The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-28

was no other way to cross the noun
tains-so 1 laid my plans to meet my
fair companion again. Next morning
as soon as we landed in Baslia
hired the entire diligence for myself,
engaged every seat
The shades of night were falling
when entered the old vehicle for
Ajaccio
The oriver came TO me and humbly
asked: Would I yield any of the
seats to a lady3''
"What lady2''I brusquely demanded.
The wife of an officer going to
Ajaeeio to join her husband"
Certainly. Tell the lady I gladly
offer her a seat"
MY travelling companion soon APP
Peared, Iaughingly said she had been
asleep all the afternoon preparing
for her night trip across the noun
tains, thanked me for my kindness,
and entered the carriage.
This old vehicle was like a hermet-
ically closed box-nO openings, except
door on each side, with little glass
windows above. We were sitting face
to face, opposite each other. and away
we started, the horses going on a
quick trot until we reached the noun
tains.
Again I began to talk of Paris
bright, beautiful. bewildering Paris
She listened with keen attention.
BY now the night had grown so
dark 1 could scarcely distinguish
the face Of my companion. l.
in the surrounding gloom. The horses
were slowly walking up the steep
ascent-the carriage lanterns the
ou1v livbt fO show the road
My companion had been very quiet
for some time, breathing softly, with
now and then q gentle sigh. The
darkness and silence emboldened me.
] cautiously advanced my feet and
touched hers. She did not move or
change her position Then me talk
became more insinuating-ve
words with hidden meaning. She
was still silent Then l softly laid
my hand on hers. It was not with
drawn. Growing still holder 1 went
on whispering lot of sentimental
rubbish; talked of Glove at first
sight, "kindred spirits" etc, with
my lips very near her EARN truth
dangerously near her mouth She
was still silent. I fancied 1 could
hear the beatings of her heart, min
gled with her gentle signs.
a. last AOAbAy BA2CGA AAy Fps AyCA
her cheeks. She started as if just
aroused from sleep-but such start
1t hurled me to the far side of the
carriage. Then, before had time to
cOmpre bend, consider or even think,
/ received five or six frightful slaps
full IN the face, then a perfect hail Of
fisticuffs, hard and sharp. falling
every where on my head, my face, my
neck, quick and fast as summer rain
In the thick darkness that sur
rounded US 1 vainly tried to parry the
blows. TO seize her possible;
so I turned around and presented my
back to her furious attacks and hid
my head in the corner of the vehicle
She seemed to compreh bend, by the
sound of the blows, no doubt. this
movement of despair, and suddenly
ceased to beat me, and throwing her
self back in the corner of the car
rage, she burst into wild paroxysm
of sobs and tears, which continued
for an hour or SO. I shrinking back in
my corner distressed and very much
ashamed. 1 wanted to speak. but
what could I say2-"Excuse me?'
that would have been tame and abb
surd. What would you have said?
Nothing-just as | did
Finally She grew calm. We both
remained in our separate corners,
mute and mOtionless, the diligence
moving steadily on, only stopping
now and then for relay of horses
The day begins to break; as the
first pale rays of dawn begin to glide
into the carriage 1 look at my neigh
Dor. She seems fast asleep
The sun coming up from behind the
mountains discloses an immense blue
rounded by enormous peaks of gran
tie. On the far side of this gulf a
white city, stepped in the shading
light Of the early morning, appears
Nv neighbOr starts up as if just
aroused from sleep, and opens her
eyes They are very red. She yawns
as if she had slept long time,
bushes, hesitates a moment, then
stammers: s'Wiu we be there sOon2'
yes. madam, in less than an hour"
.sOh, / wish we were there / could
well understand that wish. Her voice
was little tremulous. her manner a
little confused; otherwise she seemed
to have forgotten every thing
In about an hour we arrived at
Aiaecio. A great dragoon-a kind Of
Hercules-was standing at the Office
door, waving his handkerchief as the
diligence appeared The driver had
scarcely brought his horses to stand
still before my neigh Dor leaped into
his arms with a bound, EN- bracing
him again and again: ''Oh, l am SO
glad to see you How lOnged to be
with you again"
Ny trunk had been taken down
from the imperial 1 was about to
retire discreetly when she called out:
'.Oh. monsieur, you are not going with
n,,t bidding me adian ="