The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-08-09
CHRISANTHE
coopyrisht. 1904. by Daily story Pub. Co,
By LAURA I. HINEIEY

I SAW her first at the flower show.
l Chrysanthemums were everywhere.
streaked and pied and spattered. yell
low and bronze and purple and white
and red. prim and stately. and fiaunt-
ing, tousled. alluring monstrosities.
watched her from behind a towering
array OF blossoms, white but for a red
streak down every petal.
She was style incarnate in every
curve, with a great fluffy chrysanthe-
mum at her breast In spite of her
slim. sprite-like girlishness was
aware OF something in her passionate.
luxurious. unbounded, sort Of in
tense sympathy with the bouncing riot
OF the chrysanthemums.
Presently she came toward me with
light in her eyes and hands out
stretched.
I'VE should know each other. mon
sieur, l am Mademoiselle Chrysanthe.
Won't you come to see me?" She gave
me her address, not repeating or try
ing to impress 1t on my memory. but
as IL assured that I would remember.
MY day Is Thursday" And she left
me with a light nod. passing quickly
from the room
stood astounded. I was tolerably
familiar with the methods of adven-
turesses. but this person betrayed OBJ
vious wealth and breeding. Was she
some one | ought to remember.
knew she was not, yet her face had for
me some dim, haunting reminder. Had
she mistaken me for an acquaintance?
Why then >ier absurd nickname and
strange speech? "a clever adventur-
ess," reason told me. Yet I went on
the appointed day to her house.
1t was on one of the quieter. but in
tensely respectable and decidedly
smart streets. An imposing butler ad-
nitted me. looked to see him change
countenance when l asked for Made
moiselle Chrysanthe, but he bowed i'm
passively and ushered me into a splen-
did and lavish drawing-room. Jardi-
nieres of chrysanthemums stood about
and long mirror at one side repeated
their bizarre luxuries Of form and
tint.
My hostess glided in. Her yellow
house dress, adroitly garnished with
ruffies and fiuttering ribbon ends, SIM
ulated a prim, demurely wild chrysan-
themum-
"I knew you would come" she said,
giving me her hand. you will want
to see the conservatory. Not at home,
JamesI Come. monsieuri"
The conservatory was immense and
almost entirely devoted to chrysan-
themums. She fitted about among
them. bending her dainty head, witn
its black japanese coils stuck through
with long, twisted, amber pins.
Her fascination took violent hold on
me. her weird. exotic mingling Of ex-
travagant and exquisite. But she
would tell me nothing of her identity,
nor would she let me reveal my own.
NO. no. monsieur. This and this. -
touching two splendid blooms, need
no names. Nor do We"
AS l neared the door at last to take
leave. half-suffocated with her witch
eries-'I love you," l said, abruptly.
She listened. silent, smiling. un-
moved. caught her roughly about the
waist.
''Stopl Stopi / will call James,"
81 will come Tomorrow" l said.
and left her.
On the morrow I found her In the
lavish drawing-room- She had given
the place an accent of royal. gracious
welcome by massing everywhere chry-
santhemums of every tone and hue of
DurDIe She herself was 1ownad In
sumptuous purple velvet, adorned with
falls Of priceless lace. a more mature,
ample and majestic presence than I
had dreamed she could be. I was per-
mitted to stay long and talk on every
topic. but the forbidden ones of her
identity and mine. kissed her hand
at parting.
The third time went resolved TO
discover who she was and whether she