Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-06-21
ZETTE.

Upon the posters which hung on the
outside Of the carriage she was styled
"Mlle. Antonio, S~omnambule Extralu-
eide"
Her mother called her Zette-her real
name was Suzanne.
She was a pretty girl, not very large,
with fair complexion and long black
hair that she let float about her during
her consultations, though ordinarily she
wore it in a loose coil upon the nape of
o neck that was perfect.
Never having done much work, her
hands were delicate and we'll shaped.
She was enough of a coquette to wish to
keep them so. She had a finely modelled
form, and to have seen her simply dress
ed in some quiet color, with the gait of
a wise little workwoman, one would
never have suspected her strange calling.
Her mother, Nine. Floury was as lit
tie like Others Of her class as her daugh-
ter. About her there was nothing in
common with the shrews who frequent
fairs in red dresses and soiled skirts.
She had the air of a little merchant who
was good and proper, with q winning,
honest smile, and people stopped before
the carriage and even entered there
(without thinking of the charlatanism
on the posters) in order to see the interi-
or Of this small dwelling that smelled
so sweet.
The vehicle was painted brown, with
a thread of gold running the lengths of
the plinths. There was a tiny balcony
in front of it, and on this balcony con-
volvulus and nasturtium vines, planted
in boxes, twined about wires up to the
roof, where they clustered in bright hued
punches.
Along the route persons stared in
amazement at this queer coach all cov-
cred with garlands Of flowers.
The two women We're always together,
but associated very little with their
neighbors. They were not proud, and
having the best Of hearts were the first
to offer to care for a sick child or to
give to others in distress. Indeed the
foreigners who knew them well loved
them sincerely, ever though they did
feel somewhat oppressed by what they
termed their grand amer
There was, however, some Il who
was all devotion to Zette and her mother.
1t was a young Eymnast of two and
twenty in a large travelling circus that
had very nearly the same itinerary as
Nine. Floury. His name was Jacques,
but on the playbills they spelled it Jack.
He was exceedingly handsome and Of 10
common type. There was fire in his eyes
and much intelligence in his smile.
There was, too, much tenderness in this
same smile, especially when he spoke to
Zette. Hi love for this pretty brunette
so unlike any other woma he had
seen about him in his wandering life
was very sincere.
Near her he felt himself quite another
man to what nc was III the clrcus. There
was such an atmosphere of honesty syr-
rounding Zette tat his own manners,
when with her, We're altogether different
from what the had been, and he was
astonished at how we'll they became him.
Then, too, lie had dreamed of being
loved by this sweet girl and of neve
being separated from her. Their posi-
lions accorded admirably. His salary
was good, and some day perhaps he
might enter one Of the great c~ircuscs of
Lyons On Paris. 1t would be charming
to find so sweet u little wife awaiting
his coming after his work was done.
He had often spoken to Zette of these
plans. He loved her so dearly that it
could not be possible she did not love
him at least Il little.
Zette always listened silently, visibly
touched by what she heard, and he
thought each time she would say Eyes
but when he had finished by asking, with
such pleading III his eyes, "Win you be
my wife, Zette?" she replied very grave
ly, "No."
Then Jacques would be astonished.
Why not? Could it be that she did not
believe him when he said he loved her
that she had no confidence in him that
she did not love him?
"Yes, 1 love you," Zette answered
sweetly, "but I do not wish to marry
you"
And she would never say why.
One day, however, Nine. Floury
blamed her for refusing the hand Of this
brave lad.
"Listen, mother" she said. II adore
Jacques, and I believe I shall always re-
main single because I do not wish to
marry him. Do you remember the day
when we went together to the circus? l
saw as we entered how all tho women
who were there turned their %lorgnettes
toward him, and afterward they smiled
and talked about him and tried to at
tract his attention by %applauding him.
I ought perhaps to have been proud to
think that this man whom they all want
ed loved me, and that l had only to say
the word to be his wife. All, well, in
my heart there was nothing but jealousy.
I wanted to tear the lorgnettes away
from those women. From what l suffer
ed that evening l understood how mucl
more I might suffer if we We're married.
No, that cannot be, He is too handsome,
GoaS G,1n,>DCo Como lov N-hap no bnl