Evening star., 1897-01-30
AN EPIs0DE:,IN PARIS

W dTlS Will great piccSuT6. Neither JOQn,
my husband, nor had ever been in France
before, and We had decided long ago that
as soon as we could afford the expense and
spare the time we would cross the channel
and spend a month-a whole month-in
Paris. Both of us are very fond of pic
lures, and think that what We principally
wanted to go to Paris for was to visit the
galleries at the Louvre and the Luxem-
burg. Could anybody visit foreign city
with more innocent purpose? And when
I add that we are most respectable couple
my husband being a curate in a London
parish-may 1 not also ask If ever people
set out on summer holiday with less like
lihood Of being interfered with by the po-
lice? When think the matter over now, I
feel very indignant. John, kind old soul,
only laughs
We are not rich, and SO on arriving in
Paris we went to boarding house instead
of hotel We had seen Nine. Montbar-
bon's advertisement of her pension de
famille In a London paper, and had ar
ranged, by correspondence, to be taken in
at an inclusive charge of eight francs day
each. Nine. Montbarbon's pension was in
side street off the Boulevard Haussman,
very centrally situated, near the opera,
and within easy walking distance Of the
Louvre. 1t was mainly frequented by
Americans. and this was another recon-
menda tion to us, because neither John nor
myself speak French, and 1t was much
pleasanter to be able to Join in the con-
versation at meals
Although Nine Montbarbon certainly did
not treat us we'll when We got into trouble
under the circumstances which 1 am about
to describe, 1 must say we had no reason
to complain of her pension. We had a COM
Portable room; the food was excellent and
plentiful, and for the first day or two, at
least our fellow boarders were civil and
sociable. Alas! it was only for one or two
days.
l noticed that something was wrong the
very moment 1 entered the room for din
ner on the third night. Instead of being
pleasantly greeted by the company, as
manner AT first 1 thought that perhaps
| my nair was untidy, and I whispered a
question on the subject to my neighbor at
table, Mrs. Martin X. Budd of Chicago.
There is nothing wrong with your hair,
| ma'am," she answered, laying considerable
| emphasis on the word hair"
L was wondering what was the meaning
| Of her tone, when her husband. who sat
glaring across at John, remarked:
"Say, Mr.. Wilson, Mrs. Martin K Budd
and myself, we have decided not to accom-
| ''Oh, I'm sorry to hear that" said my
| husband. I'VE had been looking forward
| to making that excursiop1 with you"
Mr.. Budd made no answer. but shook his
head and went on with his dinner,
| body spoke either to John or to me. and if
addressed any one 4 was SO curtly an
swered that 1 felt snuHbed each time
| Genial little Nine. Moatb3rbon even looked
| at me in reproachfula way. And the
worst of 1t was that John seemed to notice
| nothing. The old d3ardis rather short
| sighted, and has a theory about its being
laughed at me when, after dinner. in the
| drawing room, complained of the way
| we had been treated" - o -
what sensitive little woman it is" he
said. . ...es,,o. ~, . .
| However, even he saw that something
| was wrong when not one of our fellow
| boarders Joined us In rhe drawing room.
| The custom of the house was for all the
pensionnaires to adjourn thither directly
| after dinner and to spend the evening In
| conversation. bezique or lotto AS the
| clock struck 9:30 and we still found our
! selves alone 1 remarked to John: 1T looks
very much as if we had been sent to Gov
| entry"
| How you do rush to conclusions. Mary
dear" answered my husband, who was
| La Vie Parisienne." mo doubt most of
| the boarders have gone out. Was there
not some talk of drive round Paris-Paris
by gaslight. you KNOWN one of those
to Coventry?" and he proceeded to poin
out the disadvantage of possessing too
much self-consciousness. While ne was
| speaking his words received apparent con-
firmation by the fact that suddenly three
| of the ladies', escorted by Mr.. Budd, en-
| tered the drawing room. They were not
cordial to be sure, and refused to play a
| game Of lotto, which was proposed by my
| HI sband. However they were more talk
| ative than they had been at dinner, and
from their questions seemed to take great
| interest iE all concerning u.s. Meanw lille
Mr.. Budd was behaving in very curious
manner. He had some newspaper In his
hand, and he kept looking from the sheet,
first at my husband and then at myself,
and back again at his paper. l noticed
that as he did so his face grew more and
more gloomy. Indeed, the glances ne cas-
at us were almost offensive. l know that
felt inclined to ask him what ne meant
sighted, had noticed nothing thought II
more prudent to keep silent, for II there
Is one thing more than another which m!
husband abhors 1t Is the least unpleasant
ness.
Surely 1 was sorely tried. After while
Mr.. Budd beckoned to his wife. and when
she had seated herself at his side on the
sofa he whispered in her ear and pointed
to the paper which he was still holding up
Then the lady began to look from 1t to
us and back again. When she had done
this for some tiI e she leaned over and
whispered to her husband. Presently the
two rose and left the room, without wish
ing us goodnight. There can be Lo
doubt about it," heard Mr.. Budd say in
the passage, and to this. his wife answered
Poor John was blissfully unconscious Of
all this, and with his face beaming with
good nature, was describing the treasures
| of the Louvre to the two ladies'. Ihese,
could notice. were paying but indlHeren
! attention to his remarks. Indeed. frcn
the frequent nervous glances which the!
cast IN the direction Of the door. coule
see that their main preoccupation was nov
to follow the Budds as expeditiousiy al
possible.
At last one rose, ,hnd addressing he
] companion, sad: ~
"Don't you find this room very chilly. So
| phia? declare SHAH get a cold II sta!
here any longer AID with these word
she hurried to the dooG Her companiol
followed her in q nervous tremor. Befor
leaving the room, however, they both wish
. ed US quavering godd night. could no
, help laughing at their funny behavior:
"What are you Laughing at, Mary! ask
| ed my husband -
well, 1t was funny tof talk of catchin
. cold in a room as hot as this" said
John was just going to speak: when tn
/; door was opened again, anl M. Montbarboa
| the master Of the house, looked In an
! | called out: - 10 s-
rs Mr. Sullivan thgre?"i
i. turned round. for ( wa8 sitting with M
| back to the door, and saN him glaring q
: | my husband, who however, had not locke
up. u;