Connecticut western news., 1895-08-08
BETTE.

outside of the carriage she was styled Mile. Antonia, Somnambule Extralu- eide"
 Her mc.her called her Fletcher real name was Suzanne.
 She was 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 loose coil upon the nape of a neck that was perfect.
 Never having done much work, her hands were delicate and well shaped. She was enough of a coquette to wish to keep them so. She had finely modelled form, and to have seen her simply dress ed in some quiet color, with the gait of wise little workwoman, one would never have suspected her strange calling.
 Her mother, Mime 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 tho air of little merchant who was good and proper, with winning,
 
 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 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 GOV cred with garlands of flowers.
 The two women were 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 we'll loved them sincerely, even though they did feel somewhat oppressed by what they termed "their grand manners. "
 There was, however, some one who was all devotion to Zette and her mother
 It was a young gymnast of two and twenty in a large travelling circus that had very nearly the same itinerary as Mime. Floury. His name was Jacques, but on the playbilk they spelled it Jack. He was exceedingly handsome and Of no 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. His love for this pretty brunette 50 unlike any other woman he had seen about him in his wandering life was very sincere.
 Near her he felt himself quite another man to what he was in the circus. There was such an atmosphere of honesty sur rounding Zette that his own manners, when with her, were altogether different from what they had been, and he was astonished at how well they became him. Then, too, he had dreamed of being loved by this sweet girl and of never being separated from her. Their posi- tions accorded admirably. His salary l was good, and some day perhaps he | might enter one of the great circuses ot Lyons or Paris It would be charming 1 to find so sweet little wife awaiting his coming after his work was done. He had often spoken to Zette of thes, | plans. He loved her so dearly that il could not be possible she did not love him at least little.
 |. Zette always listened silently, visibly touched by what she heard, and ht thought each time she would say Yes, , but when he had finished by asking, witt such pleading in his eyes, twill you b. my wife, Zette?" she replied very grave | ly, "No.
 1 Then Jacques would be astonished | Why not? Could it be that she did no believe him when he said he loved her that she had no confidence in him; tha she did not love him?
 "Yes, love you," Zette answered sweetly, "but I do not wish to marr, you.
 And she would never say why. | One day, however, Mime. Flour. blamed her for refusing the hand of thi brave lad.
 Listen, mother" she said. "I ador | main single because I do not wish t marry him. Do you remember the da when we went together to the circus? saw as we entered how all the wome who were there turned their lorgnette toward him, and afterward they smile and talked about him and tried to al tract his attention by applauding him ought perhaps to have been proud think that this man whom they all want ed loved me, and that had only to sa the word to be his wife. An, we'll, i my heart there was nothing but jealousy I wanted to tear the lorgnettes ava from those women. From what l suffer ed that evening understood how muc more might suffer if we were married No, that cannot be. He is too handsome See? Suppose some day, when he ha grown tired of me, one of those wome should take him from me. l would d1 surely. You know now, mother, why cannot say yes.
 But notwithstanding this obstinate II fusal, which he could not explain, Jacqu' came every day. He no longer mention ed the subject to Zette, understandin that he was contending against ike resolve, except once when he said to hel
 "You will not have me, Zette, and do not wish any other woman. Son
 day, though, you may change your min and then you need only hold out yo1 hand and say to me, Let us be marie 7 and it will make me happy. So after thIs simply settling the affa
 Jacques was like brother ill the hous
 It was he who in the springtime plar J, ed the seeds in the boxes upon the lit
 balcony. It was he who tw4ned the te
 drils about the wires, and it was he WI
 at all seasons furnished the gilded pore p lain vases that held the flowers.
 These flowers were great luxury
 Zette.