Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-02
LOVERS LETTER BOX.


in consequence of little adventure which
has nothing to do with the present story,
and was in fair way to get into an
other, for was paying court in furious
fashion to fair Italian, whom we shall
call, if you like, Princess Milleflore.
The princess was very beautiful wom-
an, dark as night, but it was not a starlcss
night, for she had eyes about which one
could write volumes. She was about 80
and had ferocious husband.
He could not abide me. She, on the con
trary, deigned to evince toward me an af
lection that was scarcely maternal, though
she was my senior by some seven or eight
summers After having ventured, with
out sustaining serious injury, to tell her
that l thought her very beautiful, and that
her smile was simply maddening, I had
come to the stage where one repeats such
avowals in writing. The difficulty lay
not in writing but in delivering the let
tiers under the very nose of her husband, a
bearded ruf1ian who never left her side.
Well, on a certain winter night, while
all Paris WAS skating in the most august
company, took advantage of moment
when the princess had laid her magnif-
cent blue foxskin mutf down on bench
beside her to slip my epistle into it.
The princess saw my vancouver plainly
and the glance she gave me made 1t ap'
parent to me that need not fear sho
would denounce me to the police. Then
we separated, for / saw tho princes eye
fixed ON me with so queer an expression
that wondered seriously If he did not
suspect something.
Nine. de Milleflore, tall, supple WON
ana little slender perhaps-was an un-
equaled horsewoman and an indefatiga-
BILE dancer; but, like true italian, she did
not shine on the ice. She even had fall
once that made me shudder, but she was
on her feet again at once, safe and sound
She had not struck her head However,
though the victim of an apparently ordi-
nary accident, she disappeared for mo.
ment into the ladies' dressing room. Was
she badly hurt? No. Five minutes later
she glided out on the icy mirror again.
more intrepid than ever.
During tho evening managed to get
near her for moment and murmured to
her in voice trembling with emotion;
"Take carel If you should fall again.
She looked at me with eyes full of mis-.
chief.
"Have no fear" she replied. IT have
taken precautions And she was swal
lowed up again in the throng.
An hour later a supper party was made
up. The fair Italian was of the number,
and, as you may imagine, had arranged
to be one too Presently we were en-
sconced in salon of the Cato Anglais.
In our salon, which was lighted up as
bright as day, everybody was in the jol-
lest humor possible, the princess above
all remember that as she stood at the
CRATE warming her adorable little foot at
the blaze some one nudged me and MUIR
INJURED, II say, old man, Nine. dc Mile
fore Is not so very thin, after all"
And, to tell the truth, was surprised
and charmed at a certain opulence of fig
ure which had never observed before
But I was torn from my dreams by the
princes voice.
my DEAR" he suddenly called out to
her. where have you left your mufff'
That animal was the very incarnation
Of order.
Now, that was simple question and per
fectly legitimate In the mouth of him who
asked It, But the princess blushed to her
ears, while l felt my almost beardless face
grow pale. was even SO imprudent rs to
glance at my accomplish and l thought !
read In her eyes an anguish easy to ex-
plain. The muff was trif1e-but the
motel
Aftor seconds hesitation she replied,
with certain embarrassment: IL do
not know Perhaps 1t is still in the car
riage."
Without a word the prince went down
stairs would have given a bale Of fox
skins of no matter what color to have had
tho accursed note in my pocket. AS to the
princess, even at the moment of peril she
smiled Oh, these women What nerve
they nave In the very face of DEATH was
already rehearsing in my minds eye the
episode Of Francesca and Paola, and con.
fess the role of Paolo had fcw attractions
for me. Just then the prince returned
with an ominously impasslye face.
Tho muff Is not in the carriage" he
announced In solemn tone.
broatheG again 1t meant few min
utes respite.
Then" said Nine. de Milleflore, ap.
preaching the table with moro careless
air than ever, ~ must have left 1t at the
lake. In the meantime, while 1t is being
found, let us have supper am dying OF
hunger"
II you will believe me, this strange
woman atelwith hearty appetite. She
was more beautiful and gayer than ever,
fairly sparkling with wit and the life Of
the party.
To tell the truth, had no appetite
The princess even had the audacity to
rally me about 1t.
"Come, NJ de Clomat, (" she called out
II was at the farthest end of the table
''you are solemn as an owl tonight. Have
you left your wits at the lake with my
muffP"
My witsi They certainly had deserted
me. How could have failed to think Of
the one thing to dor Fortunately the
princess ingenious phrase had put me in
mind Of 1t.
1.-THE fact u.s. madame" replied, II am
not very we'll. feel quite ohilly''-in
truth, I had not dry stitch on me-sand
am afraid was imprudent in not going
home directly. With your permission, and
that Of these ladies' shall do SO at once"
Two minutes later was in cab on my
way to tho lake in the Bots. Heavens,
how far 1t IL from the Cafe Anglais to the
skating club, at 3 O'Clock in the morning,
with the thermometer 20 degrees below