Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-09-16
MISCELLANEOUS,
A Surreptitious Swim.
A PARIS MERCHANTS UNPLEAs-
ANT ADVENTURE.

The night was rs balmy and soft
as the most eXacting poet could rea-
sonably desire. Not breath of air
was stirring, it is true to raise clouds
of dust in the streets, but neither
was there any stored-up heat to be
radiated from the brick mortar of
the houses. The sky wss remarka-
bly, clear, the moon unusually bril-
liant.
1t seemed almost pity to go in
doors at all on such splendid night,
and two very respectable merchants.
who were of this way of thinking,
drove out to Bois and strolled about
leisurely, conversing on trade, poll
tics, and the philosophy of life.
When they reached the edge of
the cool, clear water, one of the pair
suggested that they should have a
plunge. The other, in whose head
the spirit of prudence was predomi-
nant, demurred, for is not bathing
in the Bois at night a forbidden pas.
time? They debated the subject for
some time, and finally compromised
matters by each having his own
way, the prudent individual agree
ing to take charge of his friends
clothes while the latter was disport.
ing himself in the water in a state
of nature except for his silk hat,
which he retained on his head.
While the lover of pellucid lakes
was on the far side of the sheet of
waite, he heard cry OF alarm, and
saw, as he thought, the figure
or policeman standing boldly out
against the picturesque background
of the moOnlit armament and light
green foliage of the trees. He could
not, OF course, know, in the hurry
and excitement of the moment, that
the little scream was uttered by a
female dressed in male cycling at.
tire, and that she, in turn, had been
Mortified at the sight of his floating
top-hat, which she she took to indi-
cate the recent preparation of some
grewsome crime. Monsieur X, re-
membering that the police have
been very vigilant in the Bois of
late arresting the houseless and
homeless, grew frightened, and
swan as rapidly as he could to where
On terra firma once more, he hied
him breathless to the trysting spot.
"1've had a close call, old boy,n
he called out, in subdued voice,
but for heavens sake hide every.
thing behind tree, and I'll come
round in a minute, if there are no
police about"
"Oh, you've had close call, have
you 2" exclaimed gruff, bass voice,
which was not that OF the intimate
friend. while full-weighted blow
on the nose, leveled by an unknown
hand, nearly knocked the unsuspect-
ing merchant off his feet. "Give
me my silk umbrella and my
oVercoat. you scoundrelly night :
thief, or you'll spend the evening in
the lookup"
" Your overcoat? | know moth.
ing Of it; ] only wish l had my
own"
None of your lying tricks with
me. You are the tramp who stole
my property here an hour ago. I
recognize YOU"
How can you? Don't you see |
nave no clothes of my own, and if I
could get hold of a coat by hook or
crook, l would use it to hide nv
nakedness ?"
Inc stranger looked, saw that X.
was clad only in a silk hat, and re-
luctantly concluding that it was a
case Of mistaken identity, went his
way grumbling.
X, to his horror, then found that
has friend had likewise gone his
way, leaving him alone with a mere
top-ha For nearly two hours the
wretched man wandered about the
Bois, like soul in pain, selecting
the shadiest spots for his promenade
through a natural disinclination to
meet the watchful police.
His method of getting home,
when he had matured il, was O mas
ter.stroke of ingenuity. He crept
cautiously up to solitary coachman
that was evidently waiting for the
return of fare, and, slipping in
while the cabman vas doing, sud-
denly put his head out Of the win.
dow and cried, " COcher, return !"
These directions were somewhat
vague, but, at any rate, they aroused
no suspicion at the moment, and the
conveyance drove Off cityward.
Once back in Paris, X. breathed