Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-03-13


into the hollow of his easy chair and
putting away at his pipe, waited to hear
what his friend had to say.
But Duvivier remained silent, and
the cheerful expression on his bright,
handsome face clearly indicated that
the sorTowful picture of matrimony
painted by De Verneuil had failed to
impress him. The latter noted the
failure of his words and determined to
make one more effort. Rising from his
chair, he stationed himself before the
mantelpiece and, half confidentially,
half affectionately, begged Duviyier to
save himself while there was yet time.
Brother" said he, the other day,
while crossing the Pont Royal, l saw
a man on the point of throwing him
self into the Seine, when a policeman
seized him by the lapel of his coat and
pulled him back. l would do the same
for you, Edmond" pleaded De Ver-
neuil earnestly, pull you back while
there is yet time from the troubled
waters of matrimony."
But Duviver only shook his head in
answer as he announced gayly his COM
ing marriage to Mile. Helene De-
schamps on the 18th of May.
"Helene-a name of i'll omen" growl-
ed De Verneuil with disgust well,
then, if you insiSt-go to the devil-or
the hymeneal altar, which is one and
the same thing"
Edmond de Verneuil was fast gallop-
ing out of his thirties, and the princi-
pies which he had just laid down were
those which had governed his entire
life and kept him a bachelor in spite
Of the tempting opportunities which
had come In his way and which he had
repulsed with horror. A few years
back he had been considered one of the
handsomest men in Paris, and even to-
day his refined air and well groomed
person made him a marked figure in
his drives through the Bos. which he
took with clocklike precision. Rich,
clever and well known in the fashiona-
bic world, he had received innumera-
BILE hints from designing mammas and
the sweetest smiles of encouragement
from their eligible daughters. 10 the
first he had always been delightfully."-
gracious, particularly when their ad
vances assumed the form of excellent
dinners, but totally Indifferent to the
latter, scarcely deigning to notice their
fresh young faces. With advancing
years the dinners and smiles had ceas-
ed, but De Nerneuil hardly felt their
absence. Indeed he congratulated him
self with pride upon having escaped
the many ambushes laid by these
daughters of Eve to entrap him. Su-
premely content in his bachelor bliss,
he lived entirely alone in his elegant
apartment, as free as a bird on the
mountain tops, following his own
sweet caprices, amusing himself with
what pleased him and avoiding all that
was irksOme or tiresume. Shut up Sc
cure in his egotstical citadel, which he
had built and fashioned with his own
hands, he fancied himself the happiest
of mortals in existence.
One morning shortly after Duviyier's S
visit, as he sat at the window content
edly smoking his pipe, he was tempted
by the inviting March sunshine to take
promenade along the boulevard, but
the treacherous March sun had decefv-
ed him, and before he had gone very
far he began to feel chilled beneath his
light overcoat, while an unwelcome
sneeZe fOretold a cold in the head. Like
all egotists Edmond de Verneuil was
painfully careful of his health, so he
Immediately dropped into a cafe and
ordered a smoking hot punch to ward
off if possible the disastrous effects of
the chilly air While he sat languidly
slipping his drink his eyes rested on
highly colored placard on the opposite
wall representing a series Of enchant-
ing views on the Mediterranean and
under them this inscription:
TO THE BLUE COAST
Express trains to Cannes Nice and Monaco The
journey made in II hours,
The blue sky. the blue sea, the warm
southern sunshine, the gorgeous flow
ers of Nice and the perfume of the or
ange trees all appealed to De Yer
neuil's aesthetic fancy. There, at
least" he thought, Il shall be safe
from influenza And Immediately he
very night his trunks and yalises were
packed and strapped by his trust
worthy valet, Pierre, and the next
morning Edmond de Nerneuil strutted
about nervously in a luxurious com
partment of the Nice express after hay
ing seltishly strewn his hand baggage
| over the unoccupied seats in the hope
of securing the entire compartment to
himself
But complete happiness does not be-
long to this mundane sphere, and in the
twinkling of an eye De Verneuils 5
hopes of solitude were shattered by the
arrival of a phlegmatic Englishman
who, without asking any questions and
with that impossible air which dstin-
guishes the travelling Briton, deliber-
ately removed the valises and installed
himself in their place. The Partisan
was tempted to protest, but moments
reflection convinced him that this was
bad policy, for he had no right TO re-
serve the entire compartment for his