The Portland daily press., 1894-08-09
THE BROKEN CHAIR.

Jacques climbed rapidly the five flights
of stairs which led to his room The ascent
made he stopped a moment on the last
landing. From this landing opened two
DOORS one at the right hand, one at the
left. He took key from his pocket, looked
a long time at the door on the right, ut
tered great sigh, then opened the door
at the left. He turned his head, looked
again at the right hand door, uttered 8
second great sigh, and entered his own
apartment.
Once there he DOTTED his coat, put away
his bundles, took chair, placed it against
the wall and himself astride of it, lighted
cigar, and, remaining thus watched the
Z little rings of smoke ascend to the ceiling,
while every five minutes he pressed his
ear to the partition.
He stayed there for half hour or so,
smoking several cigarettes and pressing
his ear several times to the wall At last
his face, till then dull and melancholy,
= took on an expression of joy. Some one
was moving on the other side.
She has returnedl'' he exclaimed
In q moment there was heard the noise
of chairs and dishes.
She is going to dinel'' cried Jacques,
and he pressed his ear still closer to the
partition, trying to follow the least move
ment of his neighbor. He was not able
to see her, but he was happy to hear her,
to be near her
To see her no morel That was great
grief to Jacques Formerly he had seen
her often.
He made plans to meet her on the stair
way. For that he would remain in the
street whole hours together. Then, when
he perceived her afar off, he would come
back, mount a few flights in order to give
her time to arrive, and Immediately de-
scending, as if by accident, would have the
joy of a single look in her face
But he always felt SO troubled to see her
pass before him, SO grave and SO reserved,
that he saluted her more awkwardly than
the most awkward schoolboy and lowered
his eyes without daring to raise them
He had tried hard to be- less timid, had
practiced graceful salutations, invented
pretexts for conversation, imagined wise
remarks, but all this forethought was in
vain. Each time that the adored being
passed jacques saluted her more awk-
wardly. Once he even let fall his hat.
Then despairing of conquering his enbar-
rassmcnt and timidity and trembling lest
he should make bad impression upon
her he had renowned seeing her. ~For, !"
he thought, what if | should happen not
to please her! 1t is better not to see her
than to displease her.
Jacques had arranged his life thus, TAX
ing care never to go, out or come in at the
same time as his neighbor. And he con-
tented himself with living beside her and
near her without her having the least
suspicion OF his existence
Without being able to see her he was
nevertheless acquainted with her.
She was named Charlotte. She worked
by the day, setting forth early in the
morning and returning late in the even
ing And she was honest. Oh, yes, very
honest and Woodworking, for very far into
the night she occupied herself with the
needle.
Jacques felt himself filed with admira-
ton for this brave and beautiful girl, who
alone in the world-she was certainly
alone, for she never received any visits
knew SO well how to resist the temptations
which befall one SO young and fair.
She had come to the house the year be-
fore. The first time Jacques had seen her
he noticed that she was pretty-that was
all. At first he had given little attention
to her. His love for her had come to him
little by little, her attraction for him fore
ing its way, SO to speak, through the par
tition
The thought came to him late at night
when he entered his home, IT wonder if
she has retired, :" and when coming out