Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-09-14
His Lost
Opportunity
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p From the German of Joseph Siklosy.
j On beautiful autumn day made
bicycle trip from Paris to Chartres,
where dismounted the hotel AS
was very hungry, and the clock had
N just struck six, at once directed my
steps toward the dining room, the To-
cation Of which known to me
-, from earlier visits
n 1 found the better lighted
&c than before, and flowers on the ia.
5{.el bes. But where the guests?
took seat and began to drum the
table with my knife and fork A
:, waiter who looked in at the door in
response to the noise and whom
Il asked II dinner would not be served
soon replied, in tone almost of re-
: buke Very soon, sir
y Some ladies and gentlemen
y in, conyersing. To my surprise, they
were all in evening dress. More and.
3. more Of them came, until the room
= was quite full, but not one of them
took seat at the tables l sat there
~ alone munching the roll which 1
n found stuck in my napkin, in expecta-
n ton of the soup. Nobody seemed to
a take any notice of me; but the waiter,
Re- who had come in again, seemed to
VI be shocked by. my conduct / re-
~ fected that probably the new owner
=, OF the Hotel had introduced new ETH
quette at the table d'hote. 1t not
!, long before the host up to me
s and asked Pardon me, sir, but
V you OF the wedding guests?"
Wedding guest? What do you
mean? Oh, is there to be wedding
q dinner?"
YES sir suppose you thought
You were in the public dining room!
q This evening the table d'hote is
4 served in the billiard on ac-
count of the wedding Prosper will
show you the way"
81, Laughing my mistake rose
~. and followed the waiter, but before
o .a.. was out Of the heard behind
eituSe me loud Sir, sr!"
here turned in the door II was M
on an Berot, father of the bride, who was
NAY 1o race two scores and bn
ation there would have bese OF are smiling
civil war, and therefore ped M. Beriot called
The law passed by the lasiy dear sir hereby
Il the law as he ,ted to keep place at the table,
,lass legisla+: Pray, do the honor to dine with
;ouoa = us. We have vacant seat, for my
-, friend Bidochard was obliged to leave
7 before the dinner and shall be
glad to have you take his place."
looked at the faces around me
and saw that should be laughed at
II refused II am to stay. them
h / asked, hesitatingly
a. Yes, stay, stay!" replied a chorus
Of voices, and all clapped thei7 hands
q vivacous woman came forward and
Il shook my hand, saying How do you
= do, NJ. Bi4ochard?"
Il Under such circumstances soon
y !, felt at home in the charming circle
gave my card to M. Beriot, who In
Il troduced with great ceremony
o was to sit beside his sister-n-law,
y young widow, whom had already no
ticed among the guests.
During the twenty course7
c6nversed diligently with my charm
h ing neighbor, and my chivalrou.
III speeches not received with dis
Il favor. What she seemed to appreciate
:, especially in that she could
!, talk with me about everything. Hel
:. favorite theme, however, music
y She was viyidy interested in the fact
" that knew Franz List personally
and could tell her everything about
r his pecufarities and habits. She prom
ised that II should call hel
when happened to be in the city
she would play Hungarian rhapsody
for me.
The next morning when l had SEN
for my wheel and was settling m,
bill a carriage drove up to the door
Soon the widow and friend, whom
l had also met the evening before
4 came down in travelling costume.
"A understood, from the way in which
!. the friend looked at me, that hat
q been subject of conversation be
tween the two women. Returning m!
greeting, the lovely Nine. Berio
e. asked whittier was bound, and whel
replied that had no fixed destina
ton she suggested, bushing slightly
that should little way witt
q them on the road to Dreux, in orde
that they might see my whee
assisted the two women into tn
carriage and accompanied them O
n my bicycle to Dreux. In spite of tn
"a dust which l was obliged to swallow
~ l felt proud and happy to play tn
cavalier to my lovely acquaintanc,
A Of course, conversation was po
81 sibe of the rafting Z
n the wheels. The widow talked excl,
q sively with her friend, but often lool
"a ed at me with enchanting smil
al From time to time she raised he
III voice to ask me II did not wish
turn back. and when declared the
no power on earth could induce me
leave them until they had reache
their destination she blushed an
d seemed pleased, which completed
turned my head
\, When arrived at Dreux M. Be
4 Tot, Of course, invited to luncheon
Her friend was present at the mea
but left us afterward Then, partl
\. to start the conversation partly b.
cause really longed to hear her pla,
reminded Nine. Beriot Of her prom
B!al Use of the evening before. She at ono
a Bisnch declared herself ready to comply wit
81 E RSles N my wish and preceded me to tn
Blanchard drawing Then she took pain
sancnaru to Insure my comfort.
1. ". was OF sit in large armchair
" and whom the coffee brought sh
Dut 1t small table at my side