The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-05-17

oPAoPoo vi uoeullg! NO, nunureu
times rather keep still had immedi-
ately discovered, with the instinct of the
old Partisan, that my companion was
woman of position. To suddenly address
her, without an introduction, in any
such fashion would have set mo down in
her eyes as the most contemplate of
commercial travellers.
The only way to manage it was to find
something magnifcently original to say
to her But what? What? / searched
in vain.
was still searching when the train
suddenly stopped with that new patented
brake so good for accidents and SO bad
for passengers.
"Tonnere. Twenty-Five minutes for
refreshments, sang out the conductor as
he opened the door.
My neighbor got up, freed herself from
her rugs, which she left in the carriage
with her three little bags, and got out.
1t was noon. She was beginning to get
hungry. 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 a 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 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 a fast express, es-
sentially grotesque and utterly impossi
BILE from the standpoint of beauty-rush-
ing to be fed.
/ sat down and hastily devoured the
succession of courses which were put be-
fore me. As for my fellow traveller she
took cup of bouillon at table by her
self
was one of the first to finish, and
went out to smoke cigarette on the
platform. The twenty-five minutes, re-
duced to twenty as usual, would soon be
up. The travellers in groups were leav-
ing the restaurant and taking their places
in the train. | had resettled myself in
mine. My little traveller had not APP
peared. could see her at the little book
stand, on the other side of the track,
looking at the books spread out in a row.
Her hair seemed little lighter to me
than before, but that was doubtless the
effect of the distance. Everybody was
o,.l cla
doors.
SIS she going TO stay here!' thought,
"she is mad.
s'Madame Madame!" l 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
frightfully cold weather, without her
baggage OF her wraps. She might at
least have her own belongings. the poor
little thing,
/ took up in one armful her three bags
and her rugs, and, throwing them at a
baggage man who happened to be stand
ing on the track next the train.
''To that lady over there" cried.
The baggage man 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 plat
form, the door opened and my fellow
traveller appeared-frightened and hus-
tied along by cross conductor, threw
herself into the seat, and the train de-
parted. Horrors! | had mistaken the
woman! The lady of the book stand was
not she, after all-same cloak, same hat,
same way of holding her head-but it
was not she.
1t was traveller who was not travel
ing! How absurd that two women should
look SO alike. | had made fine mess
of it.
she uttered cry: my bags, my bags
have been stolen!' and for the first time
| she looked at me; but good heavens, with
what look. I'll never forget that look,
| you may be sure.
mo. madame" stammered, "your
bags are not stolen-they are-they are
left at Tonnerrel"
cat Tonnerre? How
I explained it all to her Lord! /
won't attempt to describe the second
look she gave me, but think / shall re-
member 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 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-the will be sent
on Immediately. OH you will surely
have them, swear, if have to return to
Tonnere myself to recover them"
Enough, SIR" she said. 81 know per-
fectly 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 shiver.
In vain she changed her position and
! drew cloak closer about her pretty figure;
she was positively chattering.
Madame" l said, 81 beg you ON my
knees take my rug. You will catch cold,
| which will be my fault, and l 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 furi-
GUS at my idiotic mistake In short /
was ready for the most desperate steps.
Madame" said, "take my rug or /
swear l will throw myself out on the
track" and casting the rug between us l
lifted the window and took hold of the
outside handle of the door.
Was 1 really in earnest? Entire nous,
not really I suppose, but it seems I must
| have looked SO, for she cried out:
"But you are crazy, monsieur; you are
crazy!'
"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,
| madame. 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 nrettvn She