The Somerset reporter., 1894-08-09
AN ILL INATiOA.

Tho rocking chair in its Perfection IS
found only in it, native land, America.
The European variety Of tho species Is
hut ;oletalla imitation, having nel-
ther the comfort nor the elegance OF the
original article still thc1o are rock
ing chairs IN Europe, and company in
Austria turns out very good -anbiance-
indeed Of bent wood with cane trim
ming-
was tho first one OFT from the big
hotel to the terrace in front, and there
fore had ny choice of all the chairs
scattered - profuscly around, and II
none Of them was 50 good u the big red
rocking chair If the American hotel We
randa, yet the Austrian article standing
empty beside the little rounl metal td-
bic was not to be despised, so | sat
down in 1t and lit my cigarette The
waiter, who had followed me out bring
ing cup Of black coffee, now poured
out "a liquor glass of the aromatic, pen
Grating ereon decoction, pouring 1t so
deity that Ii came exactly to tine brlm
and did not spill drop
have always admired the eXpertness
of the European waiter, either with cot
fee or the more expensive mohkish llq-
uor
There was "a small hedge at the edge
of the terrace, and thought had tax
en- the last seat toward the western end,
but found | was mistaken Behind me
on the terrace was gray green bush,
and behind that bush and sheltered from
the hotel lights stood another round
metal table and two chairs
Two young girls came down the hotel
steps with their arms around each other
in the confidential fashion Of young
persons still in their teens. They were
aged 20 or Whereabouts, and they took
their places behind tho bush, apparent
~ not noticing that was within hear
ing distance. BY this time many people
We're coming out i'll twos and threes and
little groups, and many began walking
about the graveled terrace, the wise,
however, securing good places at the
little tables before the rush for seats be-
gan.
The deep gorge of the Rhihn had fill
ed with darkness, which the thin crest
of the silver moon hanging i'll the sky
had not light enough to penetrate Just
before going to dinner | had noticed
how lovely this gorge was, with the deep
green river flccked with white foam
from the falls and the many tints of
its surface rejecting back the splendor
of the sunset sky, Now all I : was
gone, but almost directly below us the
Rhine falls showed white and fieecy in
the gathering darkness. We were some
hundreds of feet above them, but their
roar came up to us like the long sus-
tanned note of an organ.
The falls of the Rhine aeo the great
est III Europe, but you can't expect a
man brought up on Niagara to wax very
enthusiastic about Them Still / will
say this-that they are very pretty little
falls about 60 feet in height, more like
rapids than cataracts, but probably it
would not be quite safe to shoot these
Rhine rapids in canoe haven very
much respect for them, but they were
pretty and white and ileccy and fragile
as | looked down on them from the ter
race of the big hotel
you see, said ono of the girls from
behind the bush, AS soon as her par
ents realized how serious the case was
they took her at once to switzerland. "
"Ah, " said | to myself, "some poor
invalid who came hero with the hope of
getting we'll, and who probably staid to
die -
Her father left the strictest injunc-
lions that no one was to know where
they were None of the people at the
office knew where the family had gone
except the confidential clerk, who for
wardcd the letters "
"But why" said the other girl,
did they come to so public place as
the Rhine falls? | should have thought
they would have been sure to have been
found out.
mo, " said the other girl, who must
have been quite ? years old and who
knew great deal OF course. No, the
right way when you are hiding is to s
to the most public place you can. 1t j.
always in the most ont # the W.
places that you find people you don d
want to meet. "
"Oh, hol" said | to myself 1T r.
hot a case of illness then, 1t looks more
like case of defalcation or something
Of that sort, y
They took those rooms with the long
balcony i'll front, and they had-all thcii
meals served there. often saw the poor
girl sitting on the balcony, for they
never allowed her to go out, but watch
ed her like a couple of old cats, | think
they expected her to forget in the midst
Of scenery like this, but it was quite
evident that she forgot nothing.
LAS if, " Md the younger girl, with
some indignation in her voice-"as if
the sight of the Rhine falls would make
up for the sight of the person one loves,
"Ah, said l to myself, with some
disappointment, ''it is neither case of
consumption nor defalcation, but mere
ly an affair of the heart -
OF course lost interest in the con
versation at once and coughed lightly
to let them know | was there, but at
that momeut the big globe containing
the carbons for the arc light began tC
hiss and sputter over our heads, and
finally it flooded all the terrace with the
steely white illumination of electricity.
Tho Girls Sbriol.ad s'OhI'i of tbis s1,1lpI