The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-09-21

mad dlsdalned her fashionable equip
page. She had walked all the way
from her neat and artistic temporary
abiding place in the American colony
to the shopping district, had pur-
chased sundry trifes and looked at
thousands of articles she had not
bought; had fascinated a number of
clerks by her dash and brilliancy until
they were ready to display for her
especial benefit the wealth of the
world in feminine odds and ends, and
now she was making her way home
ward, care free, and happily con-
scious that many covert chances were
cast at her stylish figure.
At sixteen she was a charming girl;
at twenty-six a beautiful wife and
hostess; at, well, say thirty-an ire.
sistible widow, perfectly satisfied to
saunter all by herself along what re-
manned of ife's floral pathway. With
a more than comfortable competence,
she regarded the future with compla-
cency and the past with resignation.
Not that anything very tragic was in
terwoven among the yesterdays. Ex-
1stence had flowed smoothly enough
broken engagement, a heart wrung
for time, trip abroad, a wealthy
sutton, fashionable wedding, pleas
ing honeymoon, a series of social tri-
jumps, the demise Of her better half,
briefperiod for mourning, and the COM
Portable present.
She was childless, but she had many
friends. 1t Is true that sometimes
something like pang came to her
when her mind reverted to children,
and she told herself that possibly a
little one would not be at all in the
way, but, on the contrary, might give
sweet solace to the few lonely mo-
ments which came to her, who, gener-
ally speaking, did not know what lon.
illness was. As she walked along with
superb movement, she observed two
pretty girls in charge of nurse. The
children were playing on the grass be-
meath the shade trees with which the
boulevard was lined, while the nurse,
who had the expressionless features of
a peasant girl, was seated on u bench
knitting. Mrs. Van Altine stopped
impulsively.
ooh, you darling" she said, and
thereupon in her own peculiarly
graceful way began to question the
children and coo over them Just as if
she knew all about the language of
childhood. Nearby on another bench
was little boy dressed in sailors Mt
tire, with the word captain" on his
cap. He looked forlorn and dis.
turbed, for his mouth quivered and
there were tears in his big, blue eyes.
whats the matter, my little MANI"
continued Mrs. Van Altine, in the Ian
guage of the country.
He only stared at her and rubbed
one of his eyes with his dirty fist. She
placed her hand on his golden curls in
caressing manner.
"Why don't you play with the other
children?" she continued.
For answer he rubbed his other eve
with another dirty fist.
'There, now, sailors don't cry" re-
sumed Mrs. Van Altine, as she wiped
the CRIME from his face with Lace
handkerchief.
''They go to battle and fight and are
brave. Are you my brave little cap
tain?"
81 don't understand, said the boy
in English, plunging both fists int
his eyes.
"What you speak English? Yol
eIe an American boy?"
"Yes'm."
Sand are these your sisters?"
"No'm."
Sand what's your name?"
"Bobby."
"Bobby what?"
"Bobby Steele"
"And where are you from, Bobby?
"Oh, big place, much bigger an,
nicer than this. "
"What is it called?"
''Cleveland-oh- Doo-hoo-l wan
to go home"
"But you can't go back to Cleve
land tonight, Bobby. You are thou
sands of miles from home"
81 don't care-I want to go home.
els your mamma with you i
Paris?"