The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-07-08
WSSWESb&S&kJ& 1879
THREE
OUTSIDE
SEATS
Copyright, 1901, by Elizabeth r. Cutter
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by Elizabeth R. Cutter

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| When / took the omnibus for st. Ger
main des Pres at the Place C1ichy and
mounted to the imperiale, there were
already seated there two priests,
barehead,ed working woman with a
filet Of marketing in her hands, two
schoolboys carrying the usual black
portfolios under their arms and an old
gentleman who was reading the Petit
Journal. Next to the latter found a
place.
A moment later the omnibus stopped
again, and heard the voice of one Of
my country women exclaiming nerv-
ously, 81 never can climb up that lad
der, nevery'
Then girl spoke. "Oh, do try, Aunt
Martha! They say the outside seats
are SO pleasant"
us lido you think It's perfectly
safe, Mr.. HenleyT asked the anxious
voice.
Perfectly safe," came a reassuring
masculine echo, and there was a half
seconds pause, in which, l suppose.
Aunt Martha tried to ascend and fail
ed, for the conductor broke in impa-
tiently ''En voiture! En- voiturel Une
place en- basl Neuf places en- hautr'
Take the seat inside, Miss Percy,
do" urged the mans voice. "Your
niece and l can go on top"
The omnibus started forward, and
two Americans came up outside, very
pretty girl. elegantly dressed, followed
by tall, athletic looking man. They
seated themselves directly behind me,
and she exclaimed:
How delightful it is up herel And
what shame that we've been in Paris
two weeks without ever taking the
bust Isn't it too bad that Aunt Martha
stayed down belowY
ION the contrary" he replied, II find
it extremely agreeable to be alone with
you for once. I've been trying for
days to have word with you by your
self, but your aunt is q perfect wonder
at keeping the party in strict triangular
shape Whenever l go out with you. To-
day purposely urged her going inside
so that ] could talk with you in peace
up here on top"
Nov ] understand what is meant by
'wickedness in high Places" retorted
the girl I,layfully.
Don't try to put me off, Miss Ware,
for it's no use. You know perfectly
well that love you and
"Sh-shl What are you thinking of,
Mr.. Henley? You certainly aren't GO
ing to make love to me here, on the
top of an omnibus, right before all
these pecpleY'
''Why not?' he persisted. "They
don't any of them understand English.
Look at that femme de menage and
those boys and the priest They're all
French. We are as safe here as if we
were in the parlor at home"
NBut that girl behind us''-she lower
ed her voice as she spoke-"do you
think she, looks French?'
"a Partisan Enthusiastically" he an
swered. "She doesn't understand a
word we say"
a Parisienne-I, who had been
away from New England only six
months and who thought my nationals
| ty as plain as If 1t were stamped upon
me In red, white and blue! 1t was a
shock certainly, but the blow was sof-
tened somewhat by the compliment to
my clothes. Aren't the Parisiennes
considered the best blessed women In
the WORLD?
But the mistake had touched my
Puritan conscience as well as my
feminine pride. l was listening to q
conversation manifestly not intended
for my ears. Ousht l to get down
from the omnibus? That would be
quixotic surely. l could not afford to
be late to my appointment for the
sake Of two perfect strangers who
would never know of my delicate kind
ness to them. Ought l to speak out
frankly and say, Il beg your pardon,
but / understand everything you are
sayingY That would be embarrassing
for us all and really cruel to Mr.. Hen
ley. who had been trying for so long to
propose. When man is in such
straits that he has to make love on the
top of an omnibus, he ought not to be
wantonly interrupted. 1t was plainly
my duty to keep quiet.
'But young French girls don't go
out without chaperon," objected Miss
Ware. "She is all alone"
sfNof M oil >, ho oDSuvora6
her father right beside her reading the
newspaper"
l trembled with fear. 1t seemed as
If my rleighbor must have understood
that, but a glance showed him to be
happily ignorant of the American
daughter so suddenly thrust upon him.
He was reading serial story in the
Petit Journal perfectly unconscious of
the romance going ON behind his back.
"Well, haven't you anything to say
to me?' asked the young man.
What can l say? l don't think
you've known me long enough to ask
such a question:
mot long enoughr' he repeated.
"I've known you all summer"
Mine days on the steamer" she
counted deliberately, two weeks In
London and two weeks here. It's easy
to see that you didn't study arithmetic
in your YOUTH
you are trifling with me-" he ex-
claimed. 1T doesn't take ten years to
find out that you're in love when you
meet the right person."
Eyes, but what is it to be in love?''
she asked. And how are you to be
sure that you've met the right person 2
In the old fairy story one knew the
true prince by the halo around his
head, but l don't see any halo about
you. / see a young man In a straw
hat sitting on the top of bus. It's
not romantic in the least"
"Well never mind if it isn't roman
TIC" he retorted. "Who cares about
love being romantic If it's real7 Love
doesn't need to be announced by a
band of music and brought in ON a sill
yer platter. It's much bigger and
more seryiceable than that. It's for
all times and occasions, and it means
just as much ON the top of an omnibus
as anywhere else" She made no an
swer, and after moment of silence
he spoke again, as there any rule
about when and where a man should
proposeT
She was silent. We were passing
the opera house at this moment. and
the busy line of the boulevards came
in sight The omnibus stopped in
front Of Cooks office ON the corner,