Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-05-28
A FAIR COMPANION.

Once was compelled to make the trip
to Turin by the way of Corsica. So took
the steamer ut Nice for Baslia.
AS soon as we were under way | began
to look around and observe my fellow pas
sengers. l noticed modest looking young
woman sitting on deck alone and appar-
emily "a stranger l Immediately said TO
myself, 'There is my travelling compan-
ion, 4" so 1 placed myself where | could
watch the graceful contour of her head
and shoulders, the exquisite coloring OF
her richly tinted cheeks and the dreamy
look of her dark eyes gazing far out at sea-
l noted the fine lines of her hands little
too large and strong, but white and beau
tifully shaped; the delicate shell like ears
which always indicate good blood better
than certificate of birth, sometimes con
testable.
As watched my neighbor l asked my
self all those questions We usually ask
about an unknown woman in whom we
are Interested: who Is shes" Where is
she goingl' why is she travelling aloneS''
Without seeming To notice my scrutiny
she settled herself comfortably in her
chair, opened her satchel and took out a
newspaper / rubbed my hands exulting-
ly and said, Now, let me see what she
reads and | will tell you her character and
thoughts. +" | gave the paper quick
glance, and To my surprise saw 1t was a
Partisan journal. She began at the first
page with dainty, satisfied manner; read
OH and ON, sometimes "A smile on her lips,
but always look of interested attention.
drew my seat near to her, took out q
volume of poems l had bought just before
starting and pretended TO be equally in.
terested.
A good many passengers walked up and
down, but she appeared To think OF moth
ing but her paper. Finally she seemed to
have finished and laid it down on seat
between us. l Immediately bowed and
said:
VIII madam permit me to glance Over
her papers'
Certainly, monsieur, with the greatest
pleasure.
"In the meantime allow me to Offer
you this volume Of poetry 1t may inter
est you.
THANK you. Is 1t amusingf'
This rather Disconnected me. When on,
offers volume Of love songs to u woman
he does not expect to be asked, lis 4
amusing Nevertheless, l answered:
1T is more than amusing--it is charm
ing-delicious.
She opened the book and began to rui
through it with little bewildered air, a
| If she was not in the habit of reading poe
try. Suddenly l asked;
Don't you like ity'
Yes, but l am not at all sentimental
like something gay-very gay" Will
that she closed the book and we began I,
talk
learned that she was the wife of an Of
floer at Ajaccio. She was going To rejoil
her husband. Sho added she had beel
dragged from one little town to another
and now she was going To- he buried II
that lugubrious isle of Corsica.
In some way fancied she did not low
her husband-loved him, perhaps, will
that cool reserve "A woman gives To a mai
who is not congenial to her.
She said she preferred living In Lyons
She knew every one in Lyons-it was he
native place
AS we spoke Of residences and places sh
preferred, l asked:
How do you like PARISH"
"Oh, monsieur, do 1 like Paris? Is
possible for any one To ask such a ques
tionS'
But she began to talk Of Paris wit
such ardor-such enthusiasm-I saiu (
myself, This is the string to pull" Sh
said she had never seen Paris-she adore
IL from afar off with the keen zest OF
provincial-with the longings OF bir
who gaZes at the wild, free woods iron
the window where he Is imprisoned Thel
she began to question me with almos
breathless eagerness. She wanted to know
everything at once.
do you know Alphonse Daudet and NJ
Sardou-oh, he Is gay, So amusng-an
III. Zola-he always makes me cryY Aft
er reading one Of his books, am iii for
week. .
She ran on In this way for about al
hour; then her questions began to be OK
hausbed and 1t was my time To talk.
related all the stories of the fashiona
BILE world could think of. / gave her
beautiful idea of the grand danes of Paris
satisfied her curiosity in the most fantas
tic manner, told wonderful adventures O
the gay city. She listened with all he
ears and all her heart. Then | mocke
with cruel irony all those poor womel
who were bound To husbands who did no
appreciate them and could not understan,
their delicacy OF sentiment.
The little woman said no more-onl,
sighed now and thon--and once She asked
"Is IL really like that in the gay worldf'
The night had oome-soft and warm
the great steamer, throbbing from be-
machinery, glided over the sea beneath
al immense canopy Of violet sky, Stare,
with drops of fire. suddenly my neighbo
was up and saying:
at Is late. must retire Bon soir
monsieur. I"
answered, Bon scir, madam" anS
she was gone.
/ knew she must take the night dill
gence from Baslia to Ajaccio-tbere wa
no other way to cross the ,nuun.ains--so
laid my plans To meet my fair companion