The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-03

came and brought the drummer. ne
came in a hired hack with many cases,
and he wore high silk hat. so nign,
go silk so altogether to be wondered
at-Marguerite forgot waiting custom
ers; waiting customers forgot Marguer-
lite They stared at the high hat. But
monsieur came forward. Frenchman.
mon ami, not to be checked or posed.
He gave the drummer his hand and gra-
cious greeting: Glad to see you. glad
to see you, sho! Walk Gen." He In
PRODUCED Marguerite with easy grace:
my daughter She help me In the
store" VOLTA! 1t was the drummers
turn to stare. He swept the high nat
from his head and laid II careiessly up
on the counter. He talked to monsieur
and looked at monsieur's daughter. The
waiting customers edged their way
down the counter. lie chapeau du
haut- forme." they said under their
breath. They stared their fill. then the
holder ones turned their eyes-very
bright. all seeing eyes-upon the drum
mer They noted his pink cheeks and
yellow mustach, his pale blue eyes and
filled teeth also; they noted the pink
tip to his nose His clothes and watch
fob came in for generous attention, but
in vain. all marvels paled In the pres
ence of the high hat. For weeks 1t was
the talk of the neighborhood. and then
Just as the theme was beginning to
grow threadbare, came the startling
news that lie chapeau du haut-forme
had been again in monsieur's store; and
then that II had been to monsieurs
house, Had taken dinner there. And
at last, as though all this was not
enough to set a dreamy. drowsy world
agog. lie chapeau du haut-forme was
seen calmly walking into church with
NE Ia a.
splendent tie and broad smile and
he carried Marguerite's prayer book. Z
Mere de Dieu," said the mothers, un-
der their breath.
lie chapeau du haut-forme," breath
ed the girls.
"Sacre" said Aristide. "
The priest intoned mass to deaf ears.
Marguerite alone was calm. Demure,
dfstractingly pretty. she ignored the
stare of the envious; the touch of the
drummer's fingers holding half her
book; the gloom of Aristide. VOLTA!
She ignored everything, did monsieur's
petite file. who knew the multiplied
ton table and also how to coquette
with half a dozen lovers at once.
why didn| you come last Sunday?"
she asked Aristide. when they met out
side the church.
81 hear you have company" he replied
sullsnly.
''Das noting she smiled. sweetly.
"Dey be glad to see you. too. My papa
and my mamma, ve'y glad. yas.
"Ta'ank you" said the sullen Aris-
tide. He looked away from her stub
bornly and his eye fell upon the pink
tip Of the drummer's nose.
"You comm to de picnic on de
Fourt'?" she persisted, gently. while
lie chapeau du haut-forme began to
fidget. Aristide turned slowly from
the nose to her eyes and spoke slowly.
like one thinking hard.
IT dunno, me; but t'ink mebbe. vas.
/ come. You goin' be dere?'
"Oh, yes" said the high hat: 1--WE will
be there" He drew Marguerite's hand
through his arm with hint of owner
ship, but Aristide. raising his hat.
turned to talk to old man Tomasso
without trace of chagrin or anger in
his handsome face. All the way home
he walked and talked with old man
Tomasso And yet the old man had
but one daughter. and she was mar
ried. At the forks they shook hands
cordially, as men do over a compact,
and Aristide said. eagerly:
"If you don't t'ink five gallon be
enough"
But the old man interrupted with
roar of laughter: Enough? Sho! You
tink he goini to carry hes wheesky in
his hat or in hees headT And he
roared again. Aristide went home
smiling.
. 1t was the Fourth of July. and the
picnic was on. Well on. Hours ago
the men had come in with cast-nets
and seines full of fish; the women had
made the gumbo and the coffee, and lie
chapeau du haut-forme had struck up
friendship with old man Tomasso.
The first time they strolled away to-
gether the drummer smoked a cigar.
the old man a cigarette; the next time
the old man was smoking cigar. Be-
fore dinner, after dinner. and always
they strolled III the direction OF GER
tain little dell. By the time the ground
was cleared for the dance lie chapeau
du haut-forme had begun to get gay
Too gay. Marguerite thought, and told
him SO, sharply Whereupon lie cha
peau went away alone toward the lit
tie dell. Marguerite danced gayly with
everybody; so did Aristide, while old
man Tomasso lay in the shade and
smoked some big cigars. The sun be-
gan to sink. the old people to pile pots
and pans and children into wagons;
the young men to dash up in style with
their sulkies. seat their girls and dash
away with even more style. Suddenly.
in the very thick of that laughing
throng, Marguerite felt fearfully alone.
She and lie chapeau du haut-forme had
walked overt was such little way
but where now was that high hat?
Another sulky dashed up. another girl
was borne laughing from her side; an
other and another. In an agony of hui
initiation she imagined herself going
home alone-she. who had not wanted
an escort since she was six. There
1T - L
sound was beginning to sicken her--a
little bay mare dashed by and swung
sharply on its launches, a brandnew
sulky glittered In the sun, tall young
fellow was barring a handsome head
before her. He had taken her hand,
he had seated her CALAMITY. Away
they dashed. now perilously near