The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-12
THE DYNAMITER'S. SWEETHEART.


out ehaperon-yet she was entirely COM
me il faut. and dear little thing into the
bargain, also. They never interfered with
her; they let her come and go, recognize
ing the fact that. after all, Americans
We're. Americans, and que, voulez-vous::
ma chere? C'est CONNIE ca la-bas, allezF
Valentn approved Of her.
That child will 60 far" he said some
times. confidentialiy. to Stanislas Lam
inSki. ''She has talent do you see?
Talent bah. she has genius. She has
learnt nothing, of course: but she VIII
learn; she is plastic. There's more orig
irality an that child's little finger than in
al that fat Kerouac's Breton body. An,
yes. she viii 60 far, II you others leave
her alone. She is innocent. the little one;
respect her innocence
Laminsk sat next her and painted by
iler side. He did the best to help her.
Often he pointed out 20 her when things
she did were technically wrong; set her
right in her drawings, corrected her first
crude ideas of color. Essie. living for
art, put her head on one side and
drank il all in eagerly She was docile
like child; she saw these men knew
more about II than she did. and she was
anxious to profit as far as possible by
their instruction. Laminski liked her;
she was so small and so pretty. Like a
dainty little flower. Lamnski thought to
himself. With an artists eye. with
49, ~'AANA ~ AA~+R ~'N-+tA-
ing her?
one afternoon he walked home with
her, and carried her things for her. At
the top of the stairs. she turned and took
them from him, smiling will you come
in and rest awhile monsieur" she
asked. with her innocent frankness.
Laminski hesitated. The others were not
by. After all. what harm? Why not
accept the innocent invitation in the
spirit in when she gave it?
He stammered a vague acquiescence.
Essie flung open the door and preceded
him into the room. 1t was a bedroom OF
the common Partisan Jack-of-all-trades
sort. with the bed huddled away into
niche In the background. and the rest Of
the apartment furnished like a salon.
EsSie waved him TO a sofa. He seated
himself on II, gingerly, very close to the
edge, as II half afraid Of making himself
too comfortable. Essie noticed ii and
laughed. But why SOP" she asked. mer-
rily. Then her eye fell on an envelope
on a table close by. All letter from
Dicky!' she cried, and took it up and
opened It,
And who is Dicky?" Laminski asked,
gazing hard at her, inqUiringly.
My brother" Essie answered, devOur-
ing the letter. He tells me all about
our farm, and my father, and the
chickens"
The young man leaned back ana
smile, till she had finished reading IT,
She went through with il unaffectedly 70
the end. and then laid it down, glowing
Laminsh was charmed at SO much
natural simplicity.
'Dicky tells me all about our pets at
the farm" She said, simply; and TO
Laminsk the mere mention Of the farm
was delicious in its naivete He tells
me about my ducks, and how our neigh
Dor has broken his arm, and that Biddy
the servant Cat home she would have
said the hired gfrl'O, lis engaged 10 be
married
Then she felt amused herself. to OBJ
serve how formal all these domestic de-
tails of Vermont society sounded, even
in her own ears, when one made French
prose of then But 10 Laminsk. they
were still stray breaths of Arcadia.
Il suppose YOU Russians can hardly
understand what Americas like" she
added. after pause. just TO keep con-
versation rolling; but we Americans
love it,"
Laminski started back like one stung.
''MademOiseller' he cried, angrily.
What have / dOne?" Essie asked.
drawing away in surprise. What have
1 said? Why do you start? Surely we
/ Americans can love American
"A la bonnie heure"' he answered, gaZ-
, ing hard at her in a strange way. But
! why treat me like this? Why call me 4
Russian"
Il though you were one from your
name" Essie replied. taken aback.
Isn't Laminski Russian"
Thank heaven, no. the dark young
man answered, with fierce flash of his
eyes I'm a Pole. mademoiselle, and,
like all good Poles 1 hate and detest
! Russia. Call me a Chinaman, if you will,
negro. monkey; but not Russian"
But isn't the ear your emperor,
too?" Essie inquired, innOcently She
was too IMMERSED in European affairs 10
understand that a Pole could differ from
a Russian otherwise than as a Califor-
| MAN differs from a New Highlander.
Laminsh suppressed an oath. Then
| he went on TO explain to her in brief but
| sufficiently vigorous terms the actual
| state Of feeling between Poles and Rus
| SLAMS. Essie listened with the intent in
| terest of the intelligent American; for,
as a rule, with the average Yankee, you
may feel pretty sure OF finding that he
| is absolutely Ignorant of any piece of
| information you may desire to impart
| 10 him, but eagerly anxious TO know all
about it. A great desire to learn and
| capacity for learning cO-eXist with an
astounding want Of information and
| culture.
Then you are a catholic?" Essie said.
| at last. after listening TO his explana-
| ton with profound interest.
The young man gazed at her with an
expression of amused surprise. Il am
| Oh NudttNtI Itlibipl LtdutliblStlit' pre-
fers." he answered. courteously, tex
cept only the religion Of the accused
| Russians"
Il don't understand you" Essie said,
much puzzled. Such easy-going gallan-
| try was remote, indeed. from the sober,
/ GOd-fearing New England model
Laminski smiled again. 'Well, we adj
/ vanced politicians in Europe" he said,
| twirling his black mustache, don't, as
| a rule, belong 10 any religion in partic-
/ ular-unless It be the religion Of the la
/ dies who interest US"
"Oh, how very sad" Essie replied,
| looking hard at him, ptyingly. But
| perhaps you may see clearer in time"
Perhaps Laminski answered. with
| a curious puckering of the corners Of his
mouth. Though I hardly expect it,"
! will you take some tea?' Essie asked.
/ just to relieve the tension. For the first
/ time in her life she was dimly aware OF
| that barrier Of sex which she had never
| felt with the young men in Vermont.
/ But these European men are so strange
! and so different They always make
you remember. somehow. that they are
/ men and that you are a woman.
Thank you" he replied; made
moiselle is very good" And ne sat look
| ing on while Essie prepared it,
| When 1T was ready he tasted il. He
| had drank tea in quantities when ne was
a boy near Warsaw, but never since the
] first day he came to Paris. How inno-
! cent it isi'' ne exclaimed, as he tasted
! IT, And Essie stared again, not knowing
| what to make OF him.
From that day forth II was the gossip
| of the atelier that Daminski had his
| eyes upon the little American. He