Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1902-06-17
THREE
OUTSIDE
! SEATS
BY Elizabeth R. Cutter

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When took the omnibus for st. Gel
main des Pres at the Place CIichy an
mounted to the imperiaie, there wer
already seated there two priests,
bareheaded working woman with
filet of marketing In her hands, tw
| schoolboys carrying the usual blacl
portfolios under their arms and On oil
gentleman who was reading the Peti
Journal. Next to the latter found
place.
A moment later the omnibus stoppe,
| again, and heard the voice of one 0
my country women exciaiming merry
ously, Il never can climb up that lad
der. never!'
! Then girl spoke. "Oh, do try, Aun
Martha! They say the outside seat
are so pleasant"
rs lido you think it's perfect,
safe, Mr.. Henley?D asked the anxlou.
| voice.
Perfectly safe" came reassurins
masculine echo, and there was a hal
seconds pause, in which, suppose
Aunt Martha tried to ascend and fail
ed, for the conductor broke in impa
tiently: En- voiture! En- voiture! Unt
place EN- bas. Neuf places en- hautr'
Take the seat inside, Miss Percy
do" urged the. mans voice .'Youl
niece and 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 here. And
what a shame that we've been in Paris
two weeks without ever taking the
bus! Isn't it too bad that Aunt Martha
stayed down below
ION the contrary" he replied, Il find
1t extremely agreeable to be alone with
| you for once. I've been trying for
days to have a word with you by your
self. but your aunt is n perfect wonder
at keeping the party in strict triangular
shape whenever ! 60 out with YOU To
day ! purposely urged her going inside
so that could talk with you III peace
up here on top"
Now / understand what Is meant b.,
wickedness in high places" retorted
the girl playfully.
Don't try to put me of, Miss Ware,
for it's no use. You know perfectly
well that ! love you and
''Sh-sh! 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 people?'
why notY 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"
But that girl behind us''-she lower
ed her voice as she spoke-''do you
think she looks Frcnch:'
"A Partisan Enthusiastically" he an.
swered. 'She doesn't understand
word we say"
a Parisenne-I. who had been
away from New England only six
months and who thought my nationaIi-
ty as plain as if il were stamped upon
me in red, white and blue, 1t was q
shock certainly. but the blow was soft
tened somewhat 10y the compliment to
my clothes. Aren't the Parisiennes
considered the best dressed women In
the world?
But the mistake had touched my
Puritan conscience as well as my
feminine pride. was listening to
conversation manifestly not intended
for my ears. Ought | to get down
from the omnibus. That would be
quixotic surely could not afford to
be late to my appointment for the
sake of two perfect strangers who
would never know Of nay delicate kind
ness to them Ought | to speak out
frankly and say, Il beg your pardon.
but | understand everything you are
sayingw That would lie embarrassing
for us all aud really cruel to Mr.. Hen
ley. who had been trying for so long to
propose. When "A man Is in such
straits that he has to make love on the
top of an omnibus, lie 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"
Not at ALL" be answered, There's
her father right beside her reading the
newspaper"
/ trembled with fear 1t seemed ais
IL my neighbor must have understood
that, but 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 | say? / don't think
gou've known me long enough to ask
such a question"
Not long enough be repeated.
1--WE known you all summer"
Nine 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 trifiing 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"
Yes. but what Is 1t to be in lover
she asked. *And how are you TO be