The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-11-28


=.GsE :ese = ,SSaS was awkward, but
lt.>>Z IL; S,ts.., 80 M the portmanteau
N-e RI \EEMMj ii belonged to O man
lAsA 4 $EsD of the world, and
y ~ MI difficult positions
20 s were his forte.
-=<~ The ice must be
broken, and the portmanteau made the
first plunge.
81 believe We have met before,
mademoiselle ?" he remarked to the
trunk.
81 should not have thought" rather
coldly replied the Saratoga" that you
would care to recall the circumstances.
They were, at the least, distinctly
painful"
"You allude, mademoisolle, to the
episode Of our two proprietors? That
was undoubtedly painful; but I can.
not see why it should affect our rela.
tons"
The Saratoga trunk was silent for a
moment, and then answered in molli-
fled tones: "You are right, monsieur.
Our owners love quarrels need not ex.
tend to us. We are not in love-"
tMademoiselle must speak for her.
SELF" said the pcrtmantean, gallantly.
"By the way, the first scene of that
unhappy drama occurred"
cat Waterloo station. You remem.
Der, he intended crossing with her to
New York and settle their difficulties
en- route. But she cut him dead at
the station"
81 remember" cried the portman-
teau. ''She Was experimenting your
transfer to the luggage van at the
time. I lay on the platform ready
and labeled, but after her cruel be.
havior he had me sent back to the
hotel. Two days after We left London
for the East
"Ah, the dear East! It was there
we met first, was it not?"
eyes; at Shepherds Hotel. My
master was coming back from India,
and, Of course, be had to see Cairo. "
"And we belonged to party of
globe.trotting Americans on Nile
voyage. ] remember being placed next
you on the veranda at Shepherds.
My mistress stole look at your labels,
and I heard her say to her married
sister: "This valise belongs to Cap
tain Richard Assheton. I wonder what
he is like, and why he spells his name
with double 8. ,"
''The idea of calling me valise |!
So American interjected the port
manteau. "Stil], your mistress was
very charming young woman, and
de]ioiously sprightly.". d!
"She is charming still, though
scarcely so sprightly. Do You know,
mon cher, I actually believe that she
felt that episode sadly"
The portmanteau shifted inpatient
ly "lhen why did she act 500" he
exclaimed. "lt was all her fault"
"Nothing of the kind" the Sara
toga retorted. 'lt was the fault OF
your Captain Assheton."
There was another silence, broken by
the portmanteau. "Well,' he said,
eve need not quarrel about it. re-
member when my master saw your
mistress first. He asked servant her
name; and I heard him repeating
several times! "By Jove! This Miss
Carrie Durham is deuced]y pretty
girll"
ut certainly showed his good
taste. She noticed him, too; because
I heard her talking about him to her
sister. Then they met on the e1cur.
sion to the Grand pyramid.
$50 I heard. And the acquaint-
ance 1ipened into his joining the
party"
The Saratoga Uttered. 81 can re-
call the tender fashion in which he
looked after me at Port Said," she
murmured. "You were quite neglect
ed, mon ami"
"Oh, but Miss Durham kept me in
mind, can still hear her begging the
captain, not to forget his dear old
portmanteau.'
''The first proposal occurred at
Malta. She came down to th> state
room and told the whole story to her
sister. She was sitting on me at the
time.
''She had put him on probation. I
heard him tell his friend MCLEAN. He
was to meet her in London and receive
her final answer. All, that answer |!
How can you females act SO cruelty 2"
"Cruelly, monsieur? Nonsense {!
Ny dear mistress had no alternative
but to act so, after the conduct of
Captain Assheton."