Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-08-21
"|MPED|MENTA."
By GERALD BREgAH.
tcoprdrh.. ,sp. br Gerald sr.n.n.i

In the chaos Of trunks upon the
steamship dock the Portmanteau and
the Saratoga Trunk found themselves
side by sideL Under the circumstances
Il was awkward. but the Portmanteau
belonged to q man Of the world. and
difficult positions were his forte
The ice must be broken. and the
Portmanteau made the arst plunge.
"I believe we have met before. made
moisellef" he remarked to the Trunk
~ should not have thought" rather
coldly replied the Saratoga. that you
would care to recall the circumstances
They were. At the least. distinctly pain
fnl'
| "You allude, mademoiselle. to the
episode Of our two proprietorsf That
was undoubtedly painful, but cannot
see why It should affect our relations "
The Saratoga Trunk was silent for q
moment and then answered in Modified
tones: "You are right, monsieur. Our
owners love quarrel need not extend to
rs We are not in love"
"Mademoiselle must speak for her
self. " said the Portmanteau gallantly.
"By the way, the first scene Of that un.
happy drama occurred
"At Waterloo station. You remem-
Der. he intended crossing with her to
New York and settling their difficulties
en- route. But she cut him dead at the
station"
II remember" cried the Portman-
team. She was superintending your
transfer to the luggage van mt the time.
I lay on the platform ready and labeled.
but after her cruel behavior he had me
sent back to the hotel Two days after
we left London for the east. :"
"Ah. the dear easti II was there We
met first. WINS il notf"
"Yes: at Shepheard's hotel. My
master was coming back from India.
and Of course he had 10 see Cairo.
"And we belonged TO party Of globe
trotting Americans on n Nile voyage.
sss remember being placed next you
on the veranda at Shepherds. My
mistress stole look at your labels, and
/ heard her say to her married sister ::
This valise belongs to Captain Rich
ard Assheton wonder what he N like
and why he spells his name with dou-
BILE 4"
"The idea OF calling mo valise! So
| American" interjected the Portman'
teau. ''Still. your mistress W ls very
charming young woman and delicious
ly sprightly."
"She is charming still, though scarce
ly 30 sprightly. Do you know, mon
cher, actually believe that she felt
that episode sadly"
The Portmanteau shifted impatiently.
"Then why did she act sor" he ex-
claimed. 1T was all her fault"
Nothing Of the kind" the Saratoga
retorted at was the fault Of your
Captain Assheton.
There was another silence, broken by
the Portmanteau. well" he said,
I'VE need not quarrel about 1t. I re-
member when my master saw your
mistress first he asked a servant her
name, and heard him repeating sew
eral times. BY Jove. this Miss Carrie
Dunham is deucedly pretty girl' T"
"It certainly showed his good taste.
| She noticed him, too, because ] heard
her talking about him to her sister.
Then they met on the excursion to the
| Grand Pyramid.
$50 herd. And the acquaintance
ripened into his joining the party"
The Saratoga Uttered. ~ can recall
the tender fashion in which he looked
after ME at Port Said. she murmured
'You were quite neglected, mon ami !"
"Oh, but Miss Dunham kept me in
mind. can still hear her begging the
captain not to forget his dear old Port
manteau. "
"The first proposal occurred at Malta.
She came down to the statero0m and
told the whole story 70 her sister. She
was sitting ON me ut tie time.
"she had put him on probation. !
heard him tell his friend Mclean. He
WAS to meet her in London and receive
he- final answer All. that answer
How can you females act 30 cruellyt"
"Cruelly, monsieurf Nonsensel My
dear mistress had no alternative but to
act so after the conduct Of Captain
Assheton.
The Portmanteau was astounded and
said 80. II cannot penetrate your
meaning" he cried.
"Your nation, monsieur. Is proven
bially slow of comprehension. But it is
surely hypocritical on your part to pre-
tend lack Of knowledge Of your mas
ter's frailties. You must be well aware
that in Paris he 80 far forgot his alleged
love for my mistress as to pay court to
Mile Fanny Patte-en-haut at the Folies
Bergeres Nay, did he not present that
notorious creature with gorgeous dia-
mond tiara in full view of the audience
| NV mistress brother in law was in the
| audience and saw him dc it."
| The Portmanteau uttered sharp ex-
clamation. "And such, he said, ''was
| the reason why Miss Dunham rejected
my master when be came to London,
refusing all explanation. and why she
subsequently cut him dead at Waterloo
station"
"Such was the reason" tartly an.
swered the Saratoga. "and a very sound
reason, too. 30 far as I can see"
The Portmanteau burst into &c Of
laughter. much to his companions dis
gust Long and vigorously he laughed.
ceasing ut last only from sheer exhaus
ton.
"And now," said the Trunk, per
haps, monsieur. You will be good enough
to explain the cause Of your-yCur
cachinnatory hysteria
"What q clever trunk you must be
mademoiselle, TO use such long words
Any one can see that you came from
Boston. The cause Of my merriment
chi Well, was laughing over the very
ridiculous mistake made by your mis-
treS and her donkey Of brother-in-
law"
'sNistake, monsieur"
Certainly. The superb tiara which
my master gave to poor little Fanny
Patte-en- -haut did not belong to him at
all He was merely an instrument IN
the presentation. The tiara was gift
from the rajah Of Bundleapore. who
had seen Fanny the previous summer
in Paris He sent the diamonds to he'
from India In the care Of his friend.
Captain Assheton- ought to know,
because they were slowed away inside