Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-08-19
PAULE'S BLUEBELLS.

PAULE'S BLUEBELLS.
They arrived at dusk. In the distance
Mont Valerien lay quiet and peaceful as
slumbering lion. A light mist enveloped
it, falling from the blue sky, across which
the setting sun cast golden flames. Two
steps away Paris grumbled.
The Seine surrounded the Grande Jatte
isle with low, gentle murmur, a murmur
that was one long caress, and there was in
the atmosphere perfume of flowers and
freshly mown grass.
Along the driveway ON the other side of
the river carriages passed at trot, bear
ing the happy occupants to the promenade
or taking them back to the city. On the
water joyous merrymakers flew by in
yawls that seemed like toys, the rowers
shouting loud salutes to big, numbering
towboat, black and awkward, which made
them dance like cockleshells on the waves
made by it's paddles. And the ferrymen,
who. for one SOU a passenger, made the
crossing from bank to bank, paused to let
pass the enormous mass of barges dragged
in tow, while the alert, laughing, noisy
oarsmen, full of bravado, dashed by brisk
ly plying their SOULS.
The Seine then was full Of laughter
rolling it's green waters with crisp, chop
ping sound that seemed to cry out to ALL
Come on, come on!'' and brushed the
banks with sly little kiss that bent the
reeds and the water lilies still ungathered
by the promenaders, while the rascally
sparrows little vagabonds with their
sweethearts-leaped and skipped in the
grassy hooks, near which the greenish
scum of tiny rivulets made moving spots
of emerald.
From time to time a pretty girl at the
tiller threw a laugh to the wind; voices
sounded everywhere; tights and jerseys,
red and white caps, and the gay toilets of
women, casting for moment the flash of
their vivid color upon the rolling waves,
came and went and were little by little
effaced by the thickening mist that the
heat drew from the water.
'Oh, if only had some bluebells!'
Paule spoke feebly in soft. muff1ed
voice, like the cooling of bird. Her friend
had made her tiny nest of moss, and near
the little birch yawl, drawn out on the
=
white flannel skirts spread out around her,
her black, curly hair thick and abundant,
bringing out by contrast the ivory pallor
of her skin, she seemed herself-with that
faint. wavering red deepening and paling
in the wan cheeks-some strange, frail
blossom.
She wanted bluebells, the whim of a
child, of one incurably ill Her beautiful
dark eyes, surrounded by blush circles
and shaded by long, curling lashes-eyes
almost too big for the delicate face-spark-
led with desire-she wanted bluebells!
"But, dearest" her friend responded.
there are no bluebells here"
"Truel How very annoyingr"
And she gave sigh that was nearly a
sob in her sunken little bosom.
Allat once a Joyous racket came through
the trees, the crash of bass drum and the
fiourishes of trombones marking the time
of gay quadrille The boatmen of thu
Seine dance with all their heart at these
island ballsl Paule listened and joyously
clapped her hands.
"Come. let us see them!" said she.
And he. with a gentle, kindly smile. f,,Il
nevertheless of an unavnwea sadness, he,
PauIe,s friend, iieIu out his two strong
Ls-nus and said simply:
"Get up then"
In the cabaret frequented by the boat
men the crowd was dense; pretty and
gayly dressed girls in the arms OF stalwart
oarsmen-every muscle OF the BODY PLAINLY
outlined under the tnln woven shlrts-
madly whlried about the table OF the
drinkers. An orchestra OF some dozen
musicians, led by slgnor something or
other, the name spread OUT IN letters a ioot
long on gaudy poster, pIayeo furious
quadrllle.
Some OF the dancers affected the style OF
the choregraphs OF the QUEER barriers,
their gambollngs, springs and alert gym
nastics; some, more serious, dance sedate-
~ and without botherlng themselves
with the manner OF others, CALAMITY lead
ing their loved ones mere and there with a
certain nne ana loI1y scorn OF tnelr sur
roundlngs.
Truly a strange meoiey' IN whlch TREND
and stranger eloo"ed eacn otner as chance
thre" tnem togetner, anu eacn LOOK peas
ure, according TO MS tasCe' in1oxlcatlng
nlmseli WIN Cne preaGn ol inc evening
whle inc perfume OF fernoo "lnSieo III
the air with the smoke OF pipes ana cigars
to be quickly sweep 70 Ine river OF W hahg
tor nomenclature Dlue clouus III 1ne
trees-as II caught oy me pranches'
An, put lie Is goooi slgneu Iaule'
leaning heavily on tne arm OF ner lrlend'
Life! the eGernai cream Oh cnose carry
doomed, OF those 1nat cream OIL morrow
they VII! never see, Oh q morrow ALREADY
hylngl Paule nao IN her eyes now Cne III,
toxlcatlon OF onssIui VISION why coulo
she not nave IN rea1ty tne 10Y 1nae nel
eyes beheid, the aeceptlVe mirage OF tne
happiness OF othersY ,
Suddenly she uttered little cry:
"Bluebellsl Bluebells, HENRI!
1t was true; there they were on Inc cor.
sage OF one OF the women. she nad passed sea
ike whlflWlnd close Desloe tneln. W
the gray rope OF tne cancer tne MOVERS
ktucK ou5 ~ an entlclhg JUL, Anu her cs'vst,
her Lao o. perhaps twenty years. seemed
| 10 preatne III tne ooor anu 10 uraw ironl
| lhe falnt perfume an always increasing
strength TO Gasp ms companion 70 MN -.
Paule eagerly scretcneo ou5 nef 1nih III
tie nands.
u want some DiuepelisF' saio sne' aiio
me oent as II 10 selze tnem.
but the coupe Wnlrieo On; II was neal