Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-08-02

won't attempt to describe the SECOND
look she gave me, but think shall re-
member that longer than the first
~ am in despair, madam, 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, ana 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 station you will telegraph
I will telegraph-we will telegraph
they will be sent on Immediately On:
you will surely have them, swear, II |
have to return to Tonnerre myself to re-
cover them"
Enough, sir she said 81 know
perfectly what to do" And she sank
into her corner again, aDgrily twisting
her gloves.
But alas poor little woman, she had
not thought about the cold, and she no
longer had her good warm rugs. Be
fore ten minutes were out she began TO
shiver. In vain she changed her position
and drew her cloak close about her pretty
figure; she was positively chatterlng.
''Madam," | said, 81 beg you or ny
knees take my rug. You Will catch
cold, which will be my fault, and | shall
never forgive myself as long as live. :"
II wish to have rorhingto say to you,
sir" she said. dlyly.
| was nervous and much excited. In
the frst place | thought her perfectly
charming. In the next place [ was
furious at my idiotic mistake. In short,
I was ready for the most desperate
steps. =.
Madam [ 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 1 really in earnest? Entire nous,
not really, [ suppose, but it seems l
must have looked so, for she cried out:
"But you are crazy, monsieur, you are
crazy"
"The rug or I jump" See took the
rug and said in softened tone:
'But you, monsieur; you Will die OF
cold"
F'Don't disturb yourself about me,
madam. | am not delicate-and even if
[ do take cold it will only be the just re-
ward 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 chattering with the cold. But how
soon forgot the cold, the journey-ev-
erything. She was delicious, exquisite,
adorable, clever mind, bright, gay,
original. She was fond of travelling,
like myself Like myself she had been
in Italy, in Spain. She dreamed of 60
ing to Egypt, just as | did. In litera-
ture, music, in everything, In fact, the
same tastes as mine. And then, only
think, host of mutual friends.
She was intimate with the Saint Chances,
with the Savonys, particularly with the
Mont Vazins. And to think that [
might have seen her twenty times at
those houses, and that | had not noticed
her. X Where were my eyes, [
should like to know; whore were my
eyes?
She spoke freely, pleasantly, with
that distinguished simplicity which | al
ways so much admire, with little, a
very little, Southern accent-almost i'm
perceptibly, rather a lisp-giving little
birdlike sound to her voice. Itwas en-
trancing.
But, although I did everything to
hcCp lIOIl olloNlllS IL, heavens, HOW
cold I was! At Dion (2:20 O'Clock P.
NJ. my right hand was seized with a
cramp. We telegraphed to Tonnerre
for the bags. At Macon APO o'clock P.
NJ the left foot went the same way. A
dispatch would reach Marseil9es the
next day At Lyon-Perrache (5:4S
o'clock P. N.Y. my left hand became in
sensible. She forgot to claim her
coupelet. At Valance 900 O'Clock P.
NJ. my right hand followed the exam
pie of my left. I learned she was
widow without incumbrances. My
nose turned brilliant purple. l was
given to understand that she never
loved her first husband At Mar
settles, finally five minutes after mid
night | sneezed three times, violently.
She handed me my rug and said, grac
iously, "Aat reuoir"
'1u revor'' | was in the seventh
heaven
| passed the night at the hotel at
Noailles. A restless night, filled with
thoughts Of her. The next morning
when [ awoke [ had the most terrific
cold in the head that | could imagine.
Did | dare present myself at the Rom
bauds in such a state? Unfortunate,
of course, but they knew | was on the
journey-they will have to take me as |
am, and tomorrow [ shall be cured in
the sunshine of Nice!
But, my friend, what surprise await
ed me! That good fellow, Rombaud,
had asked several friends to meet me,
and among these friends was she, my
travelling companion, my enchantress.