The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-29
ii Prophecy FaIHWed.

II
Outside the faint gleam of the street
street lamps shone along the Paris boule'
wards, flaming brighter and brighter as
the gray light of the November day faded
slowly away. The depression OF late au-
tumn lay upon the gay capital, chilling
the passers- by as they hurried along in
the increasing gloom.
Inside, the logs fared and crac-- ed.
casting long. slanting shadows upon the
close-drawn curtains of a room facing
upon the Boulevard Malesherbes, impart,
ing general atmosphere of warmth and
comfort. The luxurious fittings of the
room bespoke abundant means to crafty
its occupants artistic tastes, while books,
pipes and foliOs were scattered about with
a masculine disregard of order evidently
unhamDered by feminine interference.
so you're off again, Jack?' The ques-
ton came from the depths OF spacious
armchair where the speaker, blond
bearded man of thirty, lay lazily putting
forth curling rings Of smoke from the
cigarette between his lips.
His companion, a broad-shouldered,
feet and said with a yawn:
Yes, Billy; going in for Italy this time.
What do you think OF me as an Italian?
VIII 1 do?"
shouldn't wonder, my boy Your
mothers brown eyes and olive skin be-
long with the black hair of the Spanish
ana Italian types, and she gave you
something Of her own tropical tempera-
ment as we'll as your general makeup"
Though where the deuce she ever got
them from is a mystery to US all, Billy.
She comes of a family that boasts genera,
uons of temperately flowing Northern
blood, untinged by any Latin vagaries."
We'll, you've got the Vagaries, all right
enough, wherever they come from. Lucky
for you, your father left you the proverb-
iaI American patronynac otherwise your
latest fad of passing yourself off on the
foreigners as one of themselves would
have slumped."
Jack Dalrymple Prince laughed at his
friends remarks. His natural linguistic
talent. coupled with his long sojourn in
foreign countries, enabled him to mingle
freely with their inhabitants without be-
traying his nationality, either by accent
or faulty idiom, and his numerous ad,
ventures were often the source of much
amusement to himself and his friends.
Then he added. soberly:
IF he hadn't I might have had some
better object in life than drifting idly
around country 1 know by heart to kill
time"
Take my advice, jack" said the other.
watching him with half-closed eyes, 'go
forth in search Of enthusiasm and re-
Juvenated confidence in women. You're
too sour on them. Now
You old Cynic, to preach to me!' In
terrupted Jack. Your experience is
enough for me. When man sees his
best friends life ruined by woman he
takes warning If he is wise"
"Oh, hang it all, Jack! One woman
isn't the whole sex. 1 was in a rush and
made a fool of myself; that's all. We've
never mentioned the subject before, and
we'll avoid it in the future"
HIM, your letter was short and un-
satisfactory, but nightly suggestive
Of"
Jack. Jack" interrupted the older
man; 4 prophesy that you'll meet your
Dulcina this trip"
Nonsense! You know what I'm on the
lookout for, and 1 don't think it's to be
found"
rapturoUs letter before the winters over
If you don't I'll stand for the best Paris
affords. What, off already? Well, good
luck to you and my best wishes for the
future
'oh shut up, Billy Don't make fool
Of yourself because it's so easy"
And the two friends shook hands with
the warmth of a long-standing friend
ship.
Three weeks of aimless wandering had
well nigh disgusted Jack with his pro-
posed winter trip, and suggested the wis
dow of a return to Paris, his old friend
and the social companionship of his
kind when his attention was one day ar
rested by a group Of Americans whom
he had encountered on several occasions
the mother, in Jacks opinion, IAN Ole
dragon" and two younger ladies, evi
IDENTIFY her daughters Their unsophisti-
Gated guilelessness (Jack's pet hobby was
the seeking out of guileless maids, a va
riety he had as yet failed to discover,
had interested him, as well as their frank
indifference to the execrable French they
sowed broadcast along their path. Al
though they were obviously conscious Of
his frequent temperance. the acquaint
ance had not proceeded beyond an AMI
mated ocular conversion with the elder
daughter, a saucy, blue-eyed girl, with
charming, coquettish helplessness tha
suggest ted her appreciation of male su
periority in the face Of obstacles. and ir
itself a pleasing tribute to masculine
vanity. Further than this 1t had beel
impossible to proceed, for the mothe
seemed disinclined to encourage pronis
cuous travelling acquaintance, and tn
younger daughter was formidable cop.
of her lynx-eyed parent.
In Turin he lost them. and with then
his Indifference. His unknown charme
had caught his fancy, and the impossi
bility of closer acquaintance whetted tn
hunter instinct inherent in every man
"A week elapsed, and his search in Turil
having proven fruitless he determined t
turn to Rome, that Mecca of America
tourists.
He arrived at the station a few minute
before the train started, occupied solel
with the thought of obtaining comfol
table seat at that late hour There, wha
was that? No one but his little inamorat
was capable of such atrocious French
Comfortable seats and the lateness Of tn
hour were swept away by this elation G
success
eve have first tickets, stupido, first
And only three, three leftr' Here til
fingers came into play Three class no,
left, stupido, understand? Oh, dear!
only I could speak Italian as I d
FrenCh!' and with a sigh she relapse
into English.
Jack possessed the rapidity of decisio
which has enabled his father to amas
F--==sc'771
81 --,,--r