Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-12-12
THE BEAUTYPATCH
A RAILWAY COMEDY.
BY RICHARD OMONROY.

Observation-Disclosures
The Saint-Lazare station is gay sta
ton in the heart of the city, stones
throw from the Opera and the boule-
ward, five minutes from the Champs
Ulysses, 20 minutes from the Bots de
Boulogne. In the waiting room, the
Hall Of the Lost Footsteps, lined up
before the booking Offices or seeking
quem devorent, there are always lot
of pretty girls with extravagantly yell
low hair crowned by marvellous hats.
They walk down the Rue dAmster-
dam, their noses in the air, striking the
echoing curbstones with their little
high heels and generally carrying
small leather bags, supposed to give
them a countenance. What a counte-
nance! Hence trips to Saint German
or Versailles, starting from the above
mentioned gay station, are true pleas
ure trips.
Yesterday was obliged to go to Yer
sailles, and, profiting by my experience
lin garrison there for several years
strolled up and down, in no haste to
choose my compartment. The railway
carriages standing high above the lev
ell of the platform, the women passen-
gers have to practice regular gymnas-
tics to get aboard, and there are, there
fore, all sorts of picturesque sights to
be seen, not to speak of services to be
rendered. For the latter purpose the
best thing to do is to stand opposite
the revolving platforms. They make
the steps at least a foot higher-enough
to make one quite dizzy climbing in.
was on the lookout for a pretty fellow
traveller. / might even say that l had
most looks as If the Western company
has the monopoly of cool looking ticket
holders. But, alas! Not one of them
was alone. Naturally avoided cavalry
officers; they all go to the terminus Of
the line. The infantry add to the
chances of a tete-a-tete, for they gen.
orally get off at Courbevoie, st. Cloud
or Vile d'Avray. AS to the artillery
that's risk to run. There is battery
at Suresnes, but there are two regi-
ments at Versailles as well.
/ was at this stage of perplexity
when, in one of the last Of the first
class compartments, caught sight Of
a pretty brunette-to be classified
among the piquante Enthusiastically
eyes, fringed with long lashes, a faint
ly Swallowed upper lip and above the
left corner of the mouth-a souvenir Of
a bygone century-a dainty little black
patch that our gallant ancestors would
have called killing. She wore maize
colored bengaline bodice, trimmed with
guipure. On her head was perched a
big hat with outspread white wings
that made her look like valkyrie-
but q gay, not a warlike one. Beside
her was seated a large, elderly gentle
man, with big mustaches, decoration
in his buttonhole. He had a military
air and imposing eyebrows and was
reading the paper. But, from time to
time, he raised suspicious eyes on her
the eyes of a proprietor defending his
domain-the husband, evidently.
/ got into the carriage and seated my
self discreetly opposite the pair, but
in the far corner. Although l had
made slight bow on entering, | did
not have the good fortune to claim the
lady's attention. She seemed preoccu.
pied and kept her head out of the win
dow. as if she were expecting some
one. The mustached gentleman, how
ever, returned my bow most politely.
BE was no doubt obliged to me for
having left the seat opposite him unoc.
cupied. AT the moment the train was
starting handsome blond young fel.
low, carrying a brief case under his
arm, sprang inside breathlessly. He
rapidly exchanged smile of intelli-
gence with the lady and then sat down
opposite her, knee to knee.
"Look sharp" said TO myself. This
is going to turn out interesting"
Naturally the big elderly man, alb.
sorbed in his paper, had noticed moth
ing. The whistle sounded, the train
started. and the fair young man. nc
doubt to appear occupied, began to
turn the leaves of the voluminous doc.
ument in the leather case. But every
now aud then he raised his eyes, and
then it was easy to see that the lady
with the patch smiled at him imper-
ceptibly. 1t would have been impossi-
HE 70 be more imprudent, and this lit
tie maneuver, barely concealed, ran a
great risk Of being discovered by the
man with the terrible eyebrows.
My soul is instinctively lenient to hui
man weaknesses, and at the bottom Of
my heart | always find secret pleas
ure on learning that the corporation of
husbands counts one more victim. So
as far as was possible | decided to
come to the assistance of the sweet
hearts by attracting the attention OF
the husband. Selling the first slight
pretext, | engaged him in conversa-
ton. AS we approached Asnieres ut
tered reflection that suddenly passed
through my mind:
ITO think that that bridge was cut In
NA