The Philipsburg mail., 1898-08-05

rection a moment, until Lucille, laugh
ing, said something, and, as if by one
impulse, they wheeled with the grace
of startled deer and went toward the
marquee.
Il wish could do that" said mad
anne, referring to the gesture of one
who had passed her slim arm across
her back and had caught the other at
the bend OF the elbow.
You can afford to say So" l OBJ
served.
"A Frenchman would have done bet-
ter. she remarked.
But am English, you know" re-
piled. 'Veracity is the badge Of all
our tribe. We rarely taste the high
Joy OF being truthful and compliment
ary at the same time"
But you thrive vel! on the priva-
tion.' she laughed, rising. Now take
me to the show" and she slipped her
arm within mine. "YCu really ought
to think of getting married" she con-
tinued. Marriage supplies raison
d'etre. Did you ever map out a ca
reero"
Frequently" replied, "but always
failed at reducing the plan of my i'm
agination to the scale of my brains"
"A common fault" observed mad
ame; but a wife would show you
how. A good wife is"--she paused as
If listening.
"A crown to her husband" said I.
wishing to keep the ball rolling.
Madame raised her finger and drew
me into the shadow OF the clematis.
Approaching footsteps sounded on the
gravel. moment later Chedderstow
and Nine. de Belleville appeared His
arm was round her. his iron gray head
bent toward her own. still black as
midnight. They passed slowly, utterly
obliyious CT our presence: nor did my
companion move until they had disap-
peared beyond a noble specimen of
glastonbury thorn masking another
path.
The first chapter in a middle-aged
romance" said l. 20, woman."
THE last. if you please" replied
madame: "a suivre was written near
ly twenty-seven years ago by that
oi>"e oAANlJCl VI u0SllulSS, ClTCuu-
stance. and now it will run on smooth
ly to the end"
Then. you mean to say
Madame lifted her graceful should
ers. Did you ever read La Proven
cale?" she asked.
Il skinned through it once" said l,
impatiently
"Then. peruse it again." continued
madame, 'but substitute for the he
roine an English girl. When she was
lS her family sold her in the usual way
to Major de Belleville. He spent her
money as we'll as his own and took
himself off on active service to Africa.
News OF his death in Egypt reached
ner year later. She returned to Eng
land and married our host. who had
known her in childhood They were
happy one year and son was born.
We'll, of course, the superfluous Belle
vile was not dead. He reappeared
presently, unchanged and unchange-
able-she went back to him: it was
her duty. Monsieur married again, his
family urging him; you can guess the
rest. They tried the thorny track of
honor, and-well, you see it sometimes
leads to happiness, even here"
Rather melodramatic,' l observed.
What else is life?" asked madame,
And rather late in the day, too"
BAH" cried the vivacious little la
dy, pressing my arm, what of that?
Are we sure of moment? God knows
what an ugly world we make of this.
but oh! what a sorry world it would
be if love were only for the young!
Nevertheless, it might be more COM
Portable could the heart grow gray
with the head" said I, remembering
the two gray hairs l had found on my
left temple that morning
Madame laughed gayly, twirling her
parasol. Shame on you" she cried
DO you forget your own English pro-
verb, kissing is out of season when
the gorse is out of bloom?'"
And as We were just then turning
the corner of the lily -bordered walk
leading to the marquee. could not an
swer effectively Buckley in
Black and White.