Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-10-29

Her fine dark eyes look ed as N they might
da,h Al times with passionate anger. but the
lines about them were pleasant traoes left
by mirth. and her long upper lip and broad
mouth seemed made for laughter and good
cheer. Her habitual genislity, however,
was less obvious Just then. for she scanned
me with n distinotly unfavorable eye. and
her pursed lips showed that she disap.
proved Of her master bringing home such
visitor. Had been we'll dressed, or only
tolerably good looking, IL would have been
another thing But she respected and loved
Taras too we'll to let him read her dissstis-
faction, and drawing back into the passage
~ he led me In she reosived us with pro
found bow and opened the door of the adj
joining room
This ia my bousekeeper, Mere Lucas"
said TaraS 70 me A. he entered, and turning
to her he spoke y few words In French
which caused her 10 gasp an exclamation
of astonishment as she clsspcd her hands
together. Then, after regarding me for q
moment in silence and round eyed won.
der, she addressed me in her unintelligible
language. but | understood her Tone Of
apology and self roproach, and the tremu-
lous emotion in her full lips and the affec-
tionate warmth In her soft eyes fully atoned
for any hostility she might at first have
shown Finally, as II by an ungovernable
impulse, she seized me by the shoulders
and planted q couple Of sounding kisses on
my cheeks, saying as she gave me one last
embrace before leaving the room. "Pauyrs
eherie, val''
1 remember that phrase becsure for some
tune after she never looked at me without
repeating II In the same tone OF compassion.
Indeed, with my thinness and careworn e1.
preston, must have seemed TO the eyes Of
The fat, jolly soul deplorable indeed.
We were In the room which had been the
shop. IL was low ceilingsd, but large aud
very light and bright, by reason of the long
window, with the white muslin curtains,
the flowers and many pictures hung upon
the painted walls But that which aston.
ished me greatly was the surprising neat
ness and cleanliness Of everything, for re.
ally this was the first time in my life that
had ever seen the inside OF decent room,
and next TO this the table, which was laid
for lunch, excited my wonder.
There was vase OF cut flowers in the
middle Of tho spotless tRbleoloth, and IN
the plate set for Taras stood a small loaf,
sec up in white serviette which would
have made me laugh if had not been 20
perplexed By the strangeness of every
thing. The quantity Of food also seemed
quite ludiorous too. 1t was the ordinary
hour for dinner, and all that was prepared
for the repast OF great, hearty man, was
box of nrdlnes, plate Of radishes and
some butter, and Mere Lucas brought
nothing more except q cover for me and q
bottle OF wine, which she stood on a small
silver plate.
We sat down, and seeing Taras take the
Loaf out and spread the serviette over his
knees did the same, though II seemed TO
me about the oldest thing In the world,
and then he passed the sardines for me to
help myself. | could very well have eaten
all the little fishes there were in the box,
but out Of consideration for him who was
three times as big An me, only took about
quarter of tho contents and | also took
about quarter OF the number Of radishes,
but could not help looking at Taras in
surprise when he took but two sardnes
and only three or four radishes. "well.
however does he liveP asked myself
MAY I'LL your Rlassi" be asked, taking
mp the bottle, 'or would you like beer IN
steadi"
81 amt particular" said; "winde's good
enough for me"
The wine made me shudder "Four-half''
was nectar In comparison with such soui
stuff, | thought, However, l Rulped II
down and sad nothing, not TO appear too
nice. | had scIpped out my plate and was
screwing up my courage to tell Taras that
would finish up the box II he didn't want
any more, when Mere Lucas hustled in
Z whiaked of our plates, knives and forks
and set othera In their place, though the
cutlery was a. bright and clean as II It had
just come from the makers. Then sh,
placed a steamlnR dish on stand,
Come said to myself, "here's du1 u
MI up with at any rates
/ But found that it was a sayory dish
Inncaroni au grstin know now-and thai
was not half bad, besides which there wai
plenty Of It, aud TO my great relief Tara,
took all that left. Then in came another
dish-cutlsts, with paper frills around tn,
bones, and potatoes frothod up in a fash
ion a. odd as everything else, and by thii
time began to wonder when this sort o
thing was going to end. However, Their
WA no more to eat except fruit after that