Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-06-26


sr.ssad vouug man who sat beside me
nromntly handed the conductor a COIN
saving. Two This kind young gentle
man, seeing my embarrassment, nad Oh.
yined the true state of affairs ana came
to my assistance in this dehcate anu
graceful manner" Il
"Well, mademoiselle, l am proud OF
you! Accept sous from strange young
man! You might better have appealed to
the conductor, to the driver, to the whole
company. How are you going to repay
those 6 sous? Or do you intend to pre-
serve them as souvenirs|
ooh, he gave me his card, papa. Here
II is-M. Agenor Baluchot.'
Papa snatched the card from her hand
and roared:
What, not satisfied with insolently
lending you 6 sous in defiance of all the
laws of polite society, this very nice and
proper and correct young man gives you
his card in the bargainl He is the most
atrocious OF ruffians; the vilest Of scoun-
drels!"
Dear me, papa, how could / return the
money without knowing his address,
NJ. Chapoulot, being unable to answer
this ingenious argument in words, had re
course to action.
at is fated that shall not dine today"
he exclaimed angrily. Gertrude, go and
call a cab. / will Immediately pay this
Agenor his 6 sous and also tell him few
plain truths"
"Oh, papa, papa! You surely won't.
That would be very ungrateful. Remem-
Der that he rescued your daughter from
an embarrassing situation"
with the intention of placing her in a
more embarrassing one, no doubt. 81
lence, young woman! My memory does
not need to be refreshed by young idiot
who forgets her pocketbook."
Gertrude having returned with the cab
the irate parent went out, banging the
door. Then Charlotte, all excitement and
bushes, proceeded to tell the old servant
that she knew much more Of the nice
young man than she had dared to confess
to her father; that she had met him in the
omnibus every evening for month at
least, and that she. without appearing TO
notice him, had soon noticed that he no
ticed her, etc.
Here's pretty how-de-do!" exclaimed
the old woman, shaking her head and in
voking silent maledictions on education
a la whatever it was. Meanwhile Agenor
Baluchot, in his bachelor apartments, was
musing over his brief but pleasing adven-
ture in the omnibus.
He was startled by a furious knocking
at the door, upon opening which he was
confronted by stout gentleman very
much out Of breath, with a big cane
grasped after the manner of a club and
his hat cooked fercely over his right eye.
Monsieur" exclaimed the invader,
"your conduct has been most immoral.
unworthy of a French gentleman. No
man of honor would thus take advantage
OF the innocence. the inexperience, the
simplicity, the embarrassment of a re-
spectacle young woman. Profting by the
simultaneous absence of a father and a
pocketbook you brutally forced sous
and your internal card upon an unpro-
tected young lady. You thought it good
honorable action. Here are your sous,
monsieur. Neither my daughter nor !
wish to have anything further to do with
you"
While the Infatuated visitor was con-
Guiding this speech his hands were dill
gently searching his pockets, but before
the stupefed Agenor could utter word
third actor appeared on the scene. This
was the cab driver, who came in brand
ishing his whip and his tongue.
You're nice one, you are" he shout
ed. Il tell you can only take you one
way. You agree. You keep hurrying me
up, and when you get here you skip and
tell me to wait. Waltz Not much, I've
been there before. Come! Pay up.
Never mind the tip. but l want my 80
sous, and / want 'em quick"
All this was Greek to Agenor, but the
stout gentleman. who by this time had
turned all his pockets inside out. had be-
come pale, then red, crimson. violet and
was showing symptoms of turning green.
Convinced at last that his search was
useless, he feebly stammered. hopping
his forehead with his gloves In his dis
traction:
II NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."
"Of course" growled the cabman.
''That's an old trick. 1t won't work with
me. You can tell it to the police SER
geant. You are nice one. you are"
And he was laying hands on the wretched
NJ. Chapoulot. who, utterly overcome and
apparently on the brink Of apoplexy, Of
fered no resistance when Agenor, who
seemed destined to play the part of spe-
cial providence to the whole family, in
terfered.
with your permission" the young
man politely said to Chapoulot as he
handed the cabman his fare.
"Why. certainly, my dear sir, with
pleasure" replied Chapoulot. "But not
more than 5 sous for drink money, beg
you."
The mysterious workings of fate had
brought it about that Charlotte's father.
who had failed to understand how a sen.
sible person could ever be without omni-
bus fare. was forced to admit that it is
sometimes very convenient to meet a gen
tleman who will politely advance 80 sous
and get rid Of an implacable cabman.
He turned with gracious smile to
Agenor and said:
Monsieur-M. Baluchot. I believe? Six
sous to my daughter and 35 to me make
Al sous that owe you. Ii you will do
me the honor of dining with me this even
ing, ! shall take pleasure in settling the
little account at once. l am an old bust.
nd I ho< e. L.