The age-herald., 1899-10-22

ages. That was his excuse to himself at the time, for living. I may say here that he has since turned over a new leaf. and is doing very well as an insurance agent. It was while he was thus dawdling in Paris that he met, or found Miss Crowell, whom he afterwards met in New York, at that hotel-quite by accident, as he gave me to understand. Before he introduced me to her qhe asked me if I would like to hear how he made her acquaintance. This was how:
 Childs was walking with student friend -who-unfke me, Childs said, in telling the story-had an artists eye for a pretty girl. On the other side of the street his friend noticed Crowell and said. Just look at that walk, will you, Childs?"
 Certainly the walk to which Childs' at tention was called must have been one that would attract good deal of notice in the streets of Paris. The average girl one sees there trips along in a certain angular, jerky fashion which may be dainty, but it is not by any means athletic, and l have already observed that Miss Crowells walk was of a swinging free, athletic character It seemed to have caught the eye of at least one native, who was twirling the point of his beard and smiling a smile in- tended, no doubt to be fascinating
 Now, whether the girl had observed this Frenchman and his fascinating smile, Childs and his friend could not tell, of course. She stopped and looked into shop window and the beard-twirling Adonis gained on her. Then she strode on a few yards and stopped again.
 Chlds remarked, "That girl is no Paris ial."
 His companion, who was English said, "Of course not. She's an English girl"
 ''No such thing" said Childs. She's American"
 'Bet you five francs she's English said the other man.
 They were beginning to discuss means of settling their bet when they saw that the Frenchman with the beard had come up with her. He had stopped twirling his pointed beard and was raising his hat. The two men on the other side could see by the crook of his back that he was exerting himself to be very fascinating indeed. Then they saw the girl wheeled round on him from her examination of shop window, drew herself up very straight, and glared. It looked as if there was going to be a scene and a lady and gentleman who were passing close to the girl looked at her and the Frenchman as they passed slowly
 Childs said to his friend, "Yhat adjective blank Frenchman is frightening her. Come on."
 "Come on," said the other man.
 And the two started across the street 10 assist Beauty in Distress.
 But they had hardly got their feet off the curbstone when Beauty in Distress gave a signal which was not the regular scream, or feminine cry, generally supposed to be the proper thing in such cases. It was a sharp crack that might have been the report of a small pistol, and then quickly following, came a dull noise like club col- Iiding with a thick sack full of broken flower pots.
 Then, and only then, came the cry. It was not the cry of Beauty in Distress, but the cry of a Frenchman in consider able surprise and annoyance, swearing strange continental words. A shiny silk hat also fell with hollow, drum-like sound on the pavement. The Frenchman had seated himself on his silk hat when the two friends reached that side or the street.
 The girl, by that time, was picking up a sunshade and porte monnaie which she had carefully dropped close to the shop window, where they would not be as likely to be stolen when the crowd came to see the fun. The crowd was gathering, sure enough. The passing lady and gentleman had stopped and turned round, both ges- ticulating and shouting. "Commissaire!