The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-09-29


the man who polished my floor. Those
brave men, as though they had di.
ylnod my desire, made every effort to
diminish my chance of succumbing. The
great day arrived Mt last. had spoken
to the mayor. 1t had been agreed
that should go to the house for Gene
We've Mt l o'clock. That morning |
rose early. L put on my new black
irock cont, made for the OCCASION At
ter | was entirely ready, after having
rctwlsted the ends of my mustache, |
looked at my watch. 1t was high
noon. | had still an hour to wait.
An hour l had waited six months
before knowing whether / would ever
see Genevieve again. / had waited
SIX weeks from the time | had been
accepted for the moment when 1 might
marry her. An hour? And | burned
with impotence. | walked up and
down my room. I sat down. | got
up. l rescnted myself and got up
again, longing for some way to pass
the time, anything that would help me
to bear that hour of waiting. Turn
ing toward the mantle my ewes fell
upon that box of cigar. There was
only one left. My friends, the ianitor.
the man who polished my floor, had
nil done well. One lone cigarl l
took 1t up mechanically. 1t was long,
round in the middle and iappering to
II point that seemed to cali for pen
knife. j pressed it between my fingers
close to my ear it cracked rs though
well dried. 1t WAS neither too dark
nor too light. In word, it was n
cigar OF the first class. | threw it
back quickly into the box md closed
my eyes to escape the temptation.
Fifteen minutes past twelve. Still
more than three quarters of m hour
to wait. ! returned to the mantle.
took up the cigar (every one has mo-
ments of folly now and then) and cut
1t with my teeth. / lighted it and,
sitting down in my armchair, com
menced smoking. 1t was delicious.
Was the odOr OF the cigar too stronr.
or was it because had lost the habit
OF smoking? At the end of few mo-
ment my head fell back, I partly
closed my eyes and gave myself up to
the luxury of that sensation neighbor.
ing upon slumber, Mt the paint where
thoughts ends and dreams begin.
Suddenly l awoko by the odor of
something scorchIng. l got up and
looked about the room. Nothing. I
went to the curtains, to the draperies.
Nothing. felt my coat, my vest.
Nothinr.
bah it WAS only m idea, " thought
!, and am mistaken. | looked ut nv
watch. 1t was twenty-five minutes
past one. ! grabbed my hat and nv
gloves. / flew down the stairs four
at time aud jumped into the carringe
that was waiting for me. The ianitor
was there standing on the door. sill.
On seeing me pass he burst out laugh.
ing, and so did the goodman. They
are laughing at me because am late.
thought /.
when 1 reached my father-in- laws
| was up the steps in one bound an |
rang the bell. AS John, the domestic.
who opened the door, caught sight of
me he started as though he had re-
cel7ed Sudden shock, and said.
/ Every one has gone, Monsieur. after
having waited for Monsieur, although
Mndemoiselle Genevieve did not seem
satisfied. She told me to say to Mon
sieur, If Monsieur came, that he should
go to the Mayors Office. / have given
the message to Monsieur.
"Aud the entire time he was repeat-
ing bis eternal Monsieur he was trv-
ing TO reprcss an irresistible desire to
laugh
q" Are you laughing Mt me like that,
my bOy?' SAID T.
Monsieur knows very we'll that I
would not allow myself IN the pres.
cncc OF Monsieur, au !, after all, every
one is free, is he not, Monsieur?
Monsieur must know we'll what pleases
Mniemoiscilc, and II MaIemoisollc
likes it liso that
But / hal not the time to try to
understand him, and Struggling my
shoulders I descended the stcJs more
rapidly thnn ! hal gone mp. All tho
servant in tho yard ranged i'm two
rows forming lauo Although 7 ran
the gauntlet quickly, I could, never.
tholcss, hear tho smothcred bursts of
laughter
Dacilcliy,' 2rowlcI 7, Jt seems
That they have never seen bride.
groom lntc
"Iru.heI The colbhmn1 md Mt
quarter of two VIC wcro at the Mayors
Office
fine room for marriages. dc.
mlndel OF tloushor.
The room for marriages % he re.
plio1 It is not for you, pcrhaps2
Yea. tits for me.
For vou2 Ah? that is good Oh