The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-02
By River Banks.

KNOW what she WantS-to saddle me
with her young cub for MS holidays" l
thought as tore up the note and threw
the bits into the waste-paper basket.
Lucie was the widow of my best friend.
l was god father TO the boy. and since he
got into his teens l had been cajoled into
being bear leader each summer. As he
cared neither for fishing boating. hill
climbing, nor any other mild pursuit suit
able to his position as the only son OF a
widow, holiday time was my hardest work
in the year.
I found Mrs Winthrop even more
charming than usual. The little dinner
was perfect the wines irreproachabie.
and BERTHE seemed quite clothed and in his
right mind. 1t was some slight relief TO
ind that for the first time 1 was to be al
! lowed to cart my godson abroad.
| BERTHE has taken quite a turn for arch
ltecture of late" said his mother 10 me at
desert. He longs to see the Belgium
| churches. friend of his has just gone
off with his bicycle"
BERTHE was just 20. I wonder If the BIZ
cycling friend happened TO have a sister
| with him, or what was in the wind. How
ever, 1 succumbed. as usual and a few
days later found US both on board one of
| the comfortable vessels that run between
| Harwich and Antwerp.
! Arriving at Antwerp in the early morn
| inf we did the cathedral. saw the old
! Rubens pictures unveiled. as it was fete
day, visited the quaint old Plantin muse
UNI, the yearly exhibition of paintings.
and the new boulevards, and then at Ber-
| ties instance sped onward.
l suggested Bruges and Client as our
next hating place, but he looked glum.
You see, the mater did not quite un-
derstand me- 1t is not the churches and
things l care for, it is scenery, especially
| river scenery" he said, convincingly.
| Then he discanted upon the beauties Of
| the Meuse, particularly its grand capa-
cities for fishing. Now. fishing is a weak
ness OF mine, although BERTHE did not
| know it.
Twenty-four hours later we were
! steaming through the rocky and woodland
scenery of the River Mouse.
| Gradually, but certainly, 1 and my god
| sons relative positions had changed. Any
how, / agreed when we awoke the next
morning at Dinast that this was the
| pleasantest time we had had together.
Breakfasting in the fine room overlook
ing the river, we ordered a carriage to
drive to Waulsort, a village where Ber-
ties friend and his fishing rods were put
ting up.
Here we were met by Bertie's friend.
really a pleasant, gentlemanly fellow
NAL but insisted on my taking his place in
a punt moored nearly opposite the hotel.
and using his rod and tackle for the rest
of the day.
II and BERTHE will take a spin; l can
borrow a bike for him. he said, and a
splendid days fishing 1 had of it. 1 really
enjoyed myself-until supper time-and'
BERTHE and his friend failed TO appear.
With a desperate effort I unearthed
what was in my mind of the French Ian
guage aud appealed to the head waiter.
From him 1 gathered that they never ex-
pected gentlemen back from Dinant until
midnight
I paced the road gloomily in the moon
light, imagining every sort of horror
which would blast poor Lucie Winthrops
happiness forever, and swearing to my
self that 1 would never let her precious
son out of my sight again-until the wan
derers returned in high good spirits.
BERTHE said he was enchanted with the
music at Dinant. There was a place call
ed a casino, where anyone could enter free
and hear two splendid concerts a day
concerts that beat anything he had heard
in London.
L said little. but next morning, when the
two suddenly announced that they were
taking another spin 1 ordered a car
riage, and, as I thought, following them
TO Dinant, entered the casino.
My fears were allayed by the appear
ance Of the place. A large, well appoint
ed house in the Grande Rue; entering, you
pass a deserted refreshment room, with
billiard tables on your right and a desert
ed office on your left, and are confronted
with a charming garden-tables and
chairs under the clumps of trees, and a
kiosk for the orchestra at the end. Evil
he two lar
So l wandered about the town, lunched,
and returned to hear a charming concert
in the afternoon, which was mainly at
tended by young and middle-aged per-
sons of the opposite sex.
l dined at the Pestes, and went to the
concert in the evening, sitting among fam
lily groups, who chatted and laughed and
drank coffee out of tail glasses in a most
praiseworfhy fashion.
Still no BERTHE and Harold. I was leav-
ing the place to be driven back to Waul-
sort when 1 came upon them coming down
a thickly carpeted staircase, so deeply in
conversation they did not see me.
When they did they looked confused
but soon recovered. their equanimity and
told me they had become members of the
Cercle des Erangers, as It is called hav-
ing found fellows to introduce them, and
that they had been playing backgammon
and chess, the favorite games in the place
I frankly told BERTHE that unless 1 could
become a member, too, I could not really
countenance his lettering about a place his
motheSy who objected on principle to all
card games, would be Mortified at the mere
mention of. However. the two seemed so
pleased that | should join the circle that
/ began TO think myself a suspicious old
spoil-sport and next day, when we all
q, owe over together, and ii was impos-
sible to find anyone / knew to introduce
me (the man Bertie's friend Harold knew
had left DiiranO I let the lads go free and
enjoy their quiet game Of chess upstairs
while listened to the enchanting music
for thatit undoubtedly was.
l was enjoying my peaceful holiday TO
the utmost when I was startled by let
ter from Nine. Lucie.
4 must 0eg and entreat you to leave Di- !
nant instantly" she wrote, in trembling
characters. 4 have heard there are two
places where they enthusiastically gam /
bic. OF course. poor, dear BERTHE knows
nothing Of such things. or Harold Knigh- !
ton, either; still, they might be inveigled,'
etc.
We were putting up then at the Hotel !
des Postes az Dinant. was reading the |
letter in our room upstairs when BERTHE |
CO me in, looking pale and disturbed.
Gould YOU lend me s25?' he said. or |
rather stammered. desperately u am |
cleaned out Harold and / played back |
CANNON with some other fellows for a 1
lark. and ] owe that much over and above /
what the mater gave NE at starting"
20. I said, you have had a quiet 1
"a n bling. have your River scenery DONE /
pay. my son Tomorrow we 60 on. and 4
study architecture in the Belgian church /
es- You can play backgammon IN - /
ha r rap
Elk.