Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-03-20
MY FELLOW
[Original.]

through Switzerland and CLIMBED tn9
Alps and was now about to descend,
intending to make my way to Paris to
be present at the great reception.
Pausing to take a last view from a
great height, I sat down Oh the ground
and fell to dreaming. l was recalled to
myself by a soft voice behind me ask
ing in French:
"Can you tell me, sir, how far it is
to MOntbard?" /,
/ looked up expecting to see a wom-
an. Instead the person who had al
dressed me was a young fellow appar-
emily about twenty, though there was
not a sign of a hair on his face, and he
might have been younger or older.
'Montbard? There is Montbard di-
rectly north Of us. You can't distin-
guish the place, for it is twenty-five
miles from us in a direct line"
$50 far?" with an expression Of dis
appointment.
81 am going that way Rest awhile,
and 1 will go with you"
The young man sat down beside me-,
and we chatted for half an hour. He
was one of the most attractive persons
[ ever met. There was so much enthu-
siasm in him. Everything in which he
tool an interest he took a deep inter
4st. To one who has become blaze and
finds most other people so, such a one
is very refreshing. Besides, he was
very intelligent and displayed consld-
cradle learning. One thing about him
amused me. He was very illogical. Ev~
erything was felt; nothing was rea-
soned. At least his reasons were al
ways absurd. Fol instance, he ex-
pressed a firm belief in the divine right
of kings because this right was neces-
sary as a basis for their authority.
We started down the declivity, but
had not gone far before we were over
taken by a diligence, and my young
man got aboard. l continued to tramp,
but l confess the rest of the journey
seemed dull and embarrassing.
The next evening l reached Mont
bard, where 1 found railway transpOr-
tatioN to Paris, but was obliged to wait
several hours before getting a train.
Going into a cafe to get something to
eat, seated myself at a table and was
looking over the menu when a familiar
voice asked, what will monsieur
haye?" The last time l had heard
that voice was when my tramping
companion bade me adieu before board
ing the diligence. Looking up, l saw
a waitress standing beside me, and
her face was as much like the tramper
as the voice. She was looking down
upon me with no sign of recognition,
and for the moment / considered the
likeness a mere coincidence. | gave
her an order for supper, but before
leaving the cafe / made up my mind
that I was not miStaken-the waitress
was really my companion of the day
before.
A week later while in Paris, where
/ had many friends, I attended a recep-
ton at the house of a prominent Amer
lean banker, who then lived near the
Bots de Boulogne. The car had arriv-
ed. and all Paris was talking about
him. AS / entered the drawing room |
heard a lady, whose back was toward
me. say in tones that were familiar:
"Without authority from heaven he
would have no more right to rule than
you or l."
Moving to a position where l could
catch a view of her face, | saW-mE
tramping companion, the waitress of
Montbard.
'Who is that Lady," 1 asked of my
host as soon as 1 could find him.
"Tbe Countess Nichalowsky."
"a Polander?"
eyes"
"Please present me-"
The countess received me graciously,
but without the slightest sign of recOg-
milton. I was fully aware that any ref
erence to our former acquaintance
would not meet with favor and il per-
sisted in would be resented. | there
fore refrained from mentioning either
of our meetings, but led the converse
| ton into the same channels as when
we were resting on the Alps. Every
topic she handled differently from her
treatment of it at that time, but with
| even greater brilliancy. When | begged
for permission to call upon her, she
said, II am very sorry, but | leave Par
is tomorrow at dawn"
/ returned to America by steamer
from Cherbourg. l am troubled with
seasickness and kept my till the
voyage was half finished. Then one
day, the weather being delightful and
the sea smooth, l took my steamer
chair and my rug to the deck. | had
scarcely emerged from the companion
way when | was startled at seeing
seated before me my tramping friend
of the Alps. the waitress of M%ontbard,
the Countess Nichalowsky. | had at
least a right to recognize the last
named parsonage and exclaimed:
"Why, countess!'
My words were met by a cold stare.
"You are mistaken. sir" she said in
tolerable English. "You address Nine.
Bourdalone of Southampton"
l %apologized and passed on. The lady