Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-10-17
A WOMAN OF STONE.

Lurine was pretty, petite and Is. She
had nice situation at the Pharmacie do
Siam, in the Rue ST. Honore.
She crossed the river twice every day
once in themorning when thesun wassh
ing, and again at night when the radiant
lights along the rivers bank glittered like
jewels in long necklace. She had her little
walk through the gardens of the Tuilertes
every morning after she had crossed the
Point Royal, but did not return through
the gardens in the evening, for park in
the morning is different thing to park
at night On her return she always walk
ed along the Rue de Tuileries until she
came to the bridge. Her morning ramble
through the gardens was daily delight
to her, for the Rue de Lille is narrow and
not particularly bright, so it was pleasant
to walk beneath the green trees, to feel
the crisp gravel under her feet and to see
the cleaning white statues in the sun
light, with the sparkle on the round foun-
tain pond, by the side of which she some
times sat. Her favorite statue was one of
woman that stood on a pedestal near tho
Rue de Rivoli. The arm was thrown
over her head, and there was smile on
the marble face which was inscrutable
1t fascinated the girl as she looked up at
1t and seemed to be the morning greeting
to her busy days work in the city. If no
one was in sight, which was often the case
at 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.
Lurine was happy, as matter OF course
for was not Paris always beautiful? Did
not the sun shine brightly? And was not
the air always clear? What more, then,
could q young girl wish? There was one
thing which was perhaps lacking, but that
at last was supplied, and then there was
not happier girl in all Paris than Lurine.
She almost cried it aloud to her favorite
statue the next morning, for it seemed to
her that the smile had broadened 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 pharmacie and looking
in at her now and then She saw it all,
but pretended not to sec. He was q hand
some young fellow, with curly hair, and
she noticed how white his hands We're, as
if he were not accustomed to doing hard
manual labor.
One night he followed her as far as the
bridge, but she walked rapidly on, and he
did not overtake her. He never entered the
pharmacie but fingered about as if wait
ing for chance to speak to her. Lurine
had no one to conflde in but the 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 Lurinc 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 Luz
rins did not know The young man spoke
to her on the bridge, raising his hat from
his black head as he 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 offended"
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
lance, and there he babe her good night
after asking permission to meet her at the
corner of the Rue st. Honore, and walked
home with her the next night
''You must not come to the shop she
said.
II understand" he replied, nodding his
head in assent to her wishes. He told her
his name was Jean Duret and by the bye
she called him Jean, and he called her
Lurine. He never haunted the pharmacie
now, but waited for her at the corner, and
one Sunday he took her for 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 1t was because they had quar-
relied the night before. Jean had seemed
to her harsh and unforgiving. He had
asked her il 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 a 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 there'"
he asked. And when she told him he
laughed again and said:
why, bless you, If got SO little as
that ! would take something from the
shelves every day and sell It,"
The girl looked at him In amazement,
and he, angry at her, turned upon his heel
and left her. She leaned her arms upon
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