Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-02-07


always been delightfully."- gracious, par
ticularly when their advances assumed
lhe form of excellent dinners, but to-
tally Indifferent to the latter, scarcely
1eigning to notice their fresh young
faces. With advancing years the din
ners and smiles had ceased, but De
Verneuil hardly felt their absence
indeed he congratulated himself with
pride upon having escaped the many
ambushes laid by these daughters of
Eve to entrap him. Supremacy con-
tent in his bachelor bliss, he lived
entirely alone in an elegant apart
ment, as free rs a bird upon a noun
tain top, following his own sweet ca
prices, amusing himself with what
pleased him, and avoiding all that was
irksome or tiresome. Shut up secure
in his egotistical citadel, which he
had built and fashioned with his own
hands, he fancied himself the happiest
of mortals in existence.
One morning, shortly after Duvi-
vier's visit. as he sat at the window
contentedly smoking his pipe, he was
tempted by the inviting March sun
shine to take a promenade along the
boulevard. But the treacherous March
sun had deceived him, and before he
had gone very far he began to feel
chilled beneath his light spring over
coat. while an unwelcOme sneeze fore
told a cold in the head. Like all ego
fists, Edmond de Nerneuil was pain
fully careful of his health, so he inn
mediately dropped into cafe and or
dered a smoking hot punch to ward
off, if possible, the disastrous effects
of the chilly air. While he sat Ian
guidly slipping his drink, his eyes
rested on highly colored placard on
the opposite wall, representing a Sc
ries of enchanting views on the Med
iterranean, and under them this in
scription:
ITO the Blue Coast-Express trains to
Cannes, Nice and Monaco-the journey
made in seventeen hours!'
The blue sky, the blue sea, the
warm southern sunshine, the gorgeous
flowers of Nice, and the perfume Of
the orange trees, all appealed to De
Verneul's aesthetic fancy. There,
at least" he thought, Il shall be safe
from influenza" and Immediately he
made up his mind to so to Nice. That
very night his trunks and valises were
packed and strapped by his trust
worthy valet, Pierre, and the next
morning Edmond de Verneuil strutted
about nervously in luxurious COM
partment of the Nice express. after
having selfshly strewn his hand-lug-
gage over the unoccupied seats, in
the hope ol securing the entire COM
partment tC himself.
But complete happiness does not
belong to this mundane sphere, and
in the twinkling of an eye De YER
neuiIs hopes of solitude were Shat
tered by the arrival of a phlegmatic
Englishman, who, without asking any
questions and with that impossible
air which distinguishes the travelling
Briton, deliberately removed the va
Uses and installed himself in their
place The Partisan was tempted to
protest but a moments reflection con-
WINGED him that this was bad policy,
for he had no right to reserve the en-
tire compartment for his own use.
So the crusty bachelor contented him
self with an inaudible growl. Hardly
hed he recovered from his erst 2t=-
appointment, however, win the COM
partment was again invaded by a
handsomely gowned elderly lady, with
a sweet, high-bred, patrician face, ac-
companied by younger woman
whose palc-gray travelling gown set
off to advantage her wealth of blonde
hair, fair complexion and sympathetic
blue eyes, and holding by the hand
delicate hoy of five.
A glance at the child Immediately
told De Vcrneuil that the little fell
low was i'll and probably going south
in search of health, and while the
two women placed him tenderly on
the cushions and tucked the light,
warm Roman blanket around him,
| De Verneuil grOwled again to him
self. "a charming voyage l shall
have" thought he, with phlegmatic
| Englishman and a sick child" And in
disgust he left the compartment and
went in search of another. But he
soon returned in a worse humor, for
the compartments were all filled.
When the train started, the disgrun-
tied bachelor threw open the win
dow to let in the fresh March air, but
the pretty woman in gray, in her low,
sweet English voice. begged monsieur
to close it, as she feared the air was
too strong for her little boy, and De
Verneuil, with the politeness of a
true chevalier, complied with her re-
quest.
No sooner, however, had be done &c
than the Englishman, who sat at thu
opposite end, opened the window nea
him. The two women looked implor
ingly at their cOuntryman, who pre-
tended not to see them. De Verneuil
more to annoy the travelling Britol
than to be agreeable to the ladies, de
hberately arose and closed it. The En-
glishman Immediately opened it, ant
De Verneuil, started again to shut it
saying: "Please remember, sir, tina
we are not in an English camp il
South Africa, but in France, wher
courtesy is shown to women ant
children-madame fears the air TO
her sick child, so I hope you will al
low the window to remain closed"
The little speech produced its effect
though the gentleman from acros
the channel did not reply, but con
tented himself with opening yer,
wide his eyes in amazement that
Frenchman should presume to give a
Englishman a lesson in civility.