The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-08-11
To What Base Uses.
By Waller E. Crogan.

Beyond Dieppe Is a fair country skirt,
Ing a blue sea, and the poppies grow
red and tall In the rustling wheat. The
hedges are starred with blossoms and
powdered with dust, for the highways
are the roads Of many.
Half way down the steep hill is a lit.
tie hostel, a roadside inn, It has a face
of flowers and is pleasant; 1t smiles
with the welcome Of a courteous native
to the casual stranger; 1t invites in
spec.ion, 1t suggests refreshment and it
DISCUSSES the mateIialistic form of it.
refreshment with the glamour OF roses
and a rustic porch.
The day was hot, and I hesitated at
the porch. The room inside looked cool;
Il had a stone floor and a latticed win
dow, which was thrust open. Then !
saw the f1utter Of a pink gown and a
silverv laugh came to me I had a mar.
Fied sister waiting for me at Pourville.
and I was already late, but then, !
argued, I always had a married sister.
and she was generally waiting for me
somewhere. for ! am invariably late,
and . pink gown, in conjunction with
@ silvery a laugh, was alluring. ! went
In. The sunlight outside wat very
bright, the half light in the room was
dim, and ! stepped upon a dog-a pug
dog, ! afterward discovered-which re-.
scented my familiarity with his teeth.
That destroyed the effect Of my en-
trance. II produced a hurried exclama.
tion and a half laugh, translated int.
= cough. The exclamation came from
me. ! apologized profusely to the lady
who had been indeterminate as to laugh
or cough. She was. I saw, divinely
small, q cool, sweet, innocent face,
with mischief, however, lurking in the
eyes; a figure slight, willowly; an air
Of command and a dress Uncomfortable
70 an insular understanding--a mere
dream Of light frills. soft silks and color.
She drew herself up with some hau-
teur to the full extent Of her 8 feet 4
inches, from which I deducted two
inches In consequence Of a glance at
her shoes. In the labor Of buttoning a
long glove, she spoke.
"Monsieur, !. too, must apologize. Il
was III Of Fido. It is pardonable that,
in the heat Of such a surprise, a man
should say-should say what you said"
"Yet to me It Is a grief" I protested.
81" she went on, buttoning her
glove, with her eyes fixed on me under
the curtain of their long lashes. ~
thought you were some n else"
! hate to be taken for anybody elsa
but myself. like to keep the Hatter-
ing hope that ! am unique. ! was
piqued.
MADAME" I answered. II am sorry
that ! was not the other person"
She looked at me for quite awhile.
which made me feel uncomfortable. Al
such moments ] have always a misgiv.
Ing that my tie has wriggled. Then she
The emile began in her eyes,
spread to her lips and finally took ref.
uge In her teeth. l smiled, too-from
partly. and partly to show
her that ! bore her no i'll will for her
mistake.
docs monsieur generally enter an
inn to tread upon little dogsT' I be.
came aware that I had not summoned
the landlord. I was also aware that ]
did not wish to summo the landlord.
~ heard you laugh" l said The
fact seemed all eloquent to me-; 1t ap
peared 40 to her.
~ was expecting some one. We hat
Quarreled,' she made reply.
HE was to blame?"
II have not said that it was a man.
lit was unnecessary. You were good
enough MT to think me devoid Of com.
mon sense"
"He departed in anger"
"A most Ill tempered maa."
''If ] were in the wrong
(Which Is a superstition very much
II should be miserable, but as it IL ]
"And when you laugh the world
at yorr window"
Monsieur Is pleased to regard him.
self In a very flattering light"
"And ], as the only tangible object
Of the world. entered"
"Ahl"
She played q short solo upon the stons
Door with the tap Of her shoot wa
pTescendo. Her brow-it was as marb-
Tor whiteness and az soft as rose leave
In thought, her lips--l
knew whether to bless the godi
'os permitting me q sight, or curse
hem tor the hot temptation--puckered,
Inc vas evidently bordering,
ut ID" she said at length, ian IN
entrance"
ut Ii ~ uuceFemonious introduc
lon." ] corrected. 1.-THE entrance wal
ct uucsssEouious''-
"Unless 70 Fido," She laughed
and began to And her laugh
EthsS iysttating--at times. "But ths
'eFst q u b there hes been no Intro
action"
gboes TIT nattssi r. ! asksd. y@