The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-12

SailleS early tomorrow. l am afraid
must go. Are you going?
81 did not know what to say. l said,
Yes
when we reached the sidewalk my
coachman drove up, and the car ex-
claimed:
DRIVE UNDER THE STARS.
"'Ah! you have an open carriage.
1t is a lovely night Then he handed
mounted and sat beside me. His own
coupe and M. Mollard followed at a
good distance.
when we reached the Champs Ely
sees the car ordered, .Au pas Then,
turning to me. he said: I suppose you
are not in a hurry. 1t is such an ideal
night for this sort Of thing
Perhaps a dozen bicyclists were
darling forward of the carriage, COM
ing back. riding on the sides and be-
hind. When the car noticed them he
laughed and said: These must be the
detectives detailed to look after my
safety. They must be astonished. This
little outing was not on the programme
at ALL
After a while his hand took mine
and held 1t. could see no great harm
in this and made no demur.
"The victoria was now going slowly
| toward the Arc O0 L IiOIuPIcp tlidI
could already be seen In the DISTANCE
dimly white against the night In the
course of the conversation l used the
expression Your Majesty always ad-
dressing the car in the third person.
All at once he cut me short impatient
ly:
Don't use that expression
What shall I say?' 1 asked, laugh
ingly How must one as humble as L
Of RnSci9 p
"'Say YOU simply you, he an.
swered. Treat me as your friend.
And he pressed my hand to his lips.
"When he finally reached my door
the car said: I wish I could know
you more, Verena'-for he had been
calling me by my first name from the
start. I wish I could run away from
company of clever artists My door
was now open and the servant was
waiting for me. He signalled to his
coupe, which had stopped half block
away; and, as it came dashing to
where we stood, he said: .Adteu. L
thank you for having granted me your
agreeable company.
HE then entered his own carnage
and was driven away rapidly.
ABROAD EARLY INTHEMORNING.
81 was yet dressing the following
morning when the maid came to my
room to say there was a man in the
studio who wanted to see me.
Where Is the card?' I asked.
"'He says he has no card. and l
couldn't understand his name. L think
he is an Englishman, mademoiselle.
"Suddenly it flashed through me that
1t was the czar, and rushed to the
studio.
simply dressed in q sack coat, with his
derby and stick in his hand, just like
any ordinary mortal out for morn
ing walk and dropping in for an fnfor-
NAL call.
"sWilI you pardon me for coming so
early? he said. I managed to escape
at dawn for a solitary promenade In
is on the way. / leave today. | want
ed to say good-by. I wanted to see
the place where you work Are you
we'll this morning, Verena? he added
with a very kindly smile and extending
his hand.
81 was very much touched by his at
stention, very fattered; and, IL I must
say the whole truth, his calling, his
having thought of me, made me very
happy. He examined everything, Sc
lected a silver medallion portrait of
me, engraved by Roty, as memento
of his visit, and gave me a trinket as a
token of friendship. He remained
about three-quarters of an hour. To-
ward o'clock he took my hand and
said You are very beautiful, Verena.
I shall always remember you when
my mind turns back to these few days
of Paris, 1 am sorry to say adieu.'
ooh, you will come again to Paris,
1 said. trying to smile, although for
some reason I felt sad.
e'Who knows?' answered the czar.
"'And then, 1 may go to st. Peters,
burg. and transplant my studio there:
and If you ever deign to honor me
again by visiting 1t sometimes'-
elm ST. Petersburg conditions will
be different he replied. We have met,
we now part; our ways are far apart
THE PRIVILEGE OF ROYALTY.
s'Then he kissed me, and as L had
always heard 1t was a privilege Of
royalty, I offered no resistance. He
went out. Raising the, curtain'T saw
that companion was waiting for
him. That man had called 8 cab, but
the car declined to ride. at least all
the way back to the palace, for I saw
the two going down the avenue briskly,
absolutely unnoticed by any one, al
though pictures of Nicholas II. were
being sold everywhere. Later In the
day, when the czar and the czarina
were departing, I occupied seat in