The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-09-25

satcnels ana ner rugs In my arms anu
threw them out of the window, calling
to guard who stood near:
"Give these to that lady - over
there"
He picked them up and turned away.
The train began to move, and at the
same instant there entered at the oppo-
site side of the train, breathless and hur-
ried, my fellow-travelerl
Horrorl / had made mistake. The
lady at the book-stall was not the owner
of the luggage. Yet her figure, her
cloak, her hat were the samoan alb
surd resemblance. What was to be
done now? A pretty mess l had made
of it'll While / stood speeches., she
reached her seat and Immediately ex-
claimed:
Where are my satchels? Some one
has taken all my thingsl"
Then for the first time she looked at
me, and with what an expression of
doubt and scornl l shall never forget
it.
"Pardon me-" l stammered, "your
property has not been stolen. 1t has
been left at Tonnerre."
Why, what for?" she gasped-and
l.
gave me another look; it was worse
than the first one-I cannot describe it.
I" l am profoundly grieved," 1 added,
"but truly my intention was good. |
did not want you to catch cold. Besides,
your things are safe, and 1 shall tele-
graph-you will telegraph-,oe will tele-
graph-from the next station. l give
you my word you shall have your things,
if | have to 60 back and fetch them
myself"
" Enough, sir" she answered, coldly.
Il know what to do,"-and she sat
down and looked out of the window.
But alas, the poor little thing had now
no warm rugs, and before long she be-
her cloak and turned up the collar; her
little teeth fairly chartered.
Madame" 1 cried, - beg of you,
on my knees, to take my rug. You will.
catch cold. 1t will be my fault, and l
shall never forgive myself"
6 / do not wish to speak to you, sir"
she said, coldly.
l grew excited. l had made such
ridiculous blunder, and she was such
lovely woman! Suddenly made des-
perate resolve.
elf you do not take this l shall
throw myself off the train" 1 said, and,
laying my railway rug beside her, /
raised the car-window, put out my hand
and opened the door from the outside.
Was in earnestp Between you and
me, reader, do not think 1 was. But
l looked it, evidently, for my nearer
exclaimed, in voice of alarm: " You
are crazyW
q" Take the rug, or jumpl" 1 said.
She took it, put it round her, and re-
marked in a softened tone, as l closed
the door and the window:
You will die of cold!"
I" 1t would be but fit punishment
for my objectionable stupidity" l an
swered.
"You were not stupid, but hasty,"
she said, aud, as you told me, your in
tention was good; but how could you
mistake that lady for me?"
"She was so charming" / explained,
and my listener smiled. The ice was
broken-that is, as far as the converse
ton went; literally, l was nearly frozen.
However, soon forgot the cold, for
my companion was delightful, piquant,
fascinating. She talked well, though
with charming simplicity. She en-.
joyed travelling; just like me. She had
been in Italy; so had l. Also in Spain;
so had l. She longed for Egypt; ex-
actly what l did. In literature, in mu-
sic,-in fact, in everything-it was the
same. We had precisely the sane
tastes. What was more, we soon dis
un haH ~, al
quaintances; we had probably attended
the same receptions more than once.
And had never observed her. Great
heavens where were my eyes?
After time, although l was SUI
premely happy, became conscious of
the penetrating cold. did my best to
conceal that fact, but when we reached
Dion, at half-past two o'clock, my right
foot was numb. Here we telegraphed
to Tonnerre for the satchels and rugs.
AT Macon my left foot was numb.
Here we learned that the luggage would
be sent to Marseilles the next day.
AT Lyon-Perrache it was my left
hands turn to be stiff; l observed also
that my fair companion forgot to claim
her private compartment
AT Valence my right hand followed
suit, but learned that she was widow,
without children.
At Avignon my nose was blue, yet 1
OWNED that she had not cared much
for her first husband.
Marseilles, alasl l sneezed violently,
and with a gracious smile she handed
me my rug and whispered. " Au revoir."
Then we parted, and l went to the no.
tel and dreamed all night of her last
words, and woke next day with the
worst cold in my head l had ever
known. l hardly dared to show my
self to my friends who had asked me to
dinner, but at last l decided to go, and
what was my ecstasy to find among the
guests my charmer of the express
trainl A hardly perceptible smile
played round her lips when was pre-
scented to her, and in whisper l asked:
Tonnerre?"
81 have received them," she said, in
the same tone.
AS we sat down to dinner the host
aas1 20 koxr rr.L ~