The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-24
A WOMAN OF STONE.


Siam, In the Rue st. Honore.
She crossed the river twice every day
once in themorning whom thesun was shin
ing and again at night when the radiant
lights along the rivers bank glittered like
jewels in a long necklace. She had her little
walk through the gardens of the Tuileries
every morning after sho had crossed the
Pont Royal, but did not return through
tho gardens in the evening, for park in
the morning is different thing to a park
at night. On her return she always walk
ed along tho Rue dc Tuileries until she
came to the bridge Her morning ranbie
through the gardens was q daily delight
to her, for tho Rue dc Lille is narrow and
not particularly bright, so 1t was pleasant
to walk beneath the green trees, to feel
the crisp gravel under her feet and to sec
the cleaning white statues in tho sun
light, with the sparkle on the round foun-
tain pond, by the sido of which she some
times sat. Her fayorito statue was one of
n woman that stood on u pedestal near the
Rue do Rivoli. The arm was thrown
over her head, and there was n smile on
the marble faco which was insGrntablc.
1t fascinated tho girl AS she looked up Mt
1t and seemed to be the morning greeting
to her busy days work in the city. II no
one was in sight, which was often the case
at s o'clock in the morning, the girl kissed
the tips of her fingers and tossed the salute
airily up to the statue, and the woman OF
stone always smiled back at her the strange,
mystical smile which seemed to express
that it knew much more Of this world and
its ways than did the little Parisienne who
daily gaZed up at her.
tnriR, yx-rg hpV, n c "A tnr N
for was not Paris always beautiful? Did
not the sun shine BRIGHTLY And was not
the air always clearS What more, then,
could young girl wish? There was one
thing which was perhaps lacking, but that
at last was supplied, and then there was
not a happier girl in all Paris than Lurine.
She almost cried it aloud to her favorite
statue tho next morning. for it seemed to
her that the smile had broadcned since she
had passed it the morning before, and she
felt as If the woman of stone guessed the
secret of the woman of flesh.
Lurine had noticed him for several days
lowering about the pharmacio and looking
in at her now and then. She saw 1t all,
but pretended not to see. He was hand
some young fellow with curly hair, and
she noticed how white his bands were, as
If he were not accustomed to doing hard
manual labor.
Ono night he followed her rs far as the
bridge, but she walked rapidly on, and he
did not overtako her. He never entered the
pharmacie, but fingered about as If wait
ing for a chance to speak to her. Lurine
had no ono to conflde in but tho woman
of stone, and it seemed by her smile that
she understood already, and there was no
need to tell her that the inevitable young
man had come. The next night he fol
lowed her quite across the bridge, and this
time Lurino did not walk so quickly
Girls in her position are not supposed to
have formal introducitons to their lovers
and are generally dependent upon hap
hazard acquaintance, although that Lu-
rino did not know. The young man spoke
to her on the bridge, raising his hat from
his black head as hc did so.
"Good evening"" was all he said to her
She glanced sideways shyly at him, but
did not anwser, and the young man walk
ed on beside her.
You come this way every night" he
said. II have been watching you. Are
you ofrendedT'
NO" she said almost in a whisper.
"Then may walk with you to your
homer" he asked.
You may walk with me as far as the
corner of the Rue de Lille" she replied.
"Thank you,'' said the young fellow,
and together they walked the short dis
tancc, and there he bade her good night
after asking permission to meet her Mt the
corner of the Rue St. Honore, and walked
homo with her the next night.
You must not come to the shop" she
said.
II understand he replied, noddng his
head in assent to her wishes. He told her
his name was jean Duret, and by the bye
she called him jean, and ho called her
Iurine. He never haunted the pharmacic
now, but waited for her at the corner, and
one Sunday he took her for a little excur.
sion on the river, which she enjoyed ex.
ceedingly. Thus time went on, and Lu.
rine was very happy. The statue smiled
its enigmatical smile, though, when the
sky was overcast, there seemed to her q
subtle warning in the smile.
Perhaps it was because they had quar-
relied the night before. jean had seemed
to her harsh and unforgiving. He had
asked her If she could not bring him some
things from the pharmacie and gave her
list Of three chemicals, the names OF
which he had written ON u paper.
You can easily get them, " he had said.
"They are in every pharmacie and will
never be missed"
But" said the girl in horror, THAT
would be stealing"
The young man laughed.
How much do they pay you therci'
he asked And when she told him ht
laughed az ain and said:
why, bless you, If l got so little n,
that l would tako something from tht
shelves every day and sell it.,
The girl looked at him in amaZomcnt,
and he, angry at her, turned upon his heel
and left her. She leaned her arms upon
the pnrapet OF the bridge and looked down
Into the dark water The river always
fascinated her at night, and she often
paused to look at 1t when crossing the
bridge shuddcring as she did so.
She cried a little as she thought Of his
abrupt departure and wondered IL she had
been too harsh with him. After all, 1t
was not very much he had asked hor to do,
and they did pay her so little at the phar-
macie. And then perhaps her lover was
poor and needed the articles he had asked
her to get Perhaps he was i'll and had
said nothing There was touch on her
shoulder. She looked around. Jean was
beside her but the frown had not yet dis
appeared from his brow.
"Giye me that paper" he said abruptly.
She unelosed her hand, and he picked
the paper from 1t and was turning away.
Stop!" she said. 81 will get you what
you want, but l will myself put the mon
ey in the till for what they cost"
He stood there looking at her for n mo
ment and thenxssid:
Lurine, II k you arc little fool
They owe you Ever SO much more thar
that However, l must have the things,
and he gave her back the paper with Til,
caution: