The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-03-09
THE BLUE BOW.

49, ~@AAA - ~
want to hear about it. But, dear, it's not
worth telling-at least my part in the
play. Play-that is just what it was. The
actors never met until the first scene and
never met since the last, when he drew
the matrimonial curtain. "Who Is he,
auntyE" did you say? Ny father called
him a French ~adventurer, but that could
not be true, for he had a noble face.
But first / must tell you how oddly we
met. Ny father was living in Montreal
that winter, and when he returned the
preceding fall, from his summer trip TO
England, he brought with him an English
cousin who had been anxious to spend a
winter in our climate. I guess his desire
abated. Before long he was calling our
weather beastly and said If we could
learn from the flies how they walk on cell
ings we could skate on the clouds as we'll
as on the ice, for he believed heaven and
earth were frozen.
The reason ! remember this remark is
that after he said it he vent out to the
club, where he spent every evening. He
was a habitual gambler. After he had
been gone a few minutes the bell rang.
The butler is at his supper let me CO."
said i, and left the family circle in the IL
brary. When / swung open the door,
| tuSES StODud IlHlGSOIl6, COLlIDdDQlDg look
ing gentleman.
He asked for my cousin. l told where
he had gone, but asked the gentleman in.
He thanked me and declined.
Now, niece, that was the first scene in
my life play.
always used it as an argument with
father, that had he been an ad~venturer he
would have accepted my invitation.
The gentleman went straight to the
club, but the click of the ivory balls was
not music to him that evening. He took
my cousin one side and told him he must
meet the young lady at his house who
wore the blue bow. OF course we met,
and my cousin took him everywhere after
that. He was one Of our opera, dancing
and skating parties the rest of the winter.
Like my cousin, he had left his native
hOme-France-tO watch our barometer,
and TO see if it were true that the trans
planted French beauties were finer han
the home grown.
There were many minor scenes in our
play, but l can't tell you them all. l will
just let you see two. He took me for a
sleigh ride one beautiful night when the
clouds thawed enough to let the moon
show. About five miles out of Montreal
there is a road through a forest of great
pine trees. The drive under those trees
defies description. The snow is banked
up the tree trunks on either side for sew
eral feet, where it is met by the snowy
moss that grows on the side of every tree
and creeps out on each limb, finishing the
boughs and even the tiny pine needles
with clear water jewels.
was lost in wondering admiration, and
in imagination, as the wind shook the
trees and the jewels jingled, l fancied a
$4,000 ~ &~o4 IN @bo ri~l& -nc n ~ I'd
dame of a prehistoric age, and that her
| Jewels rustled as she trembled with the
delight that her knight was towering near
but there my thoughts were broken.
For my knight beside me was telling of
| his love. / was so awed he thought l was
not listening, and he asked quickly:
"Uave YOU not noticed my constant at
tention to you from the moment met
you?"
Now, is it that every woman busters
up when her intelligence is slurred, or is
it just l who has had that experience?
At all events, one moment all the price
less Jewels of my heart were vibrating
| with delight, like the grand dame of my
imagination. and the next | was saucily
saying, But you know Pm SO accustom-
ed to attention.
This was a burning fagot thrown into
| a EiS l4h IN AM h4ANAS w Ai'NNA 'SA
| first quarrel, and | gave in, and, my dear,
in the end it might have been we'll had ]
always given in.
The second quarrel was in the other
scene | will tell you about. He came to
our house instead of going to the club
after we were engaged. Occasionally /
saw him in church. But | knew he went
there Just to please me, and | knew, too,
thai he refrained from gambling to please
me also.
My cousin said one day, at was a mas
ty shame for me to keep the French shot
away from the club" Those words were
ringing in my ears and made me happy as
| dressed that evening for the ball. The
last touch to my toilet was a favorite blue
bow of ribbon.
When | went down stairs, my fiance saw
it the first thing and asked me to take it
off.
Now, why is it people can be so contra
ry when we were so happy a minute be
fore? Why, l don't know, but contrary
was and told him it was the only pretty
thing | had on, and | YOU not take it off.
81 command you" he said, cor we
won't 90 to the ball"
command, indeed, p" said |. 1T has
been evident for some time you we're get
| ting too domineering, and if you are that
bad now, what would you be after VIC
were married. This may as well stop right
here"
Naturally, this was a whole bundle OF
fagots thrown in a gas n
Hot words followed, burning into my
very soul, parching my hearts desires.
He left me.
For a week | knew nothing of him.
Then | overheard my cousin one morning
telling father that the French shot had
not left the clubhouse, night or day, for a
week; that he was astonishing old gam
blers by his wild bets, and that one ole
man bad not left the table for three days,
and the two bet heavily, losing and gain
ing, and that last highland then his
voice lowered so | could hardly hear him.
But | caught something about a fight
foul play-and somebody hurt.
As | entered father said, WAS he in
jured:' My cousin raised his eyebrows
warningly when he saw me and nodded
assent to father.
Twas too proud to ask questions and