the side next the platform,
the door opened and my fellow traveller
appeared-frightened and hustled along
by cross conductor, threw herself into the
seat, and the train departed. Horrorsl |
had mistaken the woman. The lady of
the bookstand was not she, after all-same
cloak, same hat, same way of holding her
head-but 1t was not she.
1t was traveller who was not travelling
How absurd that two women should look
so alike. had made fine mess of it.
She hardly entered the carriage before
she uttered a cry-"My bags-my bags
have been stolen" And for the first time
she looked at me, but, good heavens, with
what a look Pll never forget that look,
you may be sure.
"No, madame" stammered, 'your bags
are not stolen-they are-they are left at
Tonnerre !"
"At Tonnerre? How
| explained it all to her Lord l
won't attempt to describe the second look
she gave me, but think shall remember
that longer than the first.
81 am in despair, madame l ex-
claimed, absolutely in despair, but my
motive was good one, | assure you. /
thought you were going to miss the train,
that you would catch cold, and l did not
want you to catch cold. In fact, if you
will pardon my saying so, you need not
worry about your bags: they are in safe
hands-a baggageman-at the next sta
ton you will telegraph will telegraph
we will telegraph-they will be sent on
Immediately. o. you will surely have
them, | swear, if have to return to Ton
nerre myself to recover them"
Enough, sir" she said, II know per-
fectly well what to do" And she sank
into her corner again, angrily twisting her
gloves.
But alas poor little woman, she had
not thought about the cold, and she no
longer had her good warm rugs. Before
ten minutes were out she began to SILVER
In vain she changed her position and
drew her cloak closer about her pretty
figure; she was positively chattering.
-hdudA' sdiu, peS you On NY
knees to take my rug. You Will catch
cold, which will be my fault, and | shall
never forgive myself as long as live"
81 wish to have nothing to say to you,
sir" she said, dryly.
was nervous and much excited. In
the first place l thought her perfectly
charming. In the next place | was furious
at my idiotic mistake. In short | was ready
for the most desperate steps.
Madame" / said, take my rug, or
swear / will throw myself out on the
track" and casting the rug between US |
lifted the window and took hold of the
outside handle of the door.
Was | really in earnest? Entire nous, not
really, suppose, but it seems | must have
looked so, for she cried out
"But you are crazy, monsieur, you are
crazyw
"The rug, or jump She took the
rug and in softened tone:
But you, monsieur, you will die of
cold"
Don't disturb yourself about me, mad
anne. | am not delicate-and even if do
take cold it will only be the just reward
of my objectionable stupidity"
say, rather, your haste, for of course,
as you say, your motive was good-but
how could you have taken that other
woman for me "
Because she was so pretty /"
She smiled, the ice was broken-the ice
of conversation, mean, for otherwise
was ehattering with the cold. But how
soon l forgot the cold, the iourney-every-
thing. She was delicious, exquisite, ador-
able, clever mind, bright, gay, original.
She was fond of travelling like myself
like myself she had been in Italy, in Spain.
She dreamed of going to Egypt Just as |
did. In literature, music, in everything,
in fact, the same tastes as mine. And
then, only think, a host of mutual friends.
She was intimate with the Saint
Chames, with the Savonys, particularly
with the Mont Vazins. And to think that
might have seen her twenty times at
those houses, and that did not notice her.